What a fun few weeks we just went through catching many walleye and sauger and even a few personal best and some guys first ever walleye and sauger  on the mighty Mississippi River out of  pool 4 in Redwing minnesota.
 

One of my favorite time of the year is spring time and chasing that elusive big walleye. These fish can be so massive that it will blow your mind and its girth when you get a 27 plus in walleye into the boat.  I know I hear everyone  say the got a 30 inch walleye, let me share this with you.  A walleye over 27 in the spring can look 30 and it's really not .  I know another angler that actually got a 32 incher and he sent me the snap chat video of this fish. This one I will believe and the time this young man puts on the water he deserves to catch a walleye of a lifetime.  With this being said does that mean there is lots of walleye that size in the system.  Absolutely not.  Fish are like humans when they get so big or old the die of old age.  That's nature.  Many folks that get into the boat like Dave I had last week had a giant walleye come into the net.  She was 28 and 3/4 inches.   This fish had amazing girth at prespawn.   This is a trophy walleye in the river.   Do not let anyone tell you differently take it from myself I get to fish 5 plus days a week there just ain't tha5 many walleye out there over 30.   It was great to see Daves smile after catching his giant.   We were duquerigging at the time.

Over the last few weeks we vertical jigged plastics, hair and minnow, Dubuque rigged, pulled three ways with original floater, and even pulled the rig.  I also got a couple days of pitching jigs to boot.  Every technique had its place and time depending on the water level and clarity.  Now that the prespawn days are done it's time to switch gears and do post spawn techniques.    Water temperatures are starting to creep up and things will begin to  come around for trolling cranks on lake pepin soon.  
 

The water temperatures as of yesterday April 25th was at 51 at the end of my half day trip.  We mainly trolled the rig trying to catch those make walleyes the hit out of angler.  We ended our time vertical jigging up a few on last 30 minutes of our trip.  Thanks you to Jay, Tony, and hook setter Kenny for the fun time on my vessel today.   
 

Water levels are as of yesterday 6.3 ft and receding .    Clarity is a tick over a foot.   With the incoming rains the next week I'm betting we creep back up a bit so adjustments will be made to catch your walleye and sauger.  

Good luck out there guys and Gals!!!
 

Mississippi River, St. Croix River, Pool 3, Pool 4, Walleye Fishing, Sauger Fishing, Red Wing, Hastings