First Time

[Mike W]

I made the trip to the Miss. this weekend. Went out of elk river on sat evening.Wow is that river shallow. It must be alot of fun to find your way around up there in low water. Fishing was slow but that is to be expected for a first trip out on new water.
Any one else get out there over the weekend.
Good luck fishing.

[Guest]

I was out fishing today with my Grandpa and what a day it was. For the first time this year we were catching walleyes consistently. We caught 5-7 walleyes within an hour. The biggest was somewhere between 3-4 pounds. The 'eyes sure do look healthy. We also caught a couple bass and one catfish. All fish were caught using a 1/4 ounce jig and nightcrawler.

[erikwells]

AL_B, I am a Nowthen native and have fished the river out of Elk River a few times. Do you care to share if you caught your fish North of South of putting in at Elk River? I have only found about 14 feet or so on that stretch (fished it twice). Are there any deeper holes around outside of the bridge and the breaker? Sounds like you had too much fun.

[Guest]

We usually fish a little upstream from the Elk River Dam (Where it is located, not where it merges into the river). We haven't found any water that is past 14ft deep in our area. We mainly fish areas 4-5 feet with holes that run anywhere from 6-9 feet deep.

[erikwells]

Dam? Is the dam north of the 101/169 bridge?

[Long Gray Line]

Dam?? Are you talking about the man made ice breakers just north of the power plant?

[Guest]

There is a dam that feeds out of Lake Orono into the Mississippi. It's about a mile or two west of downtown Elk River.

[erikwells]

AL_B so where the river splits north of the 101/169 bridge you take the fork that travels to the west and that will run you into the Dam out of lake orono. Are the any real shallow spots that are not obvious. I have a 14 foot lund with a 9.9. I am real busy but I am going to make some time this weekend and give it a try. Al_B I sure do appreciate you sharing your knowledge with me. Thanks much and I will be sure to share anything that I learn after I fish it.

[Guest]

Yep, just keep following Main Street west. Eventually you'll have to take a left (unless you want to go in to a residential area). As you go left you will drive over a little bridge. BOOM! That is the Elk River Dam. The only public boat launch I know of in the Elk River area is by the power plant. As for the river itself, 14 feet might be some of the deepest water in this section of the river. Your boat should work fine. Just keep your eyes peeled for big rocks. If you plan on venturing through some of the little channels created by islands, be careful. If you have a depth finder, use it!

Good Luck!

[erikwells]

Went to the river and put in Elk River. Went north keeping my direction west. Found a hole about 7 feet deep around an island next to some apartments and townhomes. I used a jig and a crawler and let it bounce with the current and caught 3 smallies (biggest about 2lbs) and one catfish about 1lb. Not too bad for not knowing much. I anchored where the storm drain comes into the river in about 14 feet and the current was too much. The river was pushing a one ounce weight pretty fast. I did stay west past the townhomes and went as far up as I could until I hit about 2 feet and turned around. I did not seee the dam?? Just thought I would share and hopefully I will find the dam some day and be able to relay a report from there as well.