Greetings All:
Well, finally the Ole' Miss is on the retreat in pools 11-12 & 13 and you can once again get out fishing. Backwaters have cleanest waters available with main river still containing lots of floating junk. Some crappie in backwaters and improving. Lots of really nice stripers off sand flat areas where they are schooling minnows and shad. White 1/4th ounce hair jigs are excellent either tipped with a trailer or plane. Cast tight to shore and use a steady retrieve back. Walleye and sauger scattered and heading back to main channel areas.
Be careful running the river and look for semi-submerged trees just under the waters surface. These can ruin your day quickly.
Look for more up to date reports as water warms and fishing really turns on. You can contact me at: lastcast13@yahoo.com for specific questions on the river.
Regards: Mike Cyze,,,, lastcastoutdoors.com
Monday, May 9, 2011
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
BANGIN' THE BIG ONES!!!
Greetings All:
Well, with the last few days being mild, I decided to try something different. Headed out for some night fishing on the Ole' Miss. Fished some known spawning spots and believe me, the fishing was hot!!!
Was casting neutral boyancy stick baits into shallow gravel bed areas with about 3' of water. These were along fast tapering shorelines. Made casts very tight to shoreline and used a nice steady retrieve. I did add 3 small split-shot a foot up on line from lure to keep it nose down. This did the trick as the big fish were smacking it hard. Use flashy colors for best results. Gold and silver flash both worked well. Biggest fish came on a perch colored lure.
Be careful on the river at night. Everything looks different. Wear that PFD for safety!!! Also barges are running so use caution with them.
Caught over 9 big walleye in about 1&1/2 hours with biggest a beautiful 11.7 lb. Female. All fish were released unharmed to fight another day. Handle these big spawners carefully.
Night fishing on the Mississippi River. A treat to be enjoyed on a warm Spring night!!!!
Good Luck and be safe on the river!!!!
Lastcast / Mike Cyze lastcast13@yahoo.com
Well, with the last few days being mild, I decided to try something different. Headed out for some night fishing on the Ole' Miss. Fished some known spawning spots and believe me, the fishing was hot!!!
Was casting neutral boyancy stick baits into shallow gravel bed areas with about 3' of water. These were along fast tapering shorelines. Made casts very tight to shoreline and used a nice steady retrieve. I did add 3 small split-shot a foot up on line from lure to keep it nose down. This did the trick as the big fish were smacking it hard. Use flashy colors for best results. Gold and silver flash both worked well. Biggest fish came on a perch colored lure.
Be careful on the river at night. Everything looks different. Wear that PFD for safety!!! Also barges are running so use caution with them.
Caught over 9 big walleye in about 1&1/2 hours with biggest a beautiful 11.7 lb. Female. All fish were released unharmed to fight another day. Handle these big spawners carefully.
Night fishing on the Mississippi River. A treat to be enjoyed on a warm Spring night!!!!
Good Luck and be safe on the river!!!!
Lastcast / Mike Cyze lastcast13@yahoo.com
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Mississippi river Update!!!
Greetings All:
Well, heavy weekend storms still have the river muddied up. You can find some clean water in back sloughs where fish are holding. Main river fishing slow, backwaters picking up. As waters warm, look for some great striper action to start. Biggest problem now is getting the fish to see your bait in the dirty water.
Was out this morning, a few nice sauger in flooded timber. Also some nice stripers, (15 to 17") on flooded sand flats protected from main river current. Fish are available but you will have to work a bit for them right now.
Good Luck: Lastcast / Mike Cyze lastcast13@yahoo.com.
Well, heavy weekend storms still have the river muddied up. You can find some clean water in back sloughs where fish are holding. Main river fishing slow, backwaters picking up. As waters warm, look for some great striper action to start. Biggest problem now is getting the fish to see your bait in the dirty water.
Was out this morning, a few nice sauger in flooded timber. Also some nice stripers, (15 to 17") on flooded sand flats protected from main river current. Fish are available but you will have to work a bit for them right now.
Good Luck: Lastcast / Mike Cyze lastcast13@yahoo.com.
Thursday, March 31, 2011
HIGH RIVER PRODUCING NICE FISH!!!
Greetings All:
Well, river is high but it continues to give up some great fish. Key is picking your spots. Nice sauger and some walleye in flooded timber and brush on down sides of points and islands. Also some really nice 15 and 16 inch stripers located off flooded sand flats near river and incoming stream mouths. Fan cast area with small 1/4th oz. jigs tipped with a 3" plastic shad body. Cast right up to shore and use a nice steady retrieve. When you get into these fish they are really aggressive. Surprised since water still on cold side but they are hungry.
