A little help please

[JoeTC]

Going to give the St Croix a try this year for the first and have a couple basic questions. I've looked over the river on my map chip and looks like there is everything from very shallow narrow areas to deeper and wider areas and Lake St Croix. Can someone suggest some general stretches for starting out? Also, what are some good landings to use on the MN side? Looking to fish walleyes.

Thanks,

Joe

[eyesonly]

How I did it Joe was to break the river down into sections. Prescot to the Kinni, The Kinni to Afton and Afton to the Bridge is what I did. It was to much overload for my brain trying to figure out that much water so I just stayed to those certain sections till I know what was going on. Now I pretty much Fish between the Kinni and Prescott and got to know it pretty well. The launch I use is the Bluffs.I buy the Park pass every year and Its worked out pretty well for me. Hope that helps

[DonBo]

There really isn't any public access to the Croix other than the Boomsite above Stillwater, and that doesn't have much parking and seems to be always full.

You can launch at a couple places in Hudson, right downtown at the park and the south end of town. Beanies just across the river in Minnesota just south of the bridge is a popular spot. Beanies also has a baitstore and is usually a pretty good place to go for advice.

I often launch at the Windmill Marina in Afton. All these places are kind of expensive but offer nice ramps. The Bluffs is a very nice park south of Afton, north of Prescott. $5 a time, or $25 for the year. This is probably the nicest ramp on the river. There's also ramps in Prescott and Hastings that I'm not very familiar with.

eyesonly gave good advice about breaking the river down to sections. He did leave out the section upriver from the Hudson bridge though. There's good fishing in the whole river as far upstream as you care to go.

Just beware that the river gets VERY busy with large boat traffic on the weekends. I like to fish weekdays, or very early mornings on weekends.

Good luck!

[Turk]

It depends on where you choose to launch the boat. Where will you fish? You need to pick and area to help talk fishing.

Turk

[JoeTC]

It depends on where you choose to launch the boat. Where will you fish? You need to pick and area to help talk fishing.

Turk

I'll probably start out by launching at beanie's as that's the closest for me. Maybe fish from there down towards Afton.

Joe

[Turk]

Well if you launch at Beanies you can not help but see all the anglers in the Hudson Channel. Which is between the I94 bridge and the Swing bridge. Here anglers drift fish livebait and troll crankbaits. The fish are normally in a few areas but not super concentrated so the whole area produces fish. Now each year is different, so soon very soon we will see how the bite is. Looking forward to it myself.

Thanks,

Turk

[1eyeReD]

I've always been a fan of that stretch from St. Croix Bluffs going up to the Kinni. Plenty of spots between launch and the mouth of the Kinni. Just haven't been able to pin an extremely hot bite, but have had enough rod bending action to keep me interested in that area.

Any of you guys have some opinions/feelings/speculations/hazard warnings about the stretch going north from William O'Brien park and up? Was thinking about exploring that stretch for opener, but am a bit hesitant due to water levels. Walleyes good that way as well?

[SouperStar22]

1eyered that stretch is good. I always go that route every year but there are lots a boat traffic during opener weekend and its tough due to pressure. For water level it should be fine as long as you know what you doin.

[Jarrid Houston]

1eyeRed, You bet. There can be a good bite up near the St Croix Falls, Osceola area as well! Just got to do your homework, and keep your spots to yourself. Its nice not having to deal with as many boats/fishermen your going to find from Lake St Croix - South.. good luck