AFTER CHRISTMAS RIVER BONANZA!!!

Greetings All:
Well, here we are the day after Christmas 2014 and the Mississippi River is open and providing some truly memorable fishing. Normally this time of the year the river is locked in ice and we are doing our fishing through a hole. Not this year though.

Was out today with the mild temps and the walleye and sauger bite was great. Was fishing 3' and 4" plastic shad bodies in the fast water up at the dam in Pool-12. Long casts into the fast water coming thru the gates of the dam produced the most fish. A 3/8th. ounce jig was used and the shad body was attached to that. For this fishing I was using a long 7 1/2 foot rod so long casts were easy. Toss that shad body right in that fast water, hold your rod high and let the bait move down river with the fast current. Keep a tight line and hold on. The fish are hitting this presentation very hard as it leaves the turbulent water area. 

Best colors have been the black back with silver sides bodies. Note: Dependent on current, you may be able to start with a 1/4th. ounce jig. This is something you will have to experiment with in the water you are fishing. 

Hopefully before Mother Nature decides to drop her other shoe and bring Winter you can get out and enjoy the great Mississippi River bite that is happening right now in an open Pool near you.

Regards: Lastcast   Mike Cyze   lastcast13@yahoo.com

WITH WINTER HOLDING OFF, THE GREAT RIVER BITE CONTINUES!!!

Greetings All:
Well so far the Winter of 2014 has yet to arrive. That's fine with me. The best part though is that the fishing on the Mississippi river has been going strong for both Walleye and sauger. With lot's of open water still available to fish, anglers have many spots to try. I have been working the areas from Pools-11 to 14 and have been having great success. The fish are there in good numbers and the bite has remained excellent. Many anglers have stayed in the tailwater areas just below the dam but there are many spots further down river that are less crowded and have quality fish available. Best part is that in these spots you do not have to fight the heavy boat traffic up at the dam. 

As far as presentation, jig/minnow rigs are working well. I have been using hair jigs with good success. You can tip the hair jig with either a minnow or plastic trailer and both will catch fish. As far as colors, white, orange and yellow have been doing good.

For you folks that like to troll, three-way rigging will also take its share of fish. 

With no major weather forecast through the upcoming weekend, hopefully you can get out and enjoy some of the great Mississippi river fishing that is going on right now in a pool near you.

Regards: Lastcast   Mike Cyze   lastcast13@yahoo.com

VERTICAL "SNAP JIGGING" WORKING WELL FOR WALLEYE AND SAUGER!!!

Greetings All:
Well, this last week I have been traveling up and down the Mississippi River testing the waters in the many pools it has to offer. Tailwater fishing has been good with one particular method working very well for some nice fish. I'm talking about what is called "Snap-Jigging".  Snap jigging is what it implies, quick snaps to your jig presentation to make it jump erratically. I have been using this presentation while vertical jigging and it has been working great the last few weeks. There is one thing though that I have been doing that will up your bites and let me share it with you.

While vertical jigging I have added a plastic Ringworm to my jig for both bulk and effect. I have also been tipping this setup with a nice lively fathead minnow in the 2 1/2 inch range. Simply lower the rig to the bottom and after taking up the slack in the line, give the jig a couple of quick snaps with your wrist. This sudden fast motion along with the jig and ringworm has been triggering a good bite. Look for the Walleye and also the sauger to hit the rig hard as it drops back down towards bottom. Snap jigging is nothing new but when combined with the ringworm as I have done, it adds a new dimension to the vertical jigging method. 

There is still lots of tailwater fishing available so get out if you can and enjoy. Get yourself some ring worms in different colors, a good assortment of jigs and have a ball on the Mississippi river.

Regards: Lastcast   Mike cyze   lastcast13@yahoo.com 

RIVER ICE MAKING FISHING AN ADVENTURE!!!

Greetings All;
The cold weather up north is finally effecting the Mississippi River here in the central Midwest. From Pools 9 to 14 you can expect to find floating chunk ice in the river which is limiting the anglers ability to get to more spots in search of those Fall walleye and sauger. Right now most anglers that are venturing out are concentrating on the tailwater areas for their fishing. Even there though you should use caution when boating to avoid damage to both your boat and motor from the ice chunks.

For you hearty anglers that may be planning a trip to the river this Thanksgiving weekend, look for great water clarity. Backtrolling jig/minnow rigs with big minnows will take some nice fish. You can also vertical jig tight to the bottom and catch some nice fish also. Hot colors this past week have been the bright orange, followed by white. I have had great success using the Northland Fire Ball jig in the 1/4th. and 3/8th. ounce sizes. The short shank hook on the Fireball jig gives a great hookset in the cold water conditions.  Remember to fish slow.

So remember my friends, the fish are there and with a little patience on your part you can catch them with good regularity, even with the floating ice. Be safe on the river, wear that PFD and enjoy the great fishing that is going on right now in a pool near you.

Regards: Lastcast   Mike Cyze   lastcast13@yahoo.com

MISSISSIPPI RIVER GIVING UP HER BOUNTY!!!

Greetings All:
The Mississippi River continues to give up her bounty of nice fish to the angler willing to put up with the "chill" in the air. 
While the tailwater bite remains spotty in many areas, wingdams, steep tapering rocky shorelines and outside riverbends continue to produce some nice Walleye and sauger. Backtroll the upper sides of the wingdams with 3-way rigs and big minnows and you will catch some nice fish. Some anglers tossing crank baits on top of the wingdams and taking a few fish that way also.

The one fly in the ointment for this weekends fishing is that a fast moving weather system is expected to drop about an inch and a half of snow over the Midwest. This won't effect the angling but might make using those launch ramps an adventure in itself. With the cold temps, look for ice to form on these areas. So with that thought in mind, use caution when launching and again when leaving the ramp. 

I'll tell you my friends, the fish are there and they are hungry. Dress warm, wear that PFD and you can enjoy some great Fall fishing that is happening right now on the beautiful Mississippi River here in the Midwest.

