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Member
Posts: 28
Location: Jackson, MO | Guys,
I have a very productive walleye hole on a small river just off the Mississippi River. There is a man-made flood structure (very similar to a cofferdam) that they stack up in front of from Nov. to Mar. However this year the water is so low I can't access it by boat. I have caught up to 30 walleyes and saugers in a single day there and catch a ton of keepers there, with my largest at 6lbs.
The Mississippi River is almost always accessible for me. I am looking for info. as to how to target fish in the big river. There is a huge bridge near me between Missouri and Illinois, and I'm wondering if the fish will stack up downstream of the pillings? Should I fish the main river where the tributary I catch them dumps into the Mississippi River?
This is southeastern Missouri, there are no locks and dams on the big river around here, far south of what is considered walleye filled waters. Am I wasting my time?
Thanks,
Mike
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Member
Posts: 625
Location: LaCrosse, WI | If you don't have any locks/dams I would expect to find fish near some kind of rock or gravel bars and points. They will still be staging somewhere for the winter season, but you don't have an obvious piece of structure like a dam.
If the water is low, the flow should be also. The fish will more than likely be relating to whatever current there is. They will want to sit in the slack water right next to a current seam. Check bends in the river also. In your case I'd check outside bends so you can find areas of more flow. My first technique would be using either a three way or leadcore to pull stickbaits at .5-1mph along current seams until I found fish.
This will work, and your best bet is to cover water. Remember, stay just inside the slack water along the current seams and troll those stickbaits upstream until you connect a few times. Then you can jig or pitch those same seams. |
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Member
Posts: 21
| I finished up school at SEMO in 93. I did not have a boat when I was down there and did not get an opportunity to fish much other than some crappie fishing in the backwaters. I am not sure if there is a fishable population of walleyes but I do remember some friends catching a few walleyes by mistake in a popular backwater area south of Cape (can't remember the name).
I do remember there are quite a few wing dams in the Cape area. The wing dams I remember were more exposed than they are up north where most have water flowing over them. I lived in St Louis for 6 years and I did fish the Winfield pool (I think that is above the alton pool) some and we did well on walleyes off of the tip of wing dams in late fall and winter when the flow was down. I would think that would be a good place to start.
I agree with GNWC rookie and would use tactics to cover a lot of water. I would definitely check the mouth of the river that you have had success in the past. Make sure to work the area below the mouth too. Also check the mouth and areas below entrances to backwaters. Like GNWC said check outside bends which should have a little more flow this time of year than straight sections of the river. I know they catch a lot of big cats down there in the fall and winter. I have found walleyes mixed in with big flatheads in the river as walleyes love wood too. If you can find the cats you might find walleyes.
Good luck! |
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Member
Posts: 139
| Mike - I'm a confirmed River Rat here in Mid-Michigan - bridge pilings are one of My favorites spots. I usually verticle jig them (as opposed to pitching jigs) because of snags - rock and other construction junk around them. During low current conditions, remember that the 'Eyeballs will spreadout more - pulling leadcore might be a better option to locate fish. Then You can cast cranks or jigs and pick them off. Good luck, C-man. |
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Member
Posts: 650
| great info for ya mike. your local fish and game should help out with fish info. Jigging spoon in some deeper holes will help find some walleye. banging some rocks in the 9-15ft zone with a crankbait not a bad idea. I like a bandit 300 in a chart color. |
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