2024 Fishing Boat Season
April 15 – October 15 (subject to Mother Nature)
Fishing Boat Rates
| Duration | Alumacraft Trophy 195 | Starweld Fusion 18 DC |
|---|---|---|
| Half Day (4 Hours) | $495 | $295 |
| Full Day (8 Hours) | $595 | $395 |
Terms and Conditions
- Renter must be at least 25 years of age. Operators must be at least 21 years of age with valid driver’s license and no DWI/DUI convictions in the past 3 years. Operator must have previous boating experience operating a similar watercraft.
- All power boat rentals require a $500 security and damage deposit credit card authorization prior to departure (unless noted otherwise). Within 24 hours of the reservation we will add the hold to the same credit card used for the reservation, unless you ask us to use a different card. Funds will only be captured from the hold if there is damage or loss of rental equipment.
- Boats will be provided with a full tank of gas and must be refilled by renter prior to return. All fueling must be done at Parkside Marina where our boats are typically stored. If gas dock is closed on your return we will refill later and charge against the hold on your credit card.
- Fishing boats will typically be trailered to launch location and launched after Renter arrives on site. Our usual launch site is the Wabasha Municipal landing, although with full-day rentals we can deliver to different locations, with $1.50/mile charge.
- Renter must sign the Pool 4 Rental Agreement before boarding. Please view the rental agreement summary on our website before completing your reservation. E-signature instructions will be emailed after reservation is complete.
- All passengers must have signed the Pool 4 Waiver and Release of Liability prior to boarding. Instructions will be emailed to Renter after the Renter e-signs the Rental Agreement. Please forward on to all participants ahead of rental. It saves a lot of time if waivers are completed before arriving at the dock.
- Participants cannot exceed the USCG ratings in terms of persons or weight. These are documented with the boat descriptions.
- No children under 6 months of age or under 16 pounds are allowed on board. Life preservers do not work with such small children so best to wait until they are older.
- All adults fishing the Mississippi River must be in possession of a Minnesota or a Wisconsin Fishing license and abide by regulations of the state in which they are licensed.
- No glass is allowed on the river. If bringing beverages be sure to bring in cans, boxes, or plastic.
- Our boats are for pleasure use only and not to be used to transport people or equipment, to tow boats, or as work boats (e.g. dock install/removal). Only passengers that have checked-in with Pool 4 Adventures are allowed on the boat during the boat rental policy period.
FAQs
Is there a fish cleaning station I can use?Vision Design
- No. None of our usual launches have public fish cleaning stations. You will have to take your catch home and clean them there.
Can I rent tackle?Vision Design
- We offer tackle packs for Walleye, Pike, Bass, and Live Bait. You can rent or purchase them individually or all together as a package.
- Landing nets will be included with all fishing boat rentals, or you can bring your own if you prefer.
- See our Information page for descriptions of tackle and live bait options.
- Renter will be charged for any tackle lost or broken.
Can I rent fishing rods and reels?Vision Design
- Yes. Our goal is to give you a great fishing adventure on the River – even if you left your gear at home, or don’t own any gear. Pool 4 Adventures has a variety of rod/reel combos available. We offer spinning, spincast, bait casting and trolling setups.
- We offer a premium option if you want to treat yourself or someone else to a high end combo, otherwise we have good quality standard combos. We also have youth and child combos. We will provide child and youth rods and reels free of charge with an adult rod and reel rental.
- A damage/loss deposit will be required for most gear. Email us and we can send you a list of options.
Will you teach us how to use the trolling motor?Vision Design
- In the pre-departure boating overview, we will show you the basics of how to deploy and operate and stow the trolling motor. Trolling motors must be out of the water and stowed when operating under engine power.
- See our TBD page for links to user manuals and help videos on our trolling motors. The specific motor on each boat is listed in the boat description.
Do the fishing boats have electronics on-board?Vision Design
- Fish finders are provided on all of our fishing boats. Please review fishing boat details to see which fish finders are on board. You may want to review operating instructions for the fish finders before arriving at the dock.
- See our Information page for links to user manuals and help videos on our electronics. In the pre-departure boating overview, we will cover depth finder usage – to support safe boating – but will not do training on the fish finder usage. These devices are quite complicated and require some hands-on practice.
Can I fish from the boat?Vision Design
- Please see individual boat descriptions for details. Fishing is not allowed on our cruising pontoons.
- Anyone fishing in Mississippi Pool 4 will need a Minnesota or Wisconsin fishing license and must abide by the rules of the issuing state.
