FT.Madison

[skeeterman190]

 Heres a crazy question im trying to figure out and can't(im retarded) which pool is it?? 18 or 19?? thanks guys-skeeterman-

[Eric]

19.  Historically, you could lock up or down a pool if you desired,though.

[dashaver63]

I don't know of anyone last year that went through the locks. There were some good bags that came out of pool 19.

[Flippin222]

Fort Madison is in Pool 19 and is as good as any. Pool 18 backwaters just above the dam are pretty good as well.

[SethV]

About 40 boats locked up to 18 last year.  I locked up on the first day - I found the fish harder to find up there, but the average size much better. 

Seth

[skeeterman190]

 Hey thanks guys yeah 19 sounds pretty good. Sounds like it will fit me perfectly. now i just gotta get there. are there alot of wing darns in these stretches??-skeeterman-

[SethV]

The north 1/2 of pool 19 has lots of wing dams.  18 and 20 also have a high number.  Stay in the bouys or you can lose a lower unit really fast.  The wing dams were on my GPS chart, but they can sneak up on you if you are not paying attention.

[Stretch MFD]

I found that several of the wing dams were silted in, but that could have all changed after the floods this year.

Larry

[Jighead]

I would tread lightly there anytime you get outside of the bouys - regardless of the wingdams.  I bumped trees and other timber in fairly deep water (6-8ft) while "pushing" an idle across flats to get to visible structure.  The extra time spent learning your way in and out of the channels during practice is time well spent.  TIP:  When you do bump that stuff that's not visible, hit your GPS and come back to fish it later