With the thaw comes rising water which pushes fish toward shoreline slack areas and creekmouths. I spent some time this morning twixt taking kids to and from school fishing those types of spots. A jointed minnow bait retrieved slowly with a twitch every three turns of the handle was the winning ticket. One bass from a shoreline slack pocket on the outside edge of the eddy, two walleye from the creekmouth where the lip drops down and one pike from about 25 feet up the creek laying right next to the shoreline. Not a bad way to kill some time.

Very nice. K3 I take it?

Was out Wednesday and was able to hook 4 fish and land none. Got to see the back of a smallie that would have pushed the 18 inch mark, instead I got flipped off.

Snagged a carp in the tail. At least I got to land one fish.

Sounds like get out today or forget it for a couple of days. I hate fishing in the rain this time of year. Too damn cold.

Nice Norm

I'll be putting on the waders and rainsuit shortly, prolly have the river to myself.

4 small male walleye 12-15 inches on a rattlebait in a creekmouth. 1 smallie just under 18 inches on the rattlebait off a current seam twixt the crick and river. I went downstream to the point pool behind the rock bar of the crick. I was tossing the rattlebait when i saw minnows popping out of the water in some flooded weeds. I unsnapped the rattlebait and snapped on a weighted keeper hook with 5 inch twister. i got 3 walleye 25-26 inches in 7 casts in the flooded stuff.
Good day, no one else out.

I carry all that stuff, but never put it on. I'll have to reconsider.

Long time ago I pointed out that the Kank water is warmer this time of year than the Fox. Difference between coming out of Indiana and somewhere near Milwaukee. I still hold to that theory, but if I can squeeze in a day, I know a creek that behaves just like the one you're talking about. Damn near identical from what I remember, only smaller.

Norm Minas wrote:4 small male walleye 12-15 inches on a rattlebait in a creekmouth. 1 smallie just under 18 inches on the rattlebait off a current seam twixt the crick and river. I went downstream to the point pool behind the rock bar of the crick. I was tossing the rattlebait when i saw minnows popping out of the water in some flooded weeds. I unsnapped the rattlebait and snapped on a weighted keeper hook with 5 inch twister. i got 3 walleye 25-26 inches in 7 casts in the flooded stuff.
Good day, no one else out.

That's a hell of a day. Great to hear about 25-26 inch walleye being caught too. Those sound like some healthy mamas. I wish I knew where to fish when everything was flooded like it is right now. I would probably just go out, get wet, and get sick, without catching a thing.

Fished in the rain today. I got one walleye about 24 inches at a creekmouth on a Suspending Rogue. That was it for catching fish on hard baits. I switched to a weighted keeper hook and 5 inch twister and hit a small slackwater spot that has been a consistent muti specie coldwater spot. After getting several pickups but no fish i tore off a couple inches and made it a three incher. That got me a rockbass about 6 inches long and more short strike, i figured prolly shorter rockies. I moved downstream a little and had a carp about 29 inches long inhale the jig. Once I landed it, I had to stick the pliers down it's mouth to get the thing unhooked.

I decided to keep walking that shoreline as there were other productive spots within a 20-25 minute hike. i switched back to a 5 inch twister as I usually get smallies in that nape of the neck. I ended up with 2 smallies about 15 inches in about 2 hours of fishing, not bad for 36 degree water.

By late afternoon the gloves were soaked and the fingers were getting stiff, so I called it a day. i think tomorrow, I'll try to find the neoprene gloves in the garage. I guess age is catching up with me a little, a few years ago, I wouldn't have even bothered with gloves on a day like today.

Good to hear you're getting out. I've got the wading itch something fierce.