whats the earliest bass you ever caught from the mississippi river?

[beeflover]

Give me a nice sunny day and I'm ready to go.

Mississippi is open all year right?

Anybody have any late winter river bass experience they want to share?

[Bobb-o]

I have caught them in december while home for spring break, we normally get them where the storm water drains into the river. Yes the mississippi is open year round south of minnehaha falls in st paul/minneapolis

[big musk411]

January. I use jig/minnow. Actually Im going out there right now. I don't know if the fishing is open all year, but the water is.

[ikeslayer]

Down south here it is frozen where it is not moving. like lake pepin right now is all iced over. However last year a buddy and i fished in March and we only caught one fish and it went about 4lbs. What i hear is fish slow. i have heard of guys doing well on suspending baits but i don't know much. If there is anyone out there who has the winter experience on these bass please do tell us some techniques. ike

[Bobb-o]

I was using suspending rapalas and twitching it, count to 20, twitch it, count to 10, twithc it count to 30, etc. make sure you count these number in your head as they are a lot longer than you think. thats how we got all of our fish.

[SluggoMaster]

I caught one of the elusive 21" smallies on the upper Miss on Valentines day. It was a TOAD! COLD COLD WATER.

[beeflover]

"upper mississippi"? you mean north of the cities?

come to think of it I used to walk down behind the power plant N of Monticello and fish in the discharge.

I was thinkin of getting out in my boat though so I'm expecially interested in South of RedWing and South of Pepin.

[SluggoMaster]

Yes, south of the power plant 2-4 miles. I had a blast the last time out. When it's on, it's smokin, otherwise you freeze your cheeks off

[beeflover]

hey slugo, are you in a boat?

You go out of the ramp in Monticello?

I used to go in there with my old alum boat

I did see a bass boat under the hwy 101 bridge just s of elk river a couple weeks ago. I suppose he would be up from around Anoka somewhere.

Is the river navigable around Anoka?

[smallie_hawgin]

Ankoa yes.... Elk River only in selected areas... unless you have a jet. There is an access right there in Elk River next to the 101 bridge. Flows this winter have been high, but less than 10,000 cfs @ St. Cloud dam and you are pushing it with a prop rig. MS Riverdog on the Miss north forum has a prop rig... and has run up to St. Cloud before.... but then again... he is MS Riverdog.. I wouldn't advise the run. Just me.

[fishfearme]

I usually start fishing pools 4-8 some time in early April, depending on weather and water levels. Smallies from last April.

[beeflover]

hey fishfearme, you know come to think of it I've got some bass in April trolling for walleyes in the very North Bay of Pepin. That rip rap on the east side would catch the spring sun pretty good.

I think I'll go in there with some tubes as soon as the ice gets off.