The USCG has closed the River above LaCrosse and below Lynxville to recreational boating. Pools 8 & 9 are still open BUT access is a major issue.

yesterday I launched @ Blackhawk Rd. & hwy 26 south of new Albin. There was just 4″ of clearance for my boat under the railroad trestle just east of Hwy 26. With another 2+” of rain forecast for today a rising Upper Iowa River will t
take this access off the table for at least the next several days.

Yesterday I caught about a dozen big sheepshead on a ZMan ned/TRD casting to a very small area. A couple of these goats were 10 lb. plus. Big drum like that are one of the best tugs on the River! After 4 days of not fishin’ a good tug was needed to maintain sanity.

Once you find a pod of goats they are almost always willing. sometimes, the only fish that wants to come out and dance. Not fishing is no option. If I can’t get on the River @ Blackhawk & 26 by Monday morning it will be time for a road trip.

Back in ’19 pool 9 was at perpetual flood til late in the summer. April ’23 we had a crest higher than the River is now, but by July 4 last year the River was running near historic low levels.

IF the monsoon upstream abates soon the River will be at very fishable levels by about July 18. It takes about 90 days for a raindrop falling on L. Itasca at the headwaters to reach the Gulf.–shorter time frame if the River is running belly full and angry like she is now.

I haven’t been able to work since June 7. Next trip on the books is July 23.If the monsoon up north subsides the River should be very fishable by then. Success on the River is a pendulum–when fishin’ is bad it simply can’t get any worse. When its good, it doesn’t get any better–anywhere.

Have a safe & happy Independence Day y’all!