- As the Mississippi is a border water the fishing season is continuous. There are size limits and bag limits that must be adhered to. Violating limits could result in fines – DNR officers are very common at our landing!
Will towables be secure when we are cruising?Vision Design
- We provide towables uninflated and stowed. You will have to inflate them prior to use and deflate and stow them when complete. A 12V pump that makes this a quick process – 5 mins or less – will be provided with the towable.
- In the pre-departure boating overview, we will cover this process.
Can I bring my own water skis, or tube or other toys?Vision Design
- We do not allow you to bring your own towables (tubes, boards, skis) or float pads. The towables and float pads we offer for rent will fit on the boat without obstructing the driver’s view or impacting seating for passengers. We can’t ensure that level of safety with other gear.
- If a boat does not support towables, then no towables are allowed, whether yours or from Pool 4. Refer to the boat description to see if towables are allowed.
- Aside from towables and float pads, bringing your own smaller water toys is okay (e.g. noodles, beach balls, inflatable toys) as long as they do not obstruct the operator during transport or impact seating for passengers.
I’m not familiar with the area – how do I know where I can safely tow my kids on a tube?Vision Design
- In the pre-departure boating overview we will cover areas that are better choices for tubing and swimming – we recommend the Minnesota side of Lake Pepin.
- Never tow in the main channel – this is a high-traffic area and a shipping lane.
- Please ask our deckhands if you have any other questions related to towing.
Can we raft our boat? (tie to other boats while adrift)Vision Design
- No. The River is generally quite wavy and it is nearly impossible to hold boats together without putting rub and scratch marks on the boats. The fenders we provide are not designed for rafting so we cannot allow it.
Can we beach our boat?Vision Design
- Yes. Beaching boats along the Mississippi is common, but it takes a good deal of knowledge of the area to do it safely. There are many wing dams in the area that can be hit when beaching and hitting a wing dam (a rock pile) can do serious damage to the hull and lower unit.
- Please let us know if you plan to beach the boat and we will give you some additional pointers to make sure you can do it safely.
What other things are needed for our adventure?Vision Design
- There must be at least one cell phone on the boat and the number provided to Pool 4 adventures staff prior to departure. Please charge your phone before coming to the boat. Most boats have a 12V outlet and some also have a USB charger port. If you will need to charge your phone please bring your own cable.
- Be prepared for the weather – hats, sunglasses, sunscreen, etc. Pontoons have Bimini tops but fishing boats offer no protection from the sun or weather.
- We recommend that you bring some non-DEET dry formula bug spray – especially on fishing trips when operating close to shorelines. When on the main river bugs are often not a problem. DEET can be very damaging to boat upholstery – it is not allowed on Pool 4 Adventures boats.
Can I purchase add-ons even though I am not the Renter?Vision Design
- Yes. Most add on gear and services can be reserved by email and paid for on-line or on your arrival.
- Please try to complete payment for add-ons before arrival – we don’t want to delay your party’s departure to run credit cards.
Who needs to wear a life jacket?Vision Design
- Minnesota state law requires that children under 10 must always wear a life jacket unless the boat is anchored and being used as a swim platform.
- Participants that are elderly, or cannot swim, or that are at-risk for going overboard for any reason should always wear a life jacket while on the boat.
- The basic life preservers provided with the rental are not designed for long-term wear. For those wearing a life preserver the entire trip, you might consider bringing a more comfortable vest with you or renting a neoprene or inflatable vest from us.
Do I need to bring my own life jacket?Vision Design
- Pool 4 Adventures will ensure that there are USCG approved life preservers on-board for all passengers. These are the basic orange vests you are probably familiar with. These emergency vests are not adequate for tubing and are generally not very comfortable for long-term wear.
- If you will be tubing or just want a more comfortable life jacket you can bring your own (must be USCG approved) or consider renting a neoprene or inflatable vest from us. You can view options on our web site and call or email us with upgrade requests. We have limited availability, so the sooner you reserve it the better.
Are boats equipped for night operation?Vision Design
- We only allow our boats to be operated in daylight hours.
Can you deliver a boat to my favorite launch?Vision Design
- Yes. For fishing boats with full-day rentals and pontoon boats with multi-day rentals. It is required that you have a secure place to moor the boat if keeping overnight. Delivery charges may apply if distance is more than 10 miles.
Can I get a discount for multi-day rentals?Vision Design
- Yes. Please call or email us with your request and we will get back to you with multi-day and multi-week availability and pricing.