Regards: Lastcast   Mike Cyze   lastcast13@yahoo.com 

MISSISSIPPI RIVER FISHING ONLY GETTING BETTER!!!!

Greetings All:
Wow!!! What a great weekend to be out on the Mississippi river doing some Fall fishing. Both Saturday and Sunday were windy but that only helped the fishing. I was out in Pool-13 both days and the bite was really consistent with many nice fish being caught. Best locations were the windblown points and steep tapering rocky shoreline areas way down river from the dam. It seems that Mother Natures wind served to blow baitfish into these areas and the walleye, sauger and some huge white bass were there to feed on them. 

Presentation was quite simple. Casting jig/minnow rigs was productive but I switched to jig/plastic shad bodies in the 3 inch size range and that was the ticket for both days.  The hot color both days was the silver sided bodies with the black stripe across the top back. The fish were just attacking this color. Also as a close second, all white, 1/4th. ounce hair jigs caught many fish also. Simply cast your presentation up close to the shore and work it back to deeper water. The fish are out there just waiting for it to swim by. Try and make long casts to avoid spooking the fish in these areas. Stay in deeper water and cast shallow. 

Biggest fish of the weekend was a 10.6 pound Walleye that was released to fight again. Biggest white bass was close to 4 pounds, with limits of eater size fish available. 

Remember, the water is cold so vary your retrieve until you find what speed of the lure the fish want. 

Hope you can get out and enjoy this great fishing that is going on right now on the Mississippi River. 

Regards: Lastcast   Mike Cyze   lastcast13@yahoo.com 

DOWNRIVER WALLEYE AND SAUGER BITE VERY GOOD RIGHT NOW!!!!

Greetings All;
It seems that this time of the year to many anglers get caught up in the tailwater bite below the dams and forget about the great fishing for Walleye and sauger that is available in many other locations down river. Right now the bite has been excellent down river in locations that very seldom see an angler wet a line. I have been fishing long wingdams and outside river bends and the fish are stacked up in these locations and feeding heavily for the upcoming Winter ahead. If you fish the wingdams, try and choose ones that are part of a series of wingdams. By that I mean two to three in a row within close proximity of each other. This has been the fish producing setup this last week with many big fish coming to the net. You will find both walleye and sauger using these areas right now. Three-way rigging has been very effective pulling big minnows parallel to the wingdam face. Expect to get hung up once in a while but that's where the fish are cruising looking for an easy meal.  If you start getting short strikes, add a stinger hook.

When fishing the outside river bends, vertical jigging jig/minnow rigs over timber stacked on the bottom has worked very well and I look for this bite to continue. Use a slow lift and fall presentation, keeping bottom contact as the fish are holding tight to the wood and rocks there. 

Remember my friends, all the fish are not up at the dam in the Fall. Many stay downriver and never see an anglers bait. Give these areas a try and you just might forget about the crowded Fall fishing up at the dam.

Be safe, wear that PFD and save a few for me...................

Regards: Lastcast   Mike Cyze   lastcast13@yahoo.com

BEAUTIFUL WEATHER AND GREAT FISHING MAKE FOR A WONDERFUL FALL!!!

Greetings All;
Wow!!! What a great streak of wonderful weather we have been enjoying here in the Midwest. Cool temperatures and lots of sunshine are making for ideal conditions to be out fishing. 

Right now all species have started putting on the feed bag for the long winter ahead. On the Mississippi, Wisconsin and Rock rivers, fishing is getting better on a daily basis. Look for the walleye and sauger to be feeding heavily on shad and minnows. Tailwater areas starting up and will only get better until ice up. For you panfish anglers, look for crappie staging in the many backwater areas near structure laying in the water. Try and fish structure that has some depth nearby for the crappie to use. Minnows and small jigs tipped with a small twister tail, (white has been a great color), cast near the structure and worked slowly back. Fish the minnows under a slip float rig for best results. Some big white bass still available on the big sand flat areas of the Mississippi on hair jigs cast tight to shore and worked back deep. 

All and all my friends, Fall fishing on the area rivers is getting hotter by the day. Hopefully Mother Nature will keep blessing us with this great weather for a while yet before that other shoe comes down and Winter weather arrives. 

So if you thinking about putting that boat away for the year, you just might want to squeeze another trip in before you do. I'm sure that when you come home with some nice fish for the frying pan, you'll be glad you did get out. 

Enjoy the beauty of the Fall season. Get out and make some memories.

Regards: Lastcast   Mike cyze   lastcast13@yahoo.com  

FALL WALLEYE AND SAUGER ON THE BITE!!!

Greetings All:
The cool temperatures combined with the cool rains we have had here in the Midwest have really turned the walleye and sauger bite on. On the Mississippi River from above Dubuque, Iowa all the way up to Lake Pepin, fishing for these two species has greatly improved. Current water temperatures in the 50's has the fish putting on the feed bag. 

For you river anglers, one of the current hot-spots has been Guttenberg,  Iowa in the tailwater areas. Many nice fish are being taken there on jig/minnow rigs fished tight to the bottom in current break areas. Further North, one of my personal Fall favorite river locations is North of the Winona, Minnesota area. It seems that the farther south you go, the fishing is not quite as good. Fish are available but not biting as well as the up North Pools of the river. 

I still look for a great Fall fishing season on the Mississippi River with good classes of fish available to the angler willing to get out. Unless Mother Nature does something dramatic in the weather department, look for this quality fishing to last into ice up. 

Hope you can get some time to get out and enjoy. Good luck and go make some memories.

Regards: Lastcast   Mike Cyze   lastcast13@yahoo.com 

BIG WHITE BASS AVAILABLE NOW!!!

Greetings All:
I just love October. Why?, well it's because of the great white bass fishing that takes place every year. Right now on the Mississippi river in the Pool-13 area the big white bass are feeding heavily. This past week I have taken many fish in the 3 t 4 pound range with regularity. Best part is that the great action will continue through the month of October baring any drastic weather changes. Catching these bruisers this time of the year is quite easy. 

