Mississippi River Pool 5, Alma

You better stay home, they will be all spawned out by the time you get here

With these couple warm day do think the perch will spawn out or are they still pretty firm?
Supposed to come over end of March but might try to get there this weekend.
Thanks for any information.

That’s great that you had a good day and he gave you a tip on finding sauger.  While up in a boat near them yesterday I heard him say to a boat or boats “you guys give me a minute and I’ll get out of your way.” A guy near him asked him what he said and he started mumbling something under his breath to his clients and they all start laughing like a bunch of rich frat buddies.  Ice fishing two years ago at “long walk” they bring a bunch of guys out and two buddies of mine were setting up where they had the previous day which was near the end of where his kid Jordan was drilling holes.  Jordan approached them and asked them to move because he had clients out there.  Well, my buddies told him what to do with what he had to say then the guy working with him came over and apologized for him.  Every day is different on the water but always and I mean always be respectful.

Fished last saturday and did well along with almost everyone else along the lock wall, no surprises.  Caught more on crawler chunks but bring both minnows and worms/crawlers.  Struck out on pike after we were done with perch, unusual and kind of a bummer but thanks to a tip from the "sticker boat guy" I wound up getting into a bunch of really nice sauger including my two biggest and was on the way home before noon.  Maybe I caught the guy on a good day but I've spent a ton of time on the river and never have had an issue with any of the aforementioned Fluekinger clan on hard or soft water.  As far as the chit chat goes it's a guide's job to put people on fish every day this time of year and a lot of those boats up there contain friends, relatives and familiar faces, I talk at work too.  I don't fish for a living but I like to keep the first 15 good eaters and boogie as well, there are plenty of other options on the river rather than sorting for the heaviest limit possible.  The males actually produce more meat than the egg bloated females whose bodies have been devoting every bit of nutrients to producing and growing the eggs since last fall.  For what its worth I tossed back a half dozen mamas that would have most folks drooling.

Fished Alma the past few days.  Guys use drop shot rigs, really anything that will keep your worm, crawler, minnow or plastic near bottom and wait to feel the bite. Boats all over up by the dam in really close quarters.  Most people are really decent about not casting over each other or getting too close.  Then there’s the “local guide” that thinks he’s some sort of celebrity.  What a joke.  This guy posts some pictures of nice perch, tells people the perch are taking over the river and pleads to get kids out fishing.  What he means is pay me way too much money to drive up to the dam and get you the fastest limit possible so I can get back to my lay z boy as quick as I can.  Pump out 60 perch, head back towards the landing, take some pics where we can’t see houses in Alma or the power plant in the background and hold those perch out as far as possible!!  Our boat got near him yesterday and I heard him say “one more decent perch and we’re out of here.” 4 guys fishing together and it’s a race to 60 perch.  I didn’t know group fishing for limits was legal.  Only for guides apparently.  Then he makes comments to other fisherman on his way off trying to appear as some celebrity.  Usually no one even pays him any attention but in the meantime he’ll gladly take your money and hopefully you bring him an apple pie.  You should see the circus during ice season at the long walk/airboats.  Group of guys pays to go perch fishing, his kid drives you out in an airboat to a place 2-3 feet deep, set up tipdowns and hopefully you catch fish. Anyhow, perch are biting.  Just follow the fancy boat with stickers.  Worms early the minnows a little later in the morning.  Take a kid fishing.  Save your money and buy them a nice rod/reel.  

Top of pool. Drop shot and minnow in 13’ 

Pool 5 Alma today. Dropshot with minnow in 13 fow.

Pretty cool icw fishing trip for panfish with Lance in the scratcher boat! Thanks again Lance!

Fished a tournament on pool 5 this past weekend and caught a lot of bass and pike. Stayed mostly down at the bottom end of the pool. Check out the videos to see how we did!

3/24 Friday Water temp 38 degrees.  Ice above dam was breaking up last Sunday 3/18, but was also 10 degrees in AM and landing was locked in, all waiting for the 1st boater to break the ice.  If your planning to fish by the lock, you'll be disappointed, 3-4 Army Corp barges tied up there.  Fished current seams, mixture of eyes, sauger, perch & small sturgeon, slow day, jig and minnow.  Good number of boats spilling into the extra parking lot but not bad, dock in.  Fishing float open, water flow normal, warden at ramp said spotty fishing reports.   Air temp warm, on water cool as usually but great to be out in the sunshine.