Winter Fishing on the Mississippi River?

BPACA · 02-16-07, 02:29 PM

Okay to catch winter bass on the Mississippi river what would you try and do? I've always wondered about fishing the river in the winter because it won't freeze up? Water is really muddy.

jooleyen · 02-16-07, 04:45 PM

Wow. That is REALLY wierd. I don't have an answer, but I was just going to post the SAME EXACT question and I noticed it was on the board.

BPACA · 02-16-07, 04:56 PM

haha....I new that this would be a tuff one....

texasbasser · 02-16-07, 07:01 PM

what part of the mississippi? southern, northern?

BPACA · 02-16-07, 07:31 PM

Northern IL

HOG Ranger · 02-16-07, 07:39 PM

Maybe the main river is not totally frozen but the back waters should be.

BPACA · 02-16-07, 07:41 PM

yeah....the back waters are frozen.....its been on my mind this winter on how to go about fishing it.......it would probably be tuff as heck.

HOG Ranger · 02-16-07, 08:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BPACA

yeah....the back waters are frozen.....its been on my mind this winter on how to go about fishing it.......it would probably be tuff as heck.

I honestly think you would be better off ice fishing the back waters.

texasbasser · 02-16-07, 08:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BPACA

Northern IL

sorry, cant help you there.

BPACA · 02-16-07, 08:44 PM

Most of the tournaments are won out of marinas.....but they are probably frozen up right now.....the main river current probably would be too strong for the fish this time of year...

jooleyen · 02-16-07, 08:51 PM

Darn. That sucks. I don't live TOO far from you. Do you think we have similar fishing? I was wondering what to throw even if it's not winter. My question was going to be about the Fox River. The very thin parts of the river are frozen, but on the wide parts, only the edges are frozen.
I'll be going tomorrow!!!

BPACA · 02-16-07, 11:58 PM

You got smallies up there?

jooleyen · 02-17-07, 01:38 AM

I know there are some in the Fox River, but not in this area. At least I don't think. I'm new to fishing and haven't got too many chances to fish the Fox, but I asked my grandpa and he says there are Musky, Pike, Rock Bass, Catfish, Garfish(I never knew they existed in America), Carp, and a bunch of smaller fish like bluegill. I know there are also some smallmouth in the lakes near me, and Lake Michigan is filled with them, but I've never seen a smallmouth in real life.

I know there are Smallies in the Milwaukee River, but It's a horrible neighborhood around the Milwaukee River, so I will not fish there.
What kinds of fish are abundant in your area?

A question : What would you suggest I throw for smallies on the shores of Lake Michigan?

BPACA · 02-17-07, 09:19 AM

jerkbaits, tubes, senkos for the smallies...maybe a chart spinnerbait...

I fish a lot of IL lakes......also the ozarks.

adamchasejones · 02-17-07, 05:21 PM

I live on the mississippi in memphis on the front side of a big long lagoon. Im prolly gonna go in the morning and try some white bass that everyone's crazy about.

jooleyen · 02-17-07, 05:36 PM

Hey BPACA, do you think they really come to the shores? Do you know when they would most likely be there?

BPACA · 02-17-07, 07:07 PM

the smallies should be there in the spring deffinately spawning around 10 feet deep....I would fish for them during the spring shallow around marinas or any deep harbors etc.....places where they can transition fast...

lizardsrule · 02-17-07, 09:14 PM

Try the creeks. More often than not, the bass will be in the creeks, or mouths of the creeks. Crawdad style of baits would be my reccomendations, or a jerkbait. PNJ and plastics will usually catch something. On big muddy rivers, the better fishing IMO is usually in the canals or creeks, or as already stated the marinas.

Lizards

jooleyen · 02-17-07, 09:31 PM

Oh my gosh. That would be awesome if the smallmouth really came here!

I went to the Fox River and IT WAS FROZEN! How?! I don't know.

Thanks all.

BPACA · 02-17-07, 09:49 PM

I don't see why not.....they should for spawning come a little shallower.....try and deeper points....gota be some largies there also no matter what.

boater · 02-18-07, 11:27 AM

wow well in St Louis area right now to catch bass you will have to take a drill and bore though the Ice it is frozen all the way across with small holes here and there for the eagles to fish from

adamchasejones · 02-18-07, 06:41 PM

I fished wolf river lagoon (off the mississippi in memphis) behind the island i live on...I snagged some skipjack, but no bass.. I was bustin ice with my boat. I'lll guarantee I drag some hogs outta here when it warms up a little.

02-16-07, 02:29 PM	#1
BPACA BassFishin.Com Active Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 420	Winter Fishing on the Mississippi River? Okay to catch winter bass on the Mississippi river what would you try and do? I've always wondered about fishing the river in the winter because it won't freeze up? Water is really muddy.

