Mississippi at Hwy 694

[Guest]

Has anyone fished from a boat in this area? I have heard from shore fisherman that the smallie fishing can be good. I'd like to try from a boat once it opens. A friend of mine launched from the park on the east side of the river right there and said it was way too shallow to boat (3-4 feet mostly with lots of snags). Any help would be appreciated.

[EBass]

That's my back yard. I fished it from a boat about a dozen times if not more and plenty of times from shore. There are a lot of "pocket bass". Bass that are so small you can put them in your pocket Once in a while a walleye will find it's way to me as well. I've heard other people say that there are big smallies in there. Which I'm sure there are, but I haven't caught a real nice smallie since the mid 90's.

What else do you want to know? I hope you have a jon boat. Just above the 694 bridge is a real shallow spot, well there are a few areas. Below the 694 bridge there is another shallow run by the island and close the NSP plant. But there is deep water to.

[Dennis Steele]

I used to fish this streatch quite a bit.
Like Ebass said,lots of small smallies.
There was some decent walleye fishing as well.Had my best luck on the "push" (where the water runs up the washout of the creek)just upstream of Rice Creek.Also picked up quite a few pike hanging in and around the creek.
Cats can be caught below the first island up from the 694 bridge and and below the 252(?) bridge.
I was also partial to the side channels abouve the 22 bridge but never caught anything big there.
If you can get to it, just bellow the Coon Rapids dam can be awsome for cats also.That is below the main dam itself.Kind of tough,cause the washout area is very shallow.

[EBass]

So that's it? No more Q's? I was looking forward to chatting about this section. There are some die hards that fish this section a lot. I'm sure they know way more than I do. But I am moving back to Brooklyn Center and will spend some more hours on this section and will try to keep some current reports of the trials and tribulations of my success or lack there of.

[BigMike]

Ebass,

I'm looking forward to fishing this section and up through anoka and beyond this summer! I'm chomping at the bit! Pool 2 is just not doing it for me. I'm not the kinda guy that likes to sort through all the rough fish for just one smallie... if I even catch anything at all!!! We should get out on pool 2 sometime before opener.

So you headed to brooklyn center huh, man the 'sippi will be in your backyard! I can't wait to start up the "smallies on Ole' Miss" thread again! I see that Medicine is already up and running .

[EBass]

How's that savings coming along? I can show you some shore spots around the 694 area. Not like it's a secert though.

Gotta run. Chat tomorrow

[deadeye]

I guess you could say that i am one of those diehards. I live 2 blocks from that stretch so I fish it pretty much everyday. Fishing it from a boat can be pretty interesting, lots of rock bars and snags. I like to fish around the islands on the up river side (of the bridge), its really good for cats and I have nailed some eyes and smallies up there. I guess I mostly fish it from shore due to the fact I can walk to it but the boat thing can be just as good. I usually do pretty good for smallies, my biggest came from that stretch (24in.) and there are a lot to be caught so it is a good time.

[Guest]

Sounds interesting, but I have a 16 foot Tracker. Doesn't sound like the best boat for that stretch. I never see boats out there and was hoping to get a new spot to go to that you don't have to fight the crowds. Maybe I'll get in some shore fishing.

[EBass]

deadeye, we should compare notes one day. I'm moving withing a few miles from there. I have a 14' Jon boat with 25H merc and fishing platform on the front. Say Hi if you see me.

That is a huge smallie! The eyes in that section have an attitude problem. They are real mean and fight like smallies. OK that maybe a stretch, but they fight real hard.

Uncle D, that maybe bit a big for that stretch unless it's a flat bottom. There are a grips of sunken islands that sneak up on you then WHACK. Dang, I thought it was 8'. If someone had waders they could fish all over when the water is low.

I still want to fish down town though and will this summer.

Biggest kitty I've seen come from there is about 8lbs. Biggest eye was about 25" and mean. Biggest smallie was 18.25" from what I've witnessed first hand.

[deadeye]

Uncle D, That might be a little big to take out there, I run a little 14 foot jon with a 6 horse and I still nail my share of snags.
Ebass, The wader thing is a really good idea, as there are some bars that go almost the the middle of the river. I wade out on them during low water and you can really nail the smallies doing it. You are right about the eyes being mean, i can really say they are the toughest eyes i have caught. As for the big fish, the biggest i have taken are; 25in eye, 24in smallie, 29in channel cat, 36in carp, and lots of other interesting fish. I usually release everything, so i dont really know the weights but it sure is fun to catch all thoose different types of fish. I have to say it is usually my first choice when I go fishing.
><>deadeye

[EBass]

I don't keep anything either except a winter walleye or two, but that's it. I was guessing on the weight of the kitty. I think it was a little over two feet, but we were shore fishing and didn't have a ruler.

I'll be a steady visitor once the bass season is upon us. I wouldