Here is a great fishing destination for anglers. It is the Red Wing (Minnesota dam) near the town of Red Wing Minnesota. The time of year to fish would be March and April. As I look out my window here in Minnesota (March 9 Saturday) I am seeing snow banks in the road in depths of 3 to 5 feet . The temperature yesterday morning was single digits Fahrenhiet. Hey I thought it was suppose to warm up in March! It really won’t be too long.
In March die hard fisherman in their desire to finally get the boat out on some water to fish after being iced in since November will first fish the Mississippi river in Red Wing Minnesota. OK, The fishing season on the Mississippi River is open all year long (not like the inland lakes where walleye / bass season opens in mid May).
The Red Wing dam is located about 5 miles north of Red Wing. The walleye come up the river from huge Lake Pepin each spring to spawn. The walleye come up to the dam and several miles south an mass. The walleye become very concentrated during this period. The peak of the walleye spawn around April 15. So right now until the first week in April the walleye are in the pre spawn period. This is the period the walleye are eager biters.
If you have an atlas look at the Red Wing Mn area and the huge area marked on the map as Lake Pepin. You can imagine a large percentage of walleye that use that area concentrated in one area by the dam and a few miles south.
How do you time a good bite when fishing this area? The snow melt run off is of first concern. When the snow is in full melt mode the Mississippi becomes very clouded and fishing slows down. One wants to time a trip before (like right now) or after most of the snow melts and the run off slows down to where the water clarity is not so clouded.
Where to launch your boat? Right in the town of Red Wing there are two launches. There are also several places to launch your boat on the Wisconsin side. What to use. The best is a ½ ounce to ¾ ounce jig tipped with a Minnow. Stop at once of the bait shops and ask where specifically the fish have been biting the last few days.
Generally though most fishermen head up stream just south of the dam. The Wisconsin side of the river is very good. Let your boat drift with the current and cast your jig near shore and the brush dragging it on the bottom. Some of the In fisherman magazines in the 1970’s covered fishing this area. They showed tremendous stringers of big walleyes. This was before catch and release was adopted by most anglers.
This time of year and the Mississippi near Red Wing is host to some very large walleyes. Many 10 pound fish or greater are caught each year. So there you have it fishing Red Wing Minnesota in the spring. I will make it a goal to right a second post concerning more specific spots and other fishing techniques to use in this location.