Rain and possible light snow predicted over weekend but so far Sunday said to be a nice day. Get out and enjoy!!!
Last cast,,,,,,Mike Cyze lastcast13@yahoo.com.
Well, river is high but it continues to give up some great fish. Key is picking your spots. Nice sauger and some walleye in flooded timber and brush on down sides of points and islands. Also some really nice 15 and 16 inch stripers located off flooded sand flats near river and incoming stream mouths. Fan cast area with small 1/4th oz. jigs tipped with a 3" plastic shad body. Cast right up to shore and use a nice steady retrieve. When you get into these fish they are really aggressive. Surprised since water still on cold side but they are hungry.
Rain and possible light snow predicted over weekend but so far Sunday said to be a nice day. Get out and enjoy!!!
Last cast,,,,,,Mike Cyze lastcast13@yahoo.com.
Sunday, March 27, 2011
FIND FISH IN FLOODED WILLOWS
Greetings All:
Well, hit the river early this morning and found high water in pool-13. Ran down river a bit and found some nice sauger and a few walleye holding tight in flooded willows along the down stream side of island points. Small 1/8th ounce jigs tipped with a minnow were pitched into flooded brush and retrieved just like for bass. Fish are holding tight to cover. Down stream side is best due to little current for fish to fight.
As far as color of jigs?, well, black was a hot color this morning but try others until you find what the fish are looking for. Good luck and enjoy your time on the river.
lastcast / Mike Cyze lastcast13@yahoo.com
Well, hit the river early this morning and found high water in pool-13. Ran down river a bit and found some nice sauger and a few walleye holding tight in flooded willows along the down stream side of island points. Small 1/8th ounce jigs tipped with a minnow were pitched into flooded brush and retrieved just like for bass. Fish are holding tight to cover. Down stream side is best due to little current for fish to fight.
As far as color of jigs?, well, black was a hot color this morning but try others until you find what the fish are looking for. Good luck and enjoy your time on the river.
lastcast / Mike Cyze lastcast13@yahoo.com
Saturday, March 26, 2011
COLD & WINDY IS THE TICKET FOR THE NEXT FEW DAYS,,,AT LEAST!!
Greetings All:
Well, look for the weather to be unseasonably cold and windy for about the next week. Add that to a rising river and fishing is tough right now. Some early season crappie in the backwaters but no heavy action yet. Look for clean water close to deep structure and you will find some crappie there. Small minnows are the best bait right now. Fish them VERY SLOW for best results.
Thanks to all the folks that attended my crappie seminar in Lancaster, WI earlier today. Great folks with great questions. Now that season of open water has started, come back often for current updates and locations.
Till NextTime,,,Take Care And I'll See You On The Water!!!!
Mike Cyze,,,,,,lastcast E-mail me at: lastcast13@yahoo.com.
Well, look for the weather to be unseasonably cold and windy for about the next week. Add that to a rising river and fishing is tough right now. Some early season crappie in the backwaters but no heavy action yet. Look for clean water close to deep structure and you will find some crappie there. Small minnows are the best bait right now. Fish them VERY SLOW for best results.
Thanks to all the folks that attended my crappie seminar in Lancaster, WI earlier today. Great folks with great questions. Now that season of open water has started, come back often for current updates and locations.
Till NextTime,,,Take Care And I'll See You On The Water!!!!
Mike Cyze,,,,,,lastcast E-mail me at: lastcast13@yahoo.com.
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
HIGH WATER STARTING!!!
Well, it's happening now. The run-off from up North is arriving and the Mississippi River is going up fast. Most dam's like Bellevue, Iowa are wide open to let water through. Fish are scattering out and with muddy conditions look for main river angling to be almost non-existent. Now is the time to start scouting those backwaters where the fish are moving to escape the strong currents and dirty waters.
Record flooding is projected from heavy snows North and Minnesota received another 14 inches as of this report. Not good for our local areas. Keep checking here for the latest on the fishing conditions on the Mississippi River.
Till Next Time,,,,Take Care & I'll See You On The Water!!!!!
Mike Cyze,,,,,,lastcast
Record flooding is projected from heavy snows North and Minnesota received another 14 inches as of this report. Not good for our local areas. Keep checking here for the latest on the fishing conditions on the Mississippi River.
Till Next Time,,,,Take Care & I'll See You On The Water!!!!!
Mike Cyze,,,,,,lastcast
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Welcome To Another Spring On The River!!!
Greetings All:
It's that wonderful time of the year again and the Mississippi River is open to fishing!!!
