Pool 4 (Red Wing) Water Temp: 41 Level: 10.3 Flow:@61, 700cfs

Water levels are falling but slowly.  Water temps are dropping quickly and clarity is around 2 feet.

The last week of October was quite a week with huge numbers of fish each day. Simply pulling plastics on Dubuque Rigs was the ticket in my boat every trip out. I’m sure there are other ways to catch but it really never gets old feeling a walleye or sauger belt a plastic bait on a tight line.  Many different colors worked on both ends of the rig but the old adage “bright on bright days and dark on dark days” really held true to form most of the time.

I have used jigs from ½-¾ ounces.  You really can’t be too heavy it seems, as we have had fish completely inhale a ¾ ouncer even when pulled slowly upstream. Keep the jigging motion to a minimum.  Less is more just as it is with most presentations on the river as the water gets colder and clearer.

The bite going forward could remain the same but a lot will depend on how cold the water gets and how fast.  The warm water that is discharged above the dam will be less of a factor as high as the river is.  Just a lot of cold water running down the creek when there is this much flow. 

In pics below you will see one thing in common….a lot of 19-20” saugers.  

First is Ken and Jeri Neeser, Jay Franz and Rachel VanDenBoom.

The next 3 are Scott O’brien and Brad Schrieber. 

Bill Kraemer is next up with another over 20”er.  

Leif Knecht and Greg Liebelt are next with a couple more saugers and a similar walleye.

The last two are Sean McCoy and Lance Messerly.  Lance is not a small guy and that fish still looks giant.

With any luck the weather will moderate a tic and we can enjoy this bite all the way through Movember.