Montissippi eyes

[Cody Lubeley]

i fly fished the montissippi in the summer/fall for smallies but i also heard this area of the river has good walleye has anyone done any eye fishing out there?

[threeball]

Theres a couple there. Certainly not a "good" spot if you are looking for walleyes.

[Cody Lubeley]

ok thanks for the info

[Cody Lubeley]

what about muskies i heard you can catch them by accident too has anyone ever heard of or hoooked into one on the montissippi

[Navigator]

Muskies in the Montissippi area of the Miss? Probably not Lubey, but you will find walleyes in that area. You need to head upstream a ways for muskies.

[Cody Lubeley]

alright thanks

[Kevin Turner]

Yepp, a few 'eyes to be had, but I could think of far better strecthes to chase them.

Monti was home to a few Muskies 20 or so years ago. One in particular I got to the boat on two occasions, but couldn't land her.

She spent much of her time in the cove near 3 Ball's home. If I'm not mistaken, "River Jim" (if some of you guyz remember him) killled her for a mount.

[MSRiverdog]

I used to spend a lot of time looking for Muskies up that way, never saw one, that was in the days, 20/25 years ago, that they were there, I was told anyway. If I were to really want one I'ld go to a dozen or so lakes in the Twin City area first, or run up north and look for record. I can not catch a big fish just as easy as not catch a little fish.

[Cody Lubeley]

what does everyone usually use up there i usually drown a worm with my fly rod, would streamers work jsut as well?

[fishgutz77]

I grew up on the river in monticello and it's ok for a few eyes but the real attraciton is the smallies, and those numbers are down a bit from 5 or 6 years ago. Stealth is key for the eyes and bigger smallies go light and natural. crawlers and light line with split shot and let it tumble with the current through the breakline or current break. you'll have to get by the small cats and smallies they seem to be first in line, be quiet and be patient. this time of year all the smallies will be in slow water with silt or mud bottoms and all schooled up, when you find one nice one you'll most often find more. If you like to jig park up river and match your jig to the current speed and just work it down from you on and off the bottom they will find it. you'll have to go find'em your self It took me 40 yrs to to weed through the spots that get pounded and the good spots left. just a hint the best spots are mid-river.

[Cody Lubeley]

does the montissippi supports trophy small mouth like 20"+ the biggest ive got is 16"

[uwecsteeple]

My first bass this year was a 20.5" in that area on opener day. It did also happen to be my best bass all year so I guess the fishing went all downhill from opener. I wouldn't say that 20"+ are common in the Elk River to St. Cloud Stretch but they are in their for sure. The smallie regulations on that stretch really seam to have increased the number of 12-16" fish but the amount of pressure probably reduces the amount of trophies. If you ever venture up past St. Cloud I think you might find some bigger fish.

[Cody Lubeley]

ok thanks