I have been out scouting areas and the fish are hungry. Lot's of boats up at dams but don't get caught in that old belief that all the fish are up at the dams. I have been finding excellent concentrations of both sauger and walleye miles down from the dams and best part is no other boats in area. River bends near sloughs, long wingdams and sandy flats all holding very nice fish. Jig and minnow rigs are doing best. I have been using a 1/4th ounce bright orange Fireball jig tipped with a nice big, lively minnow. 3" minnow great. No stinger hook has been needed so far as fish are hitting bait hard. You can also troll stick-baits on a 3 way rig but expect snags in the areas where fish are holding. Start with jigs. I caught some nice sauger on jig and shad bodies, (silver sides, black back stripe). Excellent for locating where fish are holding and really snag resistant.
Make sure boat running well if venturing down river because you will be alone there if help needed. Also bring that cell phone just in case.
Get out and enjoy the great action available on the Old Miss right now. Also check out lastcastoutdoors on Facebook. HAVE A GREAT, SAFE SPRING!!!
LASTCAST,,,,,,,,,Mike Cyze
It's that wonderful time of the year again and the Mississippi River is open to fishing!!!
I have been out scouting areas and the fish are hungry. Lot's of boats up at dams but don't get caught in that old belief that all the fish are up at the dams. I have been finding excellent concentrations of both sauger and walleye miles down from the dams and best part is no other boats in area. River bends near sloughs, long wingdams and sandy flats all holding very nice fish. Jig and minnow rigs are doing best. I have been using a 1/4th ounce bright orange Fireball jig tipped with a nice big, lively minnow. 3" minnow great. No stinger hook has been needed so far as fish are hitting bait hard. You can also troll stick-baits on a 3 way rig but expect snags in the areas where fish are holding. Start with jigs. I caught some nice sauger on jig and shad bodies, (silver sides, black back stripe). Excellent for locating where fish are holding and really snag resistant.
Make sure boat running well if venturing down river because you will be alone there if help needed. Also bring that cell phone just in case.
Get out and enjoy the great action available on the Old Miss right now. Also check out lastcastoutdoors on Facebook. HAVE A GREAT, SAFE SPRING!!!
LASTCAST,,,,,,,,,Mike Cyze
Sunday, December 5, 2010
WELL, BIG SNOW ARRIVED!!!
Greetings All:
Well, the forcast snow did arrive. Here in Pools 12 & 13 we had just under 8" on the ground. Now it is the very cold weather moving in to make your river fishing trip quite cold. You can still launch in Dubuque and Bellevue and fish the tailwaters. Floating ice in the river but you can slowly get around it if you take your time. Great time to have waters mostly to yourself. Lots of fish are available though.
After plowing snow this morning I went out in Pool-13 and scored a really nice limit of walleye and sauger for dinner. Nothing like some fresh fish from the very cold water. Orange 1/4th oz. Fireball jigs tipped with a 3" minnow was the ticket. Get tight to bottom though for best results.
Dress VERY warm and you can still get in some great fishing before total ice up.
Regards: Last cast / Mike Cyze lastcast13@yahoo.com
Well, the forcast snow did arrive. Here in Pools 12 & 13 we had just under 8" on the ground. Now it is the very cold weather moving in to make your river fishing trip quite cold. You can still launch in Dubuque and Bellevue and fish the tailwaters. Floating ice in the river but you can slowly get around it if you take your time. Great time to have waters mostly to yourself. Lots of fish are available though.
After plowing snow this morning I went out in Pool-13 and scored a really nice limit of walleye and sauger for dinner. Nothing like some fresh fish from the very cold water. Orange 1/4th oz. Fireball jigs tipped with a 3" minnow was the ticket. Get tight to bottom though for best results.
Dress VERY warm and you can still get in some great fishing before total ice up.
Regards: Last cast / Mike Cyze lastcast13@yahoo.com
Thursday, December 2, 2010
CURRENT CONDITIONS OF RIVER HAVE CHANGED!!
Greetings All:
River lock and dams in Pools 12-13 have put gates of dam into Winter set. This means water is blowing through and this has scattered fish out. Look for them to slowly return in a few days or so. Also, be aware of chunk ice starting to form in river and it can damage your boat and lower unit of motor.
Still some nice fish down river but getting to them a bit harder with ice. Go slow and you will enjoy a great day on the river. Snow expected on Saturday with 6" possible.
lastcast / Mike Cyze lastcast13@yahoo.com
River lock and dams in Pools 12-13 have put gates of dam into Winter set. This means water is blowing through and this has scattered fish out. Look for them to slowly return in a few days or so. Also, be aware of chunk ice starting to form in river and it can damage your boat and lower unit of motor.
Still some nice fish down river but getting to them a bit harder with ice. Go slow and you will enjoy a great day on the river. Snow expected on Saturday with 6" possible.
lastcast / Mike Cyze lastcast13@yahoo.com
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