REDCREST Practice Report Show Mixed Signals from Upper Mississippi River
LA CROSSE, Wis. – As official practice wrapped up and the field of 30 anglers made their way to Veterans Freedom Park for Day 1 takeoff onto Upper Mississippi River this week, their assessments of the fishing conditions run the gamut with adjectives ranging from “random and confusing” to “stellar!”
Time will tell how they all fare, but here’s a quick synopsis of what the anglers found on the Upper Mississippi River.
Jared Lintner: “I love this place. It is one of my favorite places on earth to fish, but it is surprising how tough the fishing is,” Lintner said. “I’ve focused on grass and flats and haven’t gone out to the offshore stuff and current breaks. You can catch some good ones in the grass, but it’s totally random.”
Edwin Evers: “Practice was interesting, and there are a few areas that you can get a lot of bites,” said the Bass Pro Tour Points Champion. “But, with the low water and how clear it is, things are lining up for it to be stellar fishing.”
Todd Faircloth: Faircloth is one of the pros fishing this week with past wins on the Upper Mississippi, but he says it is different this time around: “Normally you can find a few areas where you can get a lot of bites. I haven’t found that yet,” he said. “The water is lower, and there is still good current, but it just seems a little off this time.”
Aaron Martens: “The water is a little funky looking, and that changes everything. It affects how you fish and where the baitfish are,” Martens said. “The fish are scattered, and the low water has taken some of their normal living space away.”
Jordan Lee: “It has been inconsistent for getting bites,” Lee said. “You’ll catch one on one technique and then go for a while and not get a bite. Finding groups of bass has been tough.”
Brent Ehrler: “It’s fishing weird, and I haven’t found the areas that I think I need to do well,” Ehrler said. “I haven’t found that place where you can light them up. I feel fortunate though because I don’t need to win in this pool (Pool 8) and I just need to catch enough to advance.”
The Championship Round will be held on Pool 7 and anglers will have the opportunity to ride around that section of the river during the off-day but will not be permitted to fish.
Bobby Lane: Lane says that both the low water and time of year are likely responsible for his tough practice.
“The water is 75 degrees, but that is warm to these fish up north, and I think they are in a midsummer lull. It has been confusing because you can catch some and then fish spots that look the same and don’t get a bite,” said Lane.
Fred Roumbanis: “The water is shockingly low, and five minutes into the first practice day, I hit a wing dam and knocked off my skeg,” Roumbanis said. “This is the same trail I have been running for years. The fishing itself has been pretty tough. I’ve been mixing it up with largemouth and smallmouth and have a few different patterns going.”