main reason for this blog is to let you know the Blackhawk Bridge @ Lansing is now open!

Just in time, cuz River is supposed to rise to ‘action stage’ in pool 9 by late afternoon tomorrow, 4/21.

When the River comes up to action stage the road to the new Albin boat ramp closes, forcing west side access to the pool south of Lansing @ village Creek or limited access north of the Mn. state line @ Visigar’s and a mile north of Visager’s @ Millstone Landing. Either way, when River gets to action stage a pair of knee boots is part of the program.

Re-Opening of the bridge also means access from the west at both launches located on hwy 82.

I often pick up clients @ Blackhawk park, near the mid-point of the pool.With the River flowing below 625.4 its actually quicker for me to launch @ new Albin and navigate down Minnesota slough to the east side of the River–also cheaper, given continued outrageous fuel prices.

didja notice that spot gold prices are now over $2400/ounce? This means folks a lot smarter than me know that world peace is in real jeopardy. Gas prices may soon be just a minor worry.

Old habits die hard. As a kid growing up during the Cuban missle crisis youngsters all learned the “duck & cover” drill. It wasn’t until the early 1980’s that I had the courage to leave home without Milt, my personal mallard, and my raggy old blue security blanket. As a bona fide geezer now, packing a heater at essentially all times is part of the program.

Kind of a squirrely segway into falling water temps–again–but they are gonna be a factor for at least another week. Water temp on the River mainstem was a solid 62 on 4/15 . By 4/18 the temp had fallen to 53. didn’t seem to bother the SMB…59 bass on the clicker in just over 4 hrs.

Smallmouth start to move out of deepwater habitat moving toward tribs and other spawning areas when the temp warms to 55, dropping back toward wintering holes in the fall when the water cools to this temp.

A couple weeks ago when the temp fell from about 50 down to 38, the bronzebacks were still pretty active. Since we got past 55 more than a week ago, it looks like the parade has begun. Just need to do a little tweaking to stay on the fish.

Howling wind and the folly of trying to fish on Saturday have me wondering what the water temp will be on tomorrow afternoon’s trip . Thinking probably somewhere in the upper 40’s.

this is just a small part of the matrix! Walleyes are post spawn now , likely headed toward the sand flat pattern usually seen in May. With pool levels right at action stage I see no point in probing wingdams–but closing dams are a different matter.

Regardless, it takes me at least an hour every single day to figure out the River’s mood. Sometimes She is not keen to reveal how to harvest her bounty…and that’s why I love her so!