I have been casting 1/4th. ounce all white hair jigs and have been fishing large sand flat areas. Cast tight to shore and work back into deeper water. You can tip your jig with a plastic trailer if you like but so far it has not been necessary. When you get into a school of these big fish you can load your livewell quickly. One tip though. If your fishing an area and no action in 10 to 15 minutes or so, move to another area till fish found. 

I'll tell you my friends, right now is a great time to be on the Mississippi River fishing for these aggressive white bass. With that thought in mind, hopefully you can get out and enjoy. You'll be glad you did.

Regards: Lastcast   Mike Cyze   lastcast13@yahoo.com  

MISSISSIPPI RIVER IN GREAT SHAPE FOR WEEKEND FISHING!!!

Greetings All:
River levels have fallen back to very fishable levels and the fish are responding. With the cooler nights, the water temps have dropped into the 60's also. Look for the sauger and walleye bite to be starting up near the dams. Panfish feeding well near structure in slough and side channels. Catfish bite still good but look for it to start slowing as water temps drop more. Right now as a bonus, there are some really big white bass showing up and I look for this great bite to last well into October. Fish sand flat areas and rocky shorelines for best results. This last week, a white hair jig in the 1/4th. ounce size has been hot when cast. You can tip it with a minnow or plastic tail if you wish but it has not been necessary. Look for some of these big white bass to tip the scales near 4lbs.

Weather looking great so get out and fish the Mississippi river. You will be glad you did.

Regards: Lastcast   Mike Cyze   lastcast13@yahoo.com

RISING RIVER CAUSING ANGLER HEADACHES!!!!

Greetings All;
With the Mississippi River taking a few feet rise, the water is very stained. Fish have scattered out due to the rise and are difficult to locate. Bass action is Fair/Good if you can locate them. Wingdam Walleye and sauger have slowed due to very muddy, stained water. Catfish action has also slowed but fish can still be taken on nightcrawlers. Bluegill in the side sloughs near downed brush and trees on a piece of worm fished under a small float. Crappie at this time are only fair with the crappie scattered out. There is a chance of rain in the forecast for Saturday and if this happens, look for more runoff to keep river muddy. With good weather forecast from Sunday on through the week, look for the river to start clearing up and water levels falling. Cool nighttime temps have started the water to cool. This will help get the fish active when waters clear up.

Regards: Lastcast   Mike Cyze   lastcast13@yahoo.com

WEEKEND OUTLOOK "MURKY"!!!

Greetings All:
With the recent rains that have dumped quite a bit of rain here in the Midwest, the Mississippi river is on the murky side right now. Runoff has helped in staining the waters up really well. You can go into the backwater areas and still catch fish though. Look for the cleanest and clearest water you can find and fish those areas. Biggest problem now is the fish seeing your bait. Catfish good on stink baits, bass good on loud lures like spinnerbaits. Crappie and bluegill have slowed due to water conditions. As of this report, some rain still falling and it is not expected to clear out until late Friday. It will take a few days at least for the river to start clearing once again. With the onset of these cool temperatures, (39 degrees forecast tonight) look for the waters to start cooling fast. Cool weather forecast for the next 14 days at least. Look for the Fall transition to start early as temps in the river drop. One thing for sure, the fish will be putting on the feed bag as cool weather signals the changes. 

Enjoy the river, it's a wonderful place to fish.

Regards: Lastcast   Mike cyze   lastcast13@yahoo.com

LABOR DAY FISHING ON THE GOOD SIDE!!!!

Greetings All;
Well, here we are with the Labor Day weekend upon us once again. Where did the Summer go?

With that thought in mind, many folks are heading out for that "last blast" of the season. The good thing is that fishing all up and down the Mississippi River is good for many species. The river has risen slightly with the recent rains but it is in excellent shape. From Pools-5 up North down to the New Boston area, the bite has been on. 

Look for species like catfish and bass to be doing very well. Walleye on the wing dams in their Summer pattern. Fish those many backwater running sloughs for some fine crappie action along with good bluegill along the weed edges. As a bonus, many nice northern are showing up by casting flashy spoons near creek mouths and inflow pipe areas. 

Hopefully you can wet a line this weekend. Be safe on the river and save a few for me.......

Regards: Lastcast   Mike Cyze   lastcast13@yahoo.com 

CATFISH ON THE PROWL!!!

Greetings All:
If you like great catfish action, now is the time to be fishing the Mississippi River.

From Pool-9 down to Pool-14, catfish action is hot. Fish those snags and deadfalls laying in the water if you intend to fish the many sloughs and backwater areas and use your favorite "Stink" bait. If you prefer to fish the main river areas, look for deep holes on the outside river bends that have some structure on the bottom such as old sunken timber. For these main river locations, try using cut baits either fished on the bottom or just off the bottom.  If you can catch a few suckers, you can use them as cut bait with excellent results. I have had great success this past week fishing a cut bait deep, just suspended off the bottom near these structure areas. Which ever bait and method you use, get out and enjoy some of the excellent catfishing that is happening right now on the Mississippi River. 

Note: Very hot temperatures are forecast for this upcoming weekend so make sure you stay well hydrated. Bring along some water in your ice chest and take a drink often. 

Good luck and great fishing.

Regards: Lastcast   Mike Cyze   lastcast13@yahoo.com 

MISSISSIPPI RIVER CRAPPIE ACTION STRONG!!!

Greetings All:
If you like to fish for crappie as much as I do, then it's time to start fishing the running sloughs all along the Mississippi. Right now the crappie bite in these running sloughs is hot. Many nice fish in these areas on minnows fished near deadfalls and downed timber. Use a very simple presentation for best results. I have been using a small, gold salmon egg hook fished under a slip float with excellent success. Add a split shot or two about a foot above your bait, hook the minnow lightly midway between the dorsal fin and tail and you are ready to catch fish.

Look for this good bite to continue until river levels drop another foot or so. When this happens, the crappie will migrate again into the deeper waters of the main river until Fall. 

So if you are heading out on the Mississippi this coming weekend, don't forget to hit those running sloughs and cash in on the fine crappie fishing that's happening now.

Regards: Lastcast   Mike Cyze   lastcast13@yahoo.com 

WHAT A GREAT WEEKEND TO GET OUT AND FISH!!!!!

Greetings All:
Wow!!! What a great weather forecast for the weekend here in the upper Midwest. With wonderful weather on tap, hopefully you can get out on the Mississippi river and catch some of the great fish that are biting. 

Right now, excellent smallmouth bass action is happening in rocky areas with slight current. Fish small crankbaits over these areas and you will catch fish. All other species are biting also with some excellent Northern fishing in running sloughs near weed edges using spinnerbaits and flashy spoons. Some nice healthy Northern are being caught.

If possible, put your "Honey-Do" list on hold and get out to wet a line. You will be glad you did.

Regards: Lastcast   Mike Cyze   lastcast113@yahoo.com

 

SMALLMOUTH BASS ON THE BITE!!!!

Greetings All:
With the fairly stable weather we have been enjoying, all up and down the Mississippi River the smallmouth bass are going on the feed. From the La Crosse, WI area to the North to around Pool 14 South, smallie fishing has been getting hot. Small crankbaits cast along and near steep tapering rocky shorelines and near rock piles are catching many fish. Crayfish colors are working well. For some real fun, fish these small baits using an ultralight setup and you will have a blast. Best times seem to be just before and into dusk and then again in the early morning. That's not to say you cannot catch them all day long, it's just that those have been the hot times for actively feeding smallmouth. 

With great weather predicted for the upcoming weekend, hopefully you can get out for some explosive smallmouth bass fishing on the Mississippi river.

Regards: Lastcast   Mike Cyze   lastcast13@yahoo.com 

WINGDAM WALLEYE BITE STARTING!!!

Greetings All;
 Well, even though the river is still somewhat stained in water clarity, there is a decent bite starting for some walleye on the wingdams. 

Fished Pool-12 and did fairly well dragging lively nightcrawlers on a crawler harness. I make my own style crawler harnesses but you should be able to use store bought harnesses and have success also. The walleye I caught were nice healthy fish and hit very hard. There were no "short strikers" at all. I also used another rig I fish a lot and had equal success. I use a small, gold salmon egg style hook and back troll a juicy crawler on a three-way rig. Hook the crawler once through the nose, use about a 3 to 4 foot leader and your ready to go. Make sure you have a heavy enough dropper weight to keep constant bottom contact. Vary your trolling speed till you find what the fish are looking for. I found 1-1/2 mph., worked well for a starting point. 

The wing dam bite is there and getting better. Hopefully you can get a chance to get out and enjoy.

Regards: Lastcast   Mike Cyze   lastcast13@yahoo.com  

TIME TO GET OUT AND FISH!!!!!

Greetings All:
Finally, the Mississippi River is getting back to some normalcy. All along this great river water levels are returning to seasonal levels and the fishing is picking up. Many of the lock and dams now have the gates back in the water so within a few days, look for some good fishing to once again to start up in the tailwater areas. Backwater areas have slowed due to the drop in water levels but main river fishing picking up. Good catfish action on wingdams and also some really nice smallmouth bass along rocky areas. All in all, the coming weekend looks to be a fine time to get out and try some angling on the Mississippi. 

Be safe, wear those PFD's and enjoy all the river has to offer.

Regards: Lastcast   Mike Cyze   lastcast13@yahoo.com

FINALLY, FISHING STARTING TO PICK UP AGAIN!!!!!

Greetings All:
Well, I'm so very glad to be back here reporting that the fishing here in the Midwest along our rivers is once again starting to pick up. With receding water levels on the Mississippi and many more boat ramps now open to launch, anglers are starting to once again enjoy going fishing. 

Myself, I have been recently hitting the many backwater areas and enjoying some really great cat fishing action. Using dip bait, I have managed to get enough tasty catfish fillets to fill my freezer for the upcoming cold weather season. Something that I have also been enjoying is fishing for catfish with a fly rod. With the large hatch of Mayflies happening, the catfish have been gorging themselves on them. When I'm in the backwaters in the early morning hours I can see the catfish sucking them off the waters surface. I tied some mayfly looking large flies at home and they have been doing the trick. I made them to float so when I cast them with the fly rod they sit on the waters surface. I just twitch them slightly and that drives the feeding catfish crazy. I'll tell you folks, catching a nice catfish on a fly rod is a real blast. 

For you panfish and bass anglers, fish the backwaters and you will do well. Many nice bass available on spinnerbaits and plastics. Bluegill on larvae baits under a small float. Crappie have moved deep and are scattered out. 

As I mentioned, glad to be reporting once again. Hopefully with the great weather forecast for the upcoming weekend you can make some time to head out and do some fishing.  Be safe and enjoy.

Regards: Lastcast   Mike Cyze   lastcast13@yahoo.com 

EXTREME WEATHER AND VERY HEAVY RAIN REALLY HAMPERING ANGLING!!!

Greetings All:
It looks like Mother Nature is really making up for last years drought here in the Midwest. From upper Minnesota to down south, the rains have been falling in earnest.  With the wet weather forecast to continue into next week and flood warnings posted, look for the rivers and streams to continue to be high and dirty. Fishing right now is virtually at a standstill on the Mississippi River. Fast current, very muddy and dirty water with debris is all over. Even the catfish that are spawning are just about impossible to find right now. 

My suggestion? What a great time to to a tune-up on your fishing equipment. Clean those rods and reels, put on fresh line, Etc. This way you will be ready to go when the rivers here in the Midwest get back to normal, fishable stages. It's also a good time to do any needed work on the boat. 

