Stone Arch Bridge, Fishing

[Noel Schmieg]

Has anyone been fishing for cats yet? I'm thinking of going down this this week & do some fishing when its going to be so nice out! i was just seeing if anyone has been down in that area yet! last year i was doing really good but this time! hope see u some ppl down there

[erickol]

I was there today. The locke channel is still 90% frozen. The main channel is open mostly.

[Noel Schmieg]

was it open be hind the dam?

[erickol]

The main channel was, but there is still ice to the shore by the lower dam. After the next couple of days, warmth and a bit of rain later in the week ought to clear that all out.

[wrightFish]

Isn't the "pool 0" area from ford dam to dt Mpls subject to normal fishing regs? In other words open for panfish and roughfish only right now?

[Johnny_Da_Der]

 Originally Posted By: wrightFish

Isn't the "pool 0" area from ford dam to dt Mpls subject to normal fishing regs? In other words open for panfish and roughfish only right now?

isn't that pool 1 you describe???

[Noel Schmieg]

I should be down there fishing some time this week or next week fishing for cats!

[Flaco651]

Yep, that would be P1.

[Dragon Fish ll]

So no one has tryed it yet. Here kitty kitty

[Dragon Fish ll]

Nice day down there today but not for fishing. Give it a little bit longer and the cats should come in. Today 0 for 0 catfish and crappie setup NADA

[erickol]

Any day now. I caught a couple of channels (3-5lbs) on Monday in an undisclosed location, on shad.

They'll be down there to the ruins any day now.

[uwecsteeple]

Eric, where you using live shad, dead shad, cut shad?

I have only used crawlers and liver for cats so far and would like to try some other baits. I have a load of golden shiners in my freezer from a metro lake that I plan on using for bait this summer.

Thanks

[Flaco651]

I've recently had some success from an "undisclosed location" on the Sippi also using shad. Cut shad or small shad whole are my go to bait for channels in the early spring. Also late summer/fall I'll go back to shad when they pack into large schools. Shad are very delicate and hard to keep alive. Pretty much best to freeze them after you find them. Moore's Bait also carries shad.

[erickol]

uwecsteeple,

Frozen whole shad. the biggest i had are only around 3-4 inches. They do get soggy real quick. I had some that thawed a bit in my truck, purchased on tuesday and I fished the left overs on thursday. Man were they ripe, but held up enough to catch about 5 channels. If you don't net them fresh every outing, get them in a freezer pretty quick before they get too mushy. I buy my shad from Moore's and I think these have been in his freezer all winter. Still in pretty good shape and the cats love em.

[GoggleEye]

Frozen smelt works pretty good too.....if you can keep them on your hook!!

GE

[Dragon Fish ll]

Went down to the river yesterday in the early morning looking for a cat NADA. But did manage a little over a dozen river sunnys an a small mouth. those sunnys are expert bait thiefs. about three to four crappie minnows per fish. fun on the ultra light

[mattbass]

where's the best area to fish near stone arch? i saw some stairs leading down right by the bridge (on the north side of the river) but it was closed right now.

[Johnny_Da_Der]

if i remember correctly those stairs have always been closed. You can walk down the path to the west from those stairs and go down the next set of stairs... or i have "heard that other people" just climb over.

i seem to remember the stairs are closed at the top but not at the bottom...

[Dragon Fish ll]

Was down there today with no results. Had one good bite taking a fathead an a half off but that was it.Few of the regulars showed up and only a few sunnys between the four of us. idid manage one Bass. But with the water all drained out of there recently realy brings up a concern about how fishing will be there this year. Over the next month or two will tell.

[mattbass]

yeah, i was wondering about that. how good can it really be now? i've never fished there but have always wanted to.

[Adam Wolf]

Rats,

I just moved into the area near the stone-arch bridge. I haven't fished the river much but would like to get into it. From what I can tell doesn't the season follow the regular regs? If anyone minds giving a hint or two without being too specific are there shore fishing spots along the banks down the river from the stone arch bridge that are pretty accessible?

[EBass]

Yes Adam that "section" of the river follows regular inland regs. So catfish and carp it is for now.

[Dragon Fish ll]

And you might want to do the same thing with your fish in or out of season when it comes to the river. For me the river is just a fun place to catch fish. for others it a place to glow in the dark He He He. Only pregnant men should eat from the river.

[Dragon Fish ll]

any improvment on fishing down there been to busy with work to check lately

[mattbass]

i'm going for a run at lunch & i'll check! the water was really low last time i was there (sunday)

[CrappieFshr651]

mr healthy goin for a run at lunch

[erickol]

I fished for a while tonight down there (5:45-7:15 or so). Cut shad. One half hearted tap. When I pulled in there was catfish slime on the line, but no fish. Nothing on crawlers either. I fished up and down the stretch. I was kind of expecting some action tonight.

[uwecsteeple]

Fished down their Saturday morning and had the same results. One carp and a couple hooks came back with cat slime on them. Only crawlers for me!

[Noel Schmieg]

Hey was there anyone down there fishing today? i was there & got two Nice Cats! any one going to be down there in the am? i'm going down there with one of my friends & i hope i get into alot of cats!

see ya down there

Noel

[Dragon Fish ll]

Thats a good sign. will check it out soon. What did your cats bite on?