Upper St.

[fishface5]

Does anyone fish the Kettle river/Snake river area? Espcialy high water tips? Oh by the way, how high is the water up there after the last little down pour? Thanks.

[EBass]

Go shallow and fish the new cover on the shoreline. With highwater smallies like to push up on the new cover. Weedlines work great to.

From past experience this is what I found, and Al Linder said the same.

If you want waldos, um.....

[picksbigwagon]

if you plan on fishing that area, better make sure the water is high. I have walked that section of the Croix, and it is for the most part waist deep with some deeper holes. I'm 6'7" so we are talking 3 feet at best.

anyone catch anything in the kettle or the snake?

[southerner]

Yup. EBass hit the nail on the head. With high water in that area you can walk the banks casting spinnerbaits upstream along the edges and just nail those smallies.

I usually wade that stretch of the river with lower water conditions but with the water high it's not a good idea from a safety perspective unless you're right next to the bank, maybe not even then. In any case, my best success has been waling the bank and casting w/a fairly heavy (3/8 to 1/2 oz) single colorado blade spinnerbait cast upstream and run right down the edges. Reeling upstream will work also but it's more difficult to get the lure down in the water column. The colorado blade gives it the vibrational "thump" that let the smallies know it's there, and they usually don't hesitate to pounce on it from their little slackwater hideyholes. Also, don't forget to fish the flooded brush and little pools & eddies that form with the higher water. It can be outstanding.

Southerner

[fishface5]

Thanks guys! Going up in a couple of weeks for 4 days in canoes. Not paddeling very far though. Going to spend most of our time fishing. What's the walleye population in that section of the river?

[EBass]

Hmm, all this smallie talk has gotten me excited. Anyone know the water level up there? Like above Taylors Fall? It's gotta be dropping by now. But still 3 ft high? Just wondering. So many places to fish and so little time.

[phin101]

Went up to just above taylors falls on the 4th. Fished upstream of the city park launch. The water was high and muddy. Couldn't get anything to bite. Check the Mn dnr website for current river levels. You might want to give it a dry week or two.

If you fish the snake or the kettle during high water, don't miss the flooded grass on the edges. Cast a popper on the edges in the early morning and hold on! Cast as close as you can get, pop it a few times, then let it drift. If you like the more brainless cast and crank techniques, a med jitterbug can produce good numbers, too. Remember to practice CPR whenever possible. That area is a rare smallie resource with 20 fish days easily acheivable in July and August.

[EBass]

phin, I always release my fish. Except for a waldo in the winter once in while or a stocked rainbow.

And thanks for the tips.

[wall eyell be]

Hey Makerel Mug

How was the Croix trip?
Hope you didn't get too violent of storms Tuesday night!

W E B

[fishface5]

WOW! Can you say loss of blood? Or can you spell E-L-C-T-R-C-U-T-I-O-N??!!!! I can't, BUT, I did experiance, (or at least was close to experiancing them, not to mention drowning, and no, we didn't tip any canoes over )them. If we fished a total of 2 hours I'd be stretching it! We finaly got down to good water mon. but all we wanted to do was see the hwy 70 bridge. Pizza hut in Pine city was fantastic!!!!!!!!!! BUT!!! I can't wait to go back when the bugs are gone and the weather settles down. maybe even this early fall. A little fishing... a little grouse shooting...? And if anyone has any info on hunting on, or directly adjacent to the St. C., ( I suppose it would have to be south of the Kettle ) I'd appreciat it greatly!!!!! The area around the Kettle is absolutly BEUTIFUL!!!!!!I can't wait to get back, minus the bugs.

[fishsimple13]

I don't know that we gave that much blood, but it was a lot! Enjoyed camping with you Fishface5, had a great time with the kids too. The weather was well.....challenging. The high water and the rapids were a BLAST! What a rush and they were only class 1, but then I have a cedar strip canoe. Fishing? 2 hours? OK, maybe. Bugs? Way too many. This fall? I'd go back in a heartbeat. If anyone has any info on finding some walleyes or smallies on the area north of the Kettle and how to catch em, please feel free to help out. We need all the help we can get.Thanks all.

[fishface5]

Does anyone hunt Ducks/geese, or grouse,Any Game critter? around the St. Croix, (SnakeRiver/KettleRiver) Area? Any info. Would be greatly apprieciated! Wisc. Or MN. Thanks!!!!!

[Ray Esboldt]

FishFace,

You could try contacting the area Wildlife Manager, Dave Pauly @763-689-7108, for information on where you can hunt and can't hunt the Minnesota side from about Harris on north to Pine City. I'm pretty sure he's the guy that can give you the information you need for that area. And, he could probably give you a reference for areas further north. Or, go to the DNR website and use their email contact.

[barebackjack]

fishface,
I have hunted deer down around the area you are talking about. If you go out the back side of Pine city to the snake river landing, there are plenty of trails that go all over around the rivers there, another place is east of there right on the edge of the st. croix state park. All of these woods I am talking about are Chingewetana state forest I believe. As for what parts of it you can hunt, I do not know at that time of the year, but it is well posted with different information at a couple different locations down by the landing and I think there is also a DNR office down there.

[fishface5]

Thanks for the info. guys! Sorry it took so long for me to reply, but I had a bit of a worm Prob. (I hope a big fish eats the mother of that worm!) I hope to give the Croix another try in early to mid oct. Thanks again.

[wall eyell be]

F F 5

How many times I gotta tell ya? Eatin Bass sushi-style (especially in July and August) WILL give you parasites!

W E B

[fishface5]

Ain't that what Doctors is fer? Besides that they're safer than ephedrin.