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Minnows


Turk

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Minnows minnows minnows, small big I just love fish- I love to watch them (good thing I don’t own a bait shop I’d have a permanent minnow tank stare!…) and the St. Croix is teaming with tons of minnows right now, swimming all over- as Crappie Getter mentioned on previous posts the St. Croix smallies are on a good bite right now – and the minnows being surface attacked are a dead give away to smallie locations. Usually it is not the big one charging the forage but don’t count out the idea that a 20 incher is not far away…

Anyway smallies on the St. Croix are an August staple!

Keep Catchin’
Turk

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A fishing partner and I hit the jackpot of smallies Sunday doing just what you said.

We were walleye fishing and the bite was a bit slow and we noticed fish jumping and surfacing near shore. Creating a real commotion. I figured white bass but we decided to go for the action anyhow.

First cast in, white bass, then smallies galore. My partner must have caught 20-25 of them easy, all on tubes. I was using topwaters because I love the hit and had maybe two fish while he is smoking them. The topwater bite stopped after two fish so I go to tubes and once I get a knot that works and line that did not break I caught a few too. Hate it when they are going crazy and I can't get a bait in the water. Story of my life!!

LOVE smallies, the jumping and all. And we could see huge clouds of minnows in the water, shad according to my partner. They were just gorging on them and would spit them up when we unhooked the smallies. They kept working up and down the shore the size of a football field. Then after an hour of this, they stopped. GREAT TIME!!!

And one of our fishing companions decided he would rather teach Sunday school (or so he claims) than fish. Did he miss out!

The other thing that was great was other boats left us alone. They could have packed in and wrecked it for us. But they kept their distance and let us have our fun. And on a weekend too. Thanks.

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TG

I can tell you it was between Stillwater and Prescott. Sorry I can't say exactly where because I am going back, and I'll bet my fishing partner is too. And they may already be gone. This is an opportunity bite and being at the right place at the right time.

The point is getting out there and watching the environment around you as Turk suggested. Look for places minnows would gather. I have caught smallies each time I have been out fishing for walleyes on the Croix and that is what we were fishing for when we saw the activity near shore.

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Pay attention to the areas where the smallies are busting minnows. When the sun goes down and it gets good and dark we have been hitting the walleyes pretty good. Their is nothing better that catching walleyes on top water in the middle of the night and the whole river is yours!!!
Now if I can only convince the wife that we are fishing at 2am and not at the bars!!

crappie getter,

------------------
Chris's Croix Guide Service
http://fishingminnesota.com/stcroixguide/
(651) 458-1899
[email protected]
St. Croix River

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What section of the river is the best place to start fishing. It sounds like a great bite taking place. Where should a guy start?

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Sounds like a great bite taking place! Where should a guy start fishing. How far up river do I need to go to find the fish.If I'm coming from Prescott, where should I start fishing? Walleyehawk, sounds like you had a fun trip! If info is better given by e-mail?

[email protected]

Thanks

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Thanks for the report. I was out mid day last Tues. I did see alot of fish breaking water, my casts were directly into the fish breaking water, but they didn't want my crank baits. Maybe I was to large with the baits. Will try again next week.

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I had very little action on the cranks. Bring the plastics and try tubes jigs for sure. That is what my partner caught all his on and I had the best luck on.

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Was out saturday morning in front of bayport off the rock point and smallies were busting minnows. Used a #7 black and silver rapala picked up a 16" smallie on that area. Caught nine others total at that spot and by the stillwater lift bridge, wisconsin side. Key was to cast out then give the bait a jerk and let it float back to the top. Missed more fish than I caught, but it was blast watching the smallies hit the lure. Also tried a black & gold rap later in the morning with more little ones missing the lure and following it to the boat.
Question, those using tubes, are you carolina rigging them or just jig and tube. Any particular colors working better than others? I only have one color and am looking for some colors to purchase.

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We were just putting them on a jig. We would cast them out and retrieve them very slowly on a tight line. When they would hit, you knew right away. It was cool when the tube hit the water, a few in the area would hit the surface and you would just wait until you felt the weight and set the hook.