02-17-07, 09:14 PM	#18
lizardsrule BassFishin.Com Premier Elite Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Saint Augustine, FL Posts: 7,374	Try the creeks. More often than not, the bass will be in the creeks, or mouths of the creeks. Crawdad style of baits would be my reccomendations, or a jerkbait. PNJ and plastics will usually catch something. On big muddy rivers, the better fishing IMO is usually in the canals or creeks, or as already stated the marinas. Lizards __________________ There are three types of Snakes I hate 1. Live Snakes 2. Dead Snakes 3. Sticks that look like Snakes. And Gators too! Last edited by lizardsrule; 02-17-07 at 09:38 PM.

02-16-07, 04:45 PM	#2
jooleyen BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 1,509	Wow. That is REALLY wierd. I don't have an answer, but I was just going to post the SAME EXACT question and I noticed it was on the board.

02-16-07, 04:56 PM	#3
BPACA BassFishin.Com Active Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 420	haha....I new that this would be a tuff one....

02-16-07, 07:01 PM	#4
texasbasser BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: San Antonio, Tx Posts: 2,301	what part of the mississippi? southern, northern?

02-16-07, 07:31 PM	#5
BPACA BassFishin.Com Active Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 420	Northern IL

02-16-07, 07:39 PM	#6
HOG Ranger BassFishin.Com Active Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Rockford, IL Posts: 306	Maybe the main river is not totally frozen but the back waters should be.

02-16-07, 07:41 PM	#7
BPACA BassFishin.Com Active Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 420	yeah....the back waters are frozen.....its been on my mind this winter on how to go about fishing it.......it would probably be tuff as heck.

02-16-07, 08:44 PM	#10
BPACA BassFishin.Com Active Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 420	Most of the tournaments are won out of marinas.....but they are probably frozen up right now.....the main river current probably would be too strong for the fish this time of year...

02-16-07, 08:51 PM	#11
jooleyen BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 1,509	Darn. That sucks. I don't live TOO far from you. Do you think we have similar fishing? I was wondering what to throw even if it's not winter. My question was going to be about the Fox River. The very thin parts of the river are frozen, but on the wide parts, only the edges are frozen. I'll be going tomorrow!!!

02-16-07, 11:58 PM	#12
BPACA BassFishin.Com Active Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 420	You got smallies up there?

02-17-07, 01:38 AM	#13
jooleyen BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 1,509	I know there are some in the Fox River, but not in this area. At least I don't think. I'm new to fishing and haven't got too many chances to fish the Fox, but I asked my grandpa and he says there are Musky, Pike, Rock Bass, Catfish, Garfish(I never knew they existed in America), Carp, and a bunch of smaller fish like bluegill. I know there are also some smallmouth in the lakes near me, and Lake Michigan is filled with them, but I've never seen a smallmouth in real life. I know there are Smallies in the Milwaukee River, but It's a horrible neighborhood around the Milwaukee River, so I will not fish there. What kinds of fish are abundant in your area? A question : What would you suggest I throw for smallies on the shores of Lake Michigan?

02-17-07, 09:19 AM	#14
BPACA BassFishin.Com Active Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 420	jerkbaits, tubes, senkos for the smallies...maybe a chart spinnerbait... I fish a lot of IL lakes......also the ozarks.

02-17-07, 05:21 PM	#15
adamchasejones BassFishin.Com Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Memphis, Tn and Hazard, Ky Posts: 86	I live on the mississippi in memphis on the front side of a big long lagoon. Im prolly gonna go in the morning and try some white bass that everyone's crazy about.

02-17-07, 05:36 PM	#16
jooleyen BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 1,509	Hey BPACA, do you think they really come to the shores? Do you know when they would most likely be there?

02-17-07, 07:07 PM	#17
BPACA BassFishin.Com Active Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 420	the smallies should be there in the spring deffinately spawning around 10 feet deep....I would fish for them during the spring shallow around marinas or any deep harbors etc.....places where they can transition fast...

02-17-07, 09:31 PM	#19
jooleyen BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 1,509	Oh my gosh. That would be awesome if the smallmouth really came here! I went to the Fox River and IT WAS FROZEN! How?! I don't know. Thanks all.

02-17-07, 09:49 PM	#20
BPACA BassFishin.Com Active Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 420	I don't see why not.....they should for spawning come a little shallower.....try and deeper points....gota be some largies there also no matter what.

02-18-07, 11:27 AM	#21
boater BassFishin.Com Active Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: O'Fallon Missouri Posts: 283	wow well in St Louis area right now to catch bass you will have to take a drill and bore though the Ice it is frozen all the way across with small holes here and there for the eagles to fish from

02-18-07, 06:41 PM	#22
adamchasejones BassFishin.Com Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Memphis, Tn and Hazard, Ky Posts: 86	I fished wolf river lagoon (off the mississippi in memphis) behind the island i live on...I snagged some skipjack, but no bass.. I was bustin ice with my boat. I'lll guarantee I drag some hogs outta here when it warms up a little.

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