So with that in mind, hopefully things will turn around in the near future and we can once again enjoy the wonderful fishing here in the Midwest.  Stay tuned for updates here as soon as things start to change.

Regards: Last   Mike Cyze   lastcast13@yahoo.com









 

EXCELLENT CATFISH ACTION STARTING!!!!

Greetings All;
Well, those catfish that roam the waters of the Mississippi River are on the feed. The many backwater areas are seeing catfish starting their spawn and they are hungry. With the main river still muddy, get into those backwater areas and look for the cleanest and clearest water you can find and you will find good catfish action. I sampled some of the action the last few days and the cat's were really biting. Using dip bait, I caught many nice fish in numerous sloughs and backwater areas all along the Mississippi. For years, my favorite dip bait has been made by G&S out of Milledgeville, IL. I exclusively use their Cheese Bait and have had excellent results. If your local bait shop does not carry it, you can look G&S up on the internet. Let them know you heard about them here on my blog. They are great folks that make an excellent, fishing catching cheese bait.

So if you planning on heading out for some catfish soon, hit those backwaters and you will be pleasantly surprised with the results. The catfish are plentiful and they are hungry.

Regards: Lastcast   Mike cyze   lastcast13@yahoo.com   

BACKWATER RIVER BASS ACTION GETTING HOT!!!!!

Greetings All;
If your looking for some fun on the water, it's a great time to head into the many backwater areas all up and down the Mississippi River. Even though the river is still up, there is some great bass fishing going on. Backwater areas and sloughs are producing excellent bass fishing on plastics right now. I have been using 5" to 7" floating plastic worms and have had the bass tearing them up. In most instances I have been fishing them weightless and working them across the waters surface in the weedy areas with excellent results. After you cast it out, use a nice steady retrieve with an occasional brief pause. The bass are really eating this presentation up. Best colors have been on the dark side. Black, purple and motor oil have been the top producers this past week. Use a longer rod to easily cast this lighter offering along with a quality 6 to 8 pound test line and your in business. Don't forget to rig your hook weedless, even though you are fishing over the weeds. This will help the worm glide along easily over and between the weeds. 
I'll tell you folks, if you like to bass fish as much as I do, it's a great time to hit the areas I mentioned and you just might catch the biggest river bass of your life. So with that thought in mind,,,Get Out And Enjoy!!!!!

Regards: Lastcast   Mike Cyze   lastcast13@yahoo.com  

AMAZING FRIDAY MORNING ON THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER!!!!!

Greetings All:
Well, it is hard to believe with the Mississippi river in such sad shape from flooding, but here is what happened this morning.

I headed out for a few hours of fishing and decided to check some areas I have fished for years in Pool-13. I really did not expect much but boy, was I surprised. I found an area down river from Bellevue, IA that contained huge amounts of walleye that were very eager to bite. In the hour or so I stayed there, I caught walleye after walleye, all big fish to boot. With the river in it's current flood stage, these fish were schooled up and the catching was fast and furious. After about an hour and a half of great walleye fishing I headed home with the biggest smile on my face, and a few walleye for the frying pan.

As I was heading back to the dock, I thought about all those folks that are fishing the Walleye tournament tomorrow out of Bellevue and how they would love to know where this spot is. Well, I'm heading back there in the morning, knowing the fish will be stacked like cord wood again. Walleye after walleye, eager to bite. Without a doubt, enough big fish to win most tournaments, let alone one with the current river conditions. Hopefully those tournament anglers won't spot me out there and crash the party, LOL. Good luck folks in the tournament and I'll save a few for you all, that is if you can find this spot just loaded with many big Walleye.

Regards: Lastcast  Mike Cyze  lastcast13@yahoo.com  

WEATHER COOL, RIVER UP,,FISHING DOWN!!!!

Greetings All:
Well, Mother Nature continues to bring us very unstable weather here in the Midwest and it sure has affected the river fishing. Right now the Mississippi, Wisconsin, Rock and other rivers are high, dirty and very turbid. With more rains forecast the next few days, look for no improvement to happen soon. If your chomping at the bit for some fishing, keep hitting those farm ponds and lakes for so good action. The truth be known, there is still more water coming down from up north, so look for the high water to be around for a bit.

Be safe and get out and enjoy the Great Outdoors, It's right Outside Your Back door!!!!!

Regards: Lastcast  Mike Cyze  lastcast13@yahoo.com 

FARM POND YOUR BEST BET RIGHT NOW!!!

Greetings All:
Well with the consistent rain here in the Midwest, the Mississippi river has turned into a giant, flooded waterway. Dirty water that looks like chocolate milk is making river fishing all but impossible right now. Hopefully Mother Nature will send us some good stable conditions so that things can start to clear up and settle down.

If your chomping at the bit to get out and do some fishing, farm ponds here in the Midwest are the spots to try. These ponds handle the rain water better and also warm up much faster than the river and the fish have been responding. Good bluegill, crappie and also bass are available in these ponds right now. The panfish are not real shallow yet so try different depths until contact with the fish is made. Small larvae type baits for the bluegills under a slip float is working well. For the crappie, small minnows working well. You bass anglers can try plastics, spinnerbaits fished slow or a nice juicy night crawler suspended under a float. 

So with the river in turmoil right now, head to your favorite farm pond for some great action. It's going on right now.

Note: Always ask permission to fish these farm ponds since most are on private land.

Regards: Lastcast   Mike Cyze   lastcast13@yahoo.com

TURBID RIVER PUTTING HOLD ON SPRING FISHING!!!

Greetings All:
With the recent rains, run off from the snow up North and a rising Mississippi River, the Spring fishing has really taken a big hit. From Lake Pepin down the Mississippi is a churned up mess. With flood warnings in many areas the river levels will take a bit of time to subside before we can once again expect to see a decent bite occurring.