My fishing partner had a Gitzit kit of jigs with 5-6 colors as I had left all my plastics in my "bass tacklebox" as I am the fishing industries best customer. (Figured since it was not my boat it would be rude to bring 3 tackleboxes) smile.gif

We were using the brown's and greens, natural colors. Camo, Oil and Pumpkinseed (Berkley colors for tubes) match them the closest and that is what I bought. I also saw on an In Fisherman tape that white can be a real good color when the bite is tough. Had to get those too. Like I said, Gander Mountains best customer.

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Over the years tubes have been my go to bait out there. I'm a jiggin' guy and I love to catch smallies on tubes. I have been using the Gitzit tubes and jigs that you can order from Cabelas for a couple years now, Gitzit jigs have a different head design and fall much different in the water than the standard long narrow ones you get around here. Does anyone know where you can buy just the Gitzit jig heads?

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I believe you can buy just Gitzit jig heads at the "Man's Mall" aka Fleet Farm!
Keep catchin'
Turk

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The smallies are stll surfacing. I had pretty good luck Mon. in the morning. Tubes is where it's at! Go dark in color, all you I have to say is fish the docks and rafts. I got 5 fish off of I site. I have never fish tubes before and the fish went nuts. Largest was 15in. and the rest were 12-14 in. They are strong and a blast. I will be out tonight again. I got 6 fish in the boat and lost 4 at the boat.

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The smallies are stll surfacing. I had pretty good luck Mon. in the morning. Tubes is where it's at! Go dark in color, all you I have to say is fish the docks and rafts. I got 5 fish off of I site. I have never fish tubes before and the fish went nuts. Largest was 15in. and the rest were 12-14 in. They are strong and a blast. I will be out tonight again. I got 6 fish in the boat and lost 4 at the boat.

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Was out Wed. eve and the tubes were not the lure of choice. The smallies were not surfacing like they were in the morning. Has anyone else noticed the bite being better in the AM than the PM. Caught one on a small crank bait.

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Guys, thanks for the advice on the tubes. Bought some Gidzit tubes and heads at fleet farm on tuesday night and tried them wednesday morning by st croix bluffs park. Caught 3 smallies on the tubes. Used a camo color. All kinds of nice shoreline to fish down there but only 3 fish. Kind of a slow morning. Had a few small ones pecking at the tube also.

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TG,
I was out on Tuesday morning, got out of beaneys at about 6:30 in the AM, started off strong right away till about 9 or so then I was the king sheephead fisher out behind andersons, all the same they were something to catch, even caught a nice sunny! Ive been using the leech with a bottom bouncer and a floaty jig, been workin well all day long. Back at work till monday, only dreams for a couple days.
bareback

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BBJ
I went out Tues.(12th)went by the Bluffs park
and your right on great shoreline. i did manage a couple smallies thats all. Then went to pool 2 above the Hastings dam and found a few white bass. Have you fished up there before?

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TG-
I cant say as I have been down that far on the river as I just started fishing it this year. I am not going to be doing much of any fishing other than from shore until middle of september or somewhere around that time. I dont know the river that well and the person I fish with says that is prime time for the walters. If that area you talk about is accessible by foot, Id be interested to know where your talking about.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I did see 2 guys fishing the shore on the Mn. side just south of Kitikinik(spelling?)
Not sure how they got there? Probably from the St. Criox bluffs park area. It can be a great place to fish.

Good luck!

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Made it out tues early morning, lots of fish surfaceing but no takers. Anyone having any luck? I have been trying Prescott and up to Kinni.

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They are getting little fussier. I caught one of the jumpers right off the bat on Monday am. The smallies and carp were jumping like crazy. Was using a rattle trap. My fishing partner threw gitzit jigs and no luck, though he caught a real nice walleye on one a few hours later. Boat traffic put a kill on our bite as we were alone at first and I caught the fish and then 6-7 boats moved in with one right over our casting area. We tried working the edges and closer to shore with no luck, so we left. Went to another spot and I caught another smallie in a crawfish color shad rap.
I think the key is to go during the week, go real early, and getting the jumpers before the crowds come.

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Thanks for the report. I will be getting out again real soon. I was using the gitzits also with no luck. I will be changing it up
with my presentation. Good Luck!

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I would not abandon the gitzit, I would just work it into the rotation with other baits. I think it depends on the day. I still would try a topwater a few casts too. Just never know.

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Thanks for the vote of confidence on the gitzit! You are right, they are one of my best goto lures. I'll be out quite a bit this next week. Will report the findings.

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