How clean is the boat expected to be on return?Vision Design
- Pool 4 will vacuum and clean surfaces between rentals. We do not expect food or trash to be left on-board, or stains on floor or upholstery or bimini. If extra cleaning is required a fee will be charged to the renter per the rental agreement.
- We provide some cleaning supplies on the boat in case you need to do a cleanup on the water. Trash bags and/or containers will be provided. Pool 4 will dispose of trash bags for you, but please put trash in the bag.
How does the boating rental process work?Vision Design
Pool 4 does most of the rental preparation before the day of the rental and will meet your party at the dock or boat launch at the time of your reservation.
Here is the usual process…
- A renter makes a reservation online or by calling us. The renter may also add on some additional items for the trip, maybe a cooler or a special life preserver.
- The Renter must e-sign the Pool 4 Rental Agreement and Liability Waiver.
- Once the Renter has signed these, a link will then be provided that the Renter can send on to all participants. The Renter will also need to decide who will be allowed to operate the boat and inform them when the link is sent.
- All participants must e-sign the waiver prior to boarding the boat.
- All Operator’s must read and sign the Operator’s Agreement prior to boarding, or they will not be allowed to operate the boat.
- On the day of the rental, we will text or email, with expected time of departure. This may vary a bit from the original reservation time. You should also inform us if you are running late. We will try to accommodate.
- We ask that you arrive at least 15 mins early for check-in. At this time we will confirm that we have all the right people and all waivers signed. We will also confirm we have all the right equipment, add-ons, etc.
- Next you will board the boat. Pontoon boats are generally in slips and supplies must be carried to the boats (we’ll help!). Fishing boats are generally on trailers and launched after your party is on site and boat is loaded. We will need at least one person to assist in launch.
- Once aboard we will give you and the operators an orientation of the boat and the area where you will be boating.
- We will take then a photo of the group and send you on your Mississippi adventure!
- You will be able to reach us by phone during your time on the water – so don’t hesitate to call us with any questions or concerns. Contact info is in the boat.
- About 30 mins before the end of your reservation we will send a text reminder. At that time you should start heading back to the marina if you have not already done so. Extending your time may also be possible – let us know if you would like to do that.
- At the marina we will normally meet you at the gas dock. We will assist in refueling. Refueling costs are the responsibility of the Renter.
- A Pool 4 employee will then drive the group and the boat back to the slip or launch and will assist in unloading the boat.
- We hope your experience will be memorable and that you will provide us with positive reviews on Google, Facebook, or other social networking sites. Let us know if you had any concerns or problems.
Who can operate the boat?Vision Design
- The Renter (the one that paid for the reservation) is responsible for the boat and its safe operation. As part of the rental agreement, the Renter may designate any participants he/she wants to allow to operate the boat. Only participants named by the Renter as operators, and meeting the Pool 4 Adventures operator requirements, will be allowed to operate the boat.
- Operators must be at least 21 years of age with a valid driver’s license. Driver’s license must be in the operator’s possession on the boat. Operator must allow Pool 4 to inspect and photograph his/her driver’s license prior to departure.
- Operator must have had no DWI/DUI (Driving While Intoxicated) convictions in past three years.
- Operator must be willing and able, physically and mentally, to operate the boat.
- Operator must be present when boat operating instructions are provided and must review and understand boating regulations for the area prior to boarding.
- To ensure the safety off all on-board, all Operators must sign our Operators Agreement indicating that they understand the rules of safe boating.
Who can be on the boat?Vision Design
- Participants must be at least 6 months of age and at least 16 pounds. Life jackets do not work well for small children, so safest to let them get a little bigger before boating.
- Participants must be physically and mentally able to board and ride the boat safely. People with back issues, balance issues or prone to seasickness should not participate.
- Participants that appear to be under the influence of alcohol or drugs will not be allowed aboard.
- The renter (the one that paid for the reservation) will decide who to invite and will provide Pool 4 with a list of participants and their email contact information. Only participants named by the renter and checked-in with Pool 4 Adventures are allowed to board the boat during the rental period.
- Only participants that have e-signed the Pool 4 Waiver and Release of Liability will be allowed aboard. For minors, legal guardians must sign the waiver and the Minor Release.
- The renter can change the participant list any time before the rental period, but it is best to have it nailed down at least a day before the rental so that waivers can be reviewed and signed without delaying your departure.
Who can rent a boat from Pool 4 Adventures?Vision Design
- Renter must be at least 25 years of age.
- Renter is responsible for the boat and is expected to be on board during the rental unless other arrangements are made with Pool 4 prior to departure. It is best to call us before making the reservation if you will not be on the boat for the adventure.