Some fish are available in the backwater areas for those anglers that are willing to get out and fight the tough conditions. Look for some panfish available near deadfalls in the water. Crappie and some bluegill are starting to bite but water visibility is hampering their ability to find your bait. 

On the main river, fishing is at a standstill with the fast current, dirty water and floating junk. If your chomping at the bit to get out right now, head for some of the many farm ponds here in the Midwest that are starting to come alive with a good panfish bite. Keep in mind though that even these are somewhat dirty from all the rains and wind. 

In closing, once the weather settles down a bit, don't let the high water scare you. The fish are out there, it's just up to you to find them. Get into those follded backwater areas and find your own hot spot and you will have a ball.

Regards: Lastcast   Mike Cyze   lastcast13@yahoo.com

VERY HEAVY RAINS HAMPERING THE MISSISSIPPI BITE!!!

Greetings: 
Well, with the very heavy rains that moved through the Midwest last night, (over 4" in some areas), the Mississippi River is rising and very dirty from run off. Look for the fishing to be slow until the water clears up and the levels stabilize. 
Right now the cleanest water is in the backwater areas but even there it is rising and getting very stained. 
So if you are planning a trip soon, call ahead first and check water conditions. The bite was doing well but this round of heavy rains has put a stop to it for a while. 

Be safe folks and enjoy the great outdoors, it's right outside your back door.

Regards: Lastcast   Mike Cyze   lastcast13@yahoo.com

COLD WATER CAT'S BITING!!!

Greetings:
For those of you that like catfish, there is a nice bite going on in the backwater areas of the Mississippi. Right now those hungry catfish are feeding on dead fish that have sunk to the bottom in these areas. These are the dead shad and other fish that were frozen in the ice during the Winter and now have sunk down. Look for areas of dark bottom bays and sloughs and fish in fairly shallow water. Try and scan the shorelines for dead fish on the bottom and you will have found a good spot. 

I have been using fresh smelt from the grocery store and have been catching some really nice catfish by fishing the bait right on the bottom. One trick I have been using is to place a small piece of foam into the smelts mouth so that the foam will make the smelt float slightly off the bottom. The catfish like this presentation very much. As far as hooks, use the same size treble hooks you use from your dip baits. 

If you like catfish, it's a great time to enjoy some of this fast and furious action that's going on now in a backwater near you before the great bite is over. 

Regards: Lastcast,,,Mike Cyze   lastcast13@yahoo.com

BACKWATER AREAS HAVE SOME "CLEAN" WATER AVAILABLE

Greetings All:
With the wind mixed river looking like chocolate milk at this time, there are a few spots to try. 
Many of the newly thawed backwater areas are much cleaner that the main river and the fish have been using them. With water levels currently up, you can get into some of these areas and fish the flooded brush and catch fish. Area that have flooded willows near the waters edge are holding some walleye and sauger right now. Try and find an area that is off, but still near enough to the main river so that fish can transition easily back and forth. You will find these fish holding tight in the cover so a basic pitching/flipping  a jig method is working best. With this presentation you can be much more accurate.

As of this morning, I have found many very nice, chunky sauger in these types of areas using the presentation I mentioned above.

Again, look for the cleanest water you can find and the fish will be nearby. Good luck and enjoy the river and all it has to offer.

Regards: Lastcast   Mike cyze   lastcast13@yahoo.com 

HIGH WINDS HAMPERING MISSISSIPPI RIVER FISHING

 Greetings All:

With the very high winds we have been experiencing here in the Midwest along the Mississippi River, they have really hampered the river fishing. The strong winds have been blowing up river and really churning up the river with whitecaps and turning the clear water to very muddy water. As of this report, Mississippi river is chocolate color in many locations making it nearly impossible for fish to see a lure. With rain on the way for the next few days, some heavy predicted, look for the river to stay very dirty. With the river being in bad shape visibility wise, it's a great time to check out your tackle and do any maintenance on your boat so you will be ready to go when the river does once again clear up enough to fish. 

Hopefully Spring will start showing up on a more regular basis and the fishing will take off here in the Midwest. 

Regards: Lastcast   Mike Cyze   lastcast13@yahoo.com

RIVER RISING BUT FISH ARE AVAILABLE!!!

Greetings All:
The melt continues and the Mississippi River is on the rise. Areas like Dubuque and Bellevue are very fishable right now. Be careful of floating ice chunks in the river though. I was out this morning, but due to the fast current up by the dam in Bellevue choose to head down river in search of some fish. Hit a few spots about 8 miles downriver and found a few small sauger off the main river channel casting jig/minnow rigs. Moved further up river about a mile and fished a running side slough and caught 3 really nice walleye there on a closing dam. Look for anything breaking the current right now and the fish are using these areas. As a bonus, found a few catfish in the thawed backwater areas feeding on dead shad and other baitfish. In a few hours fishing, caught enough for the dinner table.

Look for a nice weather weekend forecast coming up and lot's of boats up at the dams. Don't tell anyone but the best bite is coming at locations down river right now, LOL. Seriously though, more biters happening away from the dam that at it. 

So wear that PFD, the water is cold and enjoy some river fishing on the Mississippi. Good luck and save a few for me.

Regards: Lastcast,,,Mike Cyze   lastcast13@yahoo.com

MISSISSIPPI RIVER OPENING UP FOR FISHING!!!!

Greetings All:

Finally, after this brutal Winter we have had, the Mississippi River is starting to open in select locations to do some open water fishing.

With the warmer temps arriving more often, the river tailwaters have opened so that those anglers chomping at the bit to get their boat in the water can finally do so. Areas below the dam in Dubuque and Bellevue are open as of this report. River is up about 3 feet at this time and expected to keep rising due to melt off. Many anglers are already fishing the Illinois side of Bellevue with very mixed results. Don't get caught in this "Bumper Boat" trap. Just because you see a pack of boats does not mean they are catching fish. Right now you can travel down river and find some great spots where the fish are holding and have then all to yourself. I was out this morning and found some nice walleye and sauger about 6 miles down from Bellevue fishing current breaks. This particular spot has produced for me for many years and continues to do so as a holding area for pre-spawn fish. Areas that are breaking the current are producing right now so make it a point to search out these types of locations.  Jig/minnow rigs tipped with a nice lively minnow in the 3" size range will do the trick right now. Start without a stinger hook and see how aggressive the fish are. If you are getting a lot of short hits, you can add the stinger hook then.

