By Steve Weisman
When the opportunity came to join other members of the Iowa Great Lakes Fishing Club (IGLFC) on the Missouri River at Chamberlain last week, Bill Borchers from Sheldon and I could hardly wait. All we had to do was get ourselves there, and we would join Missouri River Fishing guide and Hartley resident, Dave Hennings in his boat for three days: Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
We headquartered out of Allen’s Hillside Motel, where Dave is a guide for Garry Allen. That was the good news! The bad news? That stupid winter storm that decided to come through from northeast South Dakota down through southwest Minnesota and into northwest Iowa on Friday. Bill and I were concerned about how our wives would handle the snow shoveling and the travel home for us on Saturday.
It was going to be a great trip, and Allen’s was totally full by Wednesday evening with many anglers from northeastern South Dakota, Minnesota and Iowa, but by Thursday, nearly half had canceled to head home ahead of the storm and by Friday morning only a few were still there. With winds gusting to 30 mph out of the southeast and early morning rains, Bill and I told Dave not to worry about taking us out. There would be other days with much better weather. So, after a four-hour trip out and a four-hour trip home, was it worth it? Some might say no, but Bill and I both commented several times, we’d do it again in a heartbeat.
Fun on the river
Thursday’s weather forecast was mostly sunny with light northwest winds switching to the southeast by midday. So, we could launch Dave’s Skeeter at the park in Chamberlain or drive to the ramp 20+ miles north to the dam at Ft. Thompson. We had about 20 miles of river to fish. According to reports, the fishing at the dam had been really inconsistent, so our choice was to launch at Chamberlain and work two key general areas: Crow Creek on the east side of the river about 5-6 miles upstream and Kiowa Flats back to the south and on the west side.
Anglers we talked to on Wednesday evening said the bite that day had been sporadic with fish biting good for a half hour or so, then going neutral for an extended period, then taking off again. With such general areas as Crow Creek and Kiowa Flats, we still had miles of water from shallow to deep, from mucky bottom to rocky, from humps to channels to flats.
We had four boats of us from the IGLFC working these areas with the idea to stay in contact with each other. When all was done, the group had boated 22 walleyes between 16-19 inches with some smaller fish released. Enough for a great fish fry on Friday evening (that we had to unfortunately miss)!
Changing bite
The presentation was mostly jig fishing with a flathead minnow. I’ve used 4/10 Fireline for years out there and a chartreuse 1/8-ounce, 1/4-ounce and 3/8-ounce jig depending on the current. Well, this year I started with Fireline, but after being shut out, I followed the suggestions of those who had been there for a few days and went with monofilament. Our group found that tip to be true.
So, on Thursday we were on the water by 8:30 a.m. The early bite was better than midday. I think part of it had to do with how much water was being released at the dam. Normally, when the current is good, the bite is better. We had a good current for the first hour or so, and then the current slowed and the bite slowed.
The Crow Creek area had a pretty strong runoff entering the river, so the water was three colors, depending on where you were: murky the color of chocolate milk, stained and clear. There just didn’t seem to be a real pattern with a couple taken here and there. With dozens of boats lined over a mile stretch, it was easy to see anglers netting a fish.
Dave, Bill and I fished until about 4:30 p.m., and decided we had had enough for the day. At this point our group had 15 fish. Terry Thomsen and Dean Jacobson and Max Strube stayed out there until about 7 p.m. and ended up back south of the boat ramp by the edge of town drifting along the riprap. When we left, they had five walleyes, and they ended up with their 12-walleye limit.
The next morning when Bill and I headed home, the three of them braved the elements and fished the riprap again, which was somewhat protected from the southeast gale. When I called them in early afternoon, they had seven walleyes with two over 19 inches. By the end of the day, they had a limit of walleyes.
Was it worth it?
For sure! Just getting away and enjoying the area was worth it. The beauty of “no frozen water” on a sunny early spring day was so worth it, as was the constant din of snow geese and Canada geese. Plus, we got to experience once again the feel of a walleye latching on and hanging and hanging.
As Bill and I left, we made a pact. Yes, we will be back, and yes we want to come out with the IGLFC members to try it again next March. And yes, Dave has said we can definitely fish with him. Fish on!
Dave Hennings with a nice 17-inch walleye taken on a jig and minnow.
Fishing along the rugged cliffs near Crow Creek on the Missouri River.
(L to R) Max Strube, Dean Jacobson and Terry Thomsen, members of the IGLFC, with a nice limit of walleyes.
