Shorefishing the St Croix River

[SteveD]

One of the most often asked questions on the St Croix forum is where to find a good shore fishing spot. Most people don’t realize it but there is a lot of public land on the St Croix River that provides access to shorefishermen especially those willing to walk to find a good spot. I’ll try to zero you in on some easy access spots on the lower St Croix that should be able to provide you some fishing opportunities.

Minnesota and Wisconsin State Parks:

Let’s do the easy spots first. I’ll start off with the State Parks, just be aware there is an entrance fee when using a state park but it is money well spent - the best option is to get the yearly state permit which grants you access to all state parks for the year. The state parks all have websites that will provide you detailed maps of their facilities and show roads and trails that will lead you to the water.

Just do a google search for any of these locations and you are on your way.

On the St Croix River there are 4 Minnesota State Parks:

Wild River State Park

Interstate Park MN

William O’Brien State Park

Afton State Park

Wisconsin has 2 state parks with St Croix River access:

Interstate Park, WI

Kinnickinnic State Park

Washington County Parks:

Washington County has two parks on the St Croix that have easy access to the water and they have websites to provide detailed information. Just do a google search for either of these county parks:

St Croix Bluffs Regional Park

Point Douglas Park

Boat Access: Most boat ramps along the St Croix also provide limited shore fishing opportunities. This is a listing of the public lower St Croix boat ramps not previously listed:

Franconia Landing: This site is located at the end of Franconia Trail. Turn east of Highway 95 on the 2nd road south of U.S. Highway 8. This is a small, shallow, undeveloped facility unsuitable for larger boats.

Log Cabin Access: This site, also operated by the Park Service, is located at the end of 205th Street N. east of County Rd 53 (Quinnell Ave N.). This facility is suitable for car top boats and canoes only.

Boom Site Access: This D.N.R. facility is located north of Stillwater and south of the Wayside Rest/Historical Site on Highway 95. This is a very popular facility and is often full on summer weekends.

Community Parks with river access:

Just about every community on the St Croix River has some type of park that will give you access to the river and some type of fishing opportunity. Check out these river sites and do a little scouting and you should find some fish -

Osceola Landing - as you drive into Osceola from Minnesota you will find the Osceola Landing entrance just before you reach the bridge. The park has a boat launch, a large park with picnic tables and at the south end a fishing pier into the St Croix River. You can fish anywhere along the parks shoreline so you should be able to find a spot away from the crowds. This is a great shorefishing spot.

Boomsite Wayside Rest, Stillwater: North of Stillwater on Highway 95 you will find the wayside rest that has a picnic area and bathrooms on the bluff top and a stairway leading down to the river. There is about a 1/4 mile of shoreline that provides fishing opportunities.

Lowell Park, Stillwater: Located right in the heart of downtown Stillwater is Lowell Park which provides abundant shore fishing opportunities anywhere along the riverfront. You can also walk across the bridge and fish the shoreline along and under the bridge on the Wisconsin side. Don’t worry about your fishing license - the states of Minnesota and Wisconsin have a reciprocity aggreement and your Minnesota fishing license is good to fish on either shore, Wisconsin or Minnesota.

Excel Energy Allan S. King Plant, Bayport: Excel Energy grants access to the St Croix River along it’s plant’s discharge canal. It is pretty easy to find - look for the large smokestack and just keep driving until you find the entrance road off Highway 95. They have a marked parking area for fishermen. This place gets fished to death but it also produces fish. It’s warm water discharge attracts fish. It is a bit of a walk to reach the fishing area but it is sometimes worth the effort.

Lakeside Park, Bayport: The City of Bayport has plans to place a fishing pier into Lakeside Park which will further enhance the fishing opportunities. You will find ample parking, a children’s Playground for when the kids get tired of fishing, and plenty of shoreline to wet a line.

This is a list of fishing opportunities along the Minnesota shore and there are just as many along the Wisconsin shoreline.

Lakefront Park, Hudson: (located along First St. and the St. Croix River between Buckeye and Vine Streets):

Lakefront Park offers a variety of activities. You will find a boat launch (fee required) with parking area; picnic shelters; playground area with a play structure, swings, and other items; 2 sand volleyball courts; a beach which has lifeguards on duty in the summer; bandshell that hosts summer concerts as well as other large events; paved trails; and a nice view of the river and river activity. A great place for a picnic, sunning, volleyball, swimming, fishing, or just enjoying the river. Concessions are available during the summer at the Beach House. Restrooms are available during the non-winter months in two locations in the park.

Prescott, WI Fishing Dock: Located near the Prescott boat launch on Front Street is a fishing dock with handicapped access. This is a very convenient place to fish as you can drive right up to the dock. As previously stated you can fish this spot with a Minnesota license.

Somerset Landing near Somerset, WI: This access point is really right across the river from Marine on the St Croix. This is an out of the way place to find but it is a gem for access to the St Croix. Do a google search for Somerset Landing and you can find the National Park Service’s website for “Map 4: Highway 8 to Marine on St. Croix”. This map will give you directions for all the St Croix access points along that stretch of the St Croix.

Well that is enough of a guide. This should provide you with plenty of spots to shore fish the St Croix River.

Good Fishing!!

[DonBo]

As always, great info Steve. Thanks for taking the time to put all this together.

[SpecialK]

Very handy indeed.

Thanks!

[MN Shutterbug]

Very informative and nicely organized. It is well worth printing out.

[tunrevir]

All I can say is WOW! Nice job SteveD, very comprehensive and detailed. A true riverrat!

Tunrevir~

[MinnesnowtaWild]

Steve D is pure class. Now if we could just get someone to list shore spots on the Minnesota River...yeah right!

[1eyeReD]

Printing in progress. Thanks!!

[Crankbait10]

awesome thanks!!!

[PhilTickelson]

I used to fish from shore next to an abandoned mill just south of Stillwater, across 36 from that little diner that's right before 36 turns back west towards Mahtomedi/Minneapolis. We used to catch TONS of sheephead from the shore there, just throwing jigs and angle worms. Other people used to fish there too because we would always find old worm buckets and fishing line etc..

I would advise people to be careful if they try to go there now. I was there the other day and the dirt parking lot that used to be down there is overgrown and apparently striclty enforced as a no trespassing zone. I also saw a few shady people walk by and to be honest felt very uncomfortable being there. I don't remember it being no trespassing area before, but it definitely is now, so unless you want a ticket I'd stay away.

[StillwaterAaron]

That area south of Stillwater is a great place to get a ticket for tresspassing for $150! Been a few given out recently thanks to people dumping garbage down there.

[CrappieFshr651]

anybody been fishing the dock in prescott? wondering if the eyes are still biting

[Dale Rueber]

I have not seen many people fishing the dock in Prescott lately. There have been a fair number of people on the point by the confluence and the fishing pier on the MN side. Have even seen a few fish caught off the point.

[draleckson]

Does anybody know if the gate at the bayport power plant is currently open or locked for shore fishing there?