One last thing. Remember to handle those spawn laden walleye and sauger carefully. Take a few pictures and release the big fish so that they can complete their spawning ritual. If you want fish for the frying pan, there are many smaller males available to catch.

So be safe out there, wear that PFD and look out for ice chunks in the water that are semi-submerged. Also look for more chunk ice to happen as the river breaks up above the dams. 

Regards:  Lastcast    Mike Cyze     lastcast13@yahoo.com 

ICE CHANGING DAILY, CHECK IT'S SAFE BEFORE HEADING OUT!!!!!

Greetings All;

Well here we are with warmer temps upon us and it is having a big effect on Midwest ice conditions. 

With melt-off occurring the ice in many locations is becoming "iffy" to say the least. Especially on the rivers where current from underneath and melting on the surface is making for some dangerous conditions to say the least. areas of the Mississippi River have become to unsafe to venture on. With this in mind, start fishing those lakes and ponds that still have some good thickness of ice to them. Even there, be extra careful when venturing out to fish. Shoreline melting can, and does weaken ice quickly so again,,,BE CAREFUL!!!  Wear that PFD and bring along a friend do you can watch out for each other. One last thing, don't walk close together when getting on the ice. Wait till you know for sure it is safe to walk on.

Before long the ice will be just a memory for another year. So make some plans now to get out and enjoy some late season ice fishing on your favorite body of water.

Regards:  Lastcast  Mike Cyze  lastcast13@yahoo.com 

WITH WARMER TEMPERATURES FORECAST, GET OUT AND FISH!!!!!

Greetings All:
With some much warmer temperatures forecast this coming weekend, it looks like a great time to get out and enjoy some late season ice fishing. This very cold Winter has been hampering most ice anglers from getting out on a regular basis but there is still time to enjoy. Keep in mind that the fish will be moving under the ice to more shallow locations in search of much needed oxygen, so adjust your fishing locations accordingly. This applies to areas like lakes and farm ponds. On rivers where there is current, the oxygen levels are not as depleted so you may still find some fish at deeper depths. This will depend on how well the water is oxygenated. 
One last thing, remember that this late in the season, small baits are the ticket for more fish, especially the panfish. 

So make your plans now to get out and shed that cabin fever that so many folks are suffering from this year. Dress warm and make plans to head to your favorite ice fishing location. I'm sure that you will be glad you did.

Regards: Lastcast   Mike Cyze   lastcast13@yahoo.com 

OXYGEN DEPLETION A REAL PROBLEM FOR THE FISH!!!

Greetings All:

As we move deeper into the ice fishing season the heavy snow cover in the Midwest is continuing to have a major effect on our waters that contain fish. With the Sun light unable to penetrate into the depth through the ice, oxygen producing vegetation is not producing any oxygen which is leading to potential fish kills in many areas. If we do not get some melting and runoff happening soon to re-oxygenate these waters the fish will be substantial. With above freezing temperatures not forecast for at least another week the oxygen is dangerously low in many areas. 
Let's hope Mother Nature gives us a break and we get some thawing so that fresh oxygen can get into these troubled waters. Until then, all we can do is hope and wait. 

Regards: Lastcast   Mike Cyze   lastcast13@yahoo.com  

TIME TO TALK SOME TURKEY!!!!

Greetings all:
Well, it's that time of the year once again to start thinking seriously about Spring turkey season. Fact is that it will be here before you know it. This is a great time to get out and do some preseason scouting in the areas you intend to hunt. Start learning the birds daily routines so that when you hit the field you will know where to look. Also try using some calls to see what gets the birds attention. I like to go out in the afternoon and look for the turkey as they are heading to roost for the night. By knowing where they sleep I know where to concentrate my efforts. Being an afternoon hunter myself I find much less less hunters in the field and many more feeding birds as they get ready to hit the roost for the night. By using your calls wisely you can really score big. I use a mouth call but the choice is yours. what ever call you use, learn to use it well and remember, do not over call. This will spook the turkey.

So get up from that chair and hit the timber and fields. Do your turkey scouting now and when the season opens you will be ready to succeed. There will be a good supply of available turkey this year so get out and enjoy.

Regards: Lastcast   Mike Cyze   lastcast13@yahoo.com 

LOOK FOR IMPROVED BITE WITH WARMER WEATHER FORECAST!!!

Greetings All:
With the weatherman forecasting some much warmer temperatures in the upcoming days, you can usually look for the late season ice fishing bite to pick up. Right now the bite has been rather slow in many areas due to heavy ice/snow cover and oxygen depletion in many locations. You can look for most species to start making a move to more shallow, better oxygenated locations for survival. This happens most every year when we have these heavy ice conditions like we have now.

Farm ponds have slowed but I look for a resurgence in the bite with the warmer weather coming. Most of the fish I have been catching have been more shallow than a week ago and I look for this migration to continue. Same thing in Mississippi River backwaters, fish are moving more shallow. With this in mind, you the angler have to make the move also to stay on the fish. One last thing. The late afternoon and evening bite seems to be the best right now and look for that to continue. 

Good Luck and be safe on the ice.

Regards: Lastcast   Mike Cyze   lastcast13@yahoo.com     

MORE OF THE SAME!!!!!

Greetings:
Well, here in the Midwest it is more of the same. Cold, snow and more cold. Some ice anglers going out with mixed results. Panfish are still available on farm ponds and some on Mississippi River. As we get later into the season, best bite seems to be happening in the afternoon hours and also at night. I have been having good luck with the crappie after dark fishing from my shanty. Crappie biting well at night on both minnows and ice jigs tipped with wax worms. Try some glow lures also, the crappie are loving them. Remember, this time of the year, fish deeper that earlier in the year. Hopefully we can get some moderation in the temps so more folks can get out and enjoy the good ice. 

Stay warm and wear that PFD on the ice!!!

Regards: Lastcast  Mike Cyze   lastcast13@yahoo.com   

EXTREME WEATHER KEEPING MOST ANGLERS HOME!!!

Greetings All:
The extreme cold weather and snow has kept most ice anglers inside. Very frigid temperatures in the dangerous range have been blanketing the Midwest. Very high sustained winds causing dangerous wind chill factors also. Not a good time to be outdoors. Some moderation in the forecast for later in the week expected so there may be a window to get out and fish then if the prediction comes through. There is already talk of another major snow storm hitting the Midwest early next week. stay tuned for that one. 

Don't know about you folks but I am tired of this brutal Winter we have been experiencing. All we can do now is THINK SPRING!!!!!

Regards:  Lastcast   Mike cyze   lastcast13@yahoo.com

WALLEYE THROUGH THE ICE!!!!

Greetings All:
Well, the great ice fishing of 2014 continues with lots of good, thick ice. Along the Mississippi River ice fisherman are fishing the main river with excellent results. Good ice available down from the dams making finding many spots easy right now. Also the backwaters areas are excellent. 

Right now there is some good ice fishing for walleye on the river in Pools 11 through 14. I have been fishing the outside of river bends that have sunken timber and the fish have been biting. Best presentation has been a dead stick rod in one hole while using a flashy jigging spoon in the other hole. Tipping the jigging spoon with a minnow head has been working well also. Don't work the spoon fast, just use a nice lift and fall motion for best results. Also, make sure you follow your line back down as the spoon is falling since the majority of hits are coming on the fall. I fished Pool-12 today and there are some really nice walleye biting.

With lots of good thick ice available, try and make some time to enjoy this wonderful ice fishing season.

Regards:  Lastcast   Mike Cyze   lastcast13@yahoo.com

MISSISSIPPI RIVER AT DUBUQUE, IOWA

Greetings All:
For all you folks that ice fish the Mississippi River, just a quick note that there has been some excellent ice fishing going on in the Dubuque, IA area. Anglers are fishing the ice below the dam with good results. One spot that has been producing well is O'Learys lake on the Wisconsin side of the river up near the dam. Fished there the last two days with excellent results. All through the day, Stripers and other panfish were moving in and out of the area. Some nice yellow perch were also caught. This is a great place to ice fish due to the many species of fish you might catch. Don't be surprised if you also tie into a walleye or sauger in this area also. Both minnows and larvae type baits were working. Friendly group of ice anglers there will help you with any questions you may have. 

So while this relatively mild weather continues, you might want to consider hitting the ice there and trying your luck for a seafood dinner. Good luck and as always, wear that PFD on the ice for safety.

Regards:  Lastcast   Mike Cyze   Lastcast13@yahoo.com

GREAT WEEKEND TO BE ICE FISHING!!!!

Greetings All;
With the relatively mild temps compared to just a week ago, it's a great time to be out on your favorite body of "Frozen" water doing some ice fishing. Here in the Midwest many spots are producing good catches. Backwaters of the Mississippi have panfish biting along with a good supply of Northern available for the angler fishing for them. Set a tip up with a frozen smelt or big minnow and the Northern will find it. One thing though, be quiet in the area you are fishing for the fish spook easily from noise. Crappie are being also caught with many nice fish on minnows and waxworms.

Another spot that is producing excellent fishing is those farm ponds. Great catches coming in on larvae baits. Make sure you get permission to fish them as most are on private property. 

All in all, this mild weather is a wonderful time to get out and shed some cabin fever.  Be safe and enjoy the Great Outdoors!!!

Regards: Lastcast   Mike Cyze   lastcast13@yahoo.com 

IT'S "SHOW TIME"!!!!!

Greetings All:
Here we are moving right along through the very cold month of January and it is time to start thinking about what I call "Show Season". It's getting to be that time of the year when sport and boat shows all across the Midwest are taking place. What a great opportunity to get out of the house during this very long Winter season and wet your appetite for the upcoming Spring season of adventure in the great outdoors. From hunting to fishing, camping to boating, you will find it all at the sport shows that are oriented to the sportsman. 

Personally, I will be traveling the Midwest and Canada doing many seminars and look forward to meeting you folks at the shows. Make sure you stop by and say hello. It is a busy time of the year for me but a really enjoyable one also.  Stay tuned to my show on ESPN Radio for more updates on where I will be appearing.

So check those listings now for a sport show near you in the coming future. You will have a ball and also get that "Spring Fever"!!!  Hope to see you there.

Regards:  Lastcast   Mike Cyze   lastcast13@yahoo.com 

BRUTAL COLD HAMPERING ICE FISHERMAN!!!!

Greetings All:
Well, the Polar cold has arrived here in the Midwest making for some truly brutal conditions to be outdoors. Even though many ice fisherman fish from some type of an ice shanty, getting to your spot and setting up can be a real challenge in these very frigid conditions. Wind chills near 45 below zero making outdoor activity not advised at this time. I was out very early this morning before the winds picked up and believe me folks, it was cold!!!  Managed to catch a few small sauger through the ice from the comfort of my ice house but heading home was really cold and uncomfortable. 

Best advise I could give right now is to stay inside, keep warm and do some necessary cleanup and repair if needed on your equipment. When this brutal cold passes in a few days, you will once again be ready to head out and enjoy some great ice fishing that is happening this year in the Midwest. 

Well, gotta run for now, have to get back to my recliner by the fireplace so I can relax and watch the football playoffs all day long. Life is Good!!!!!

Regards:  Lastcast   Mike Cyze   lastcast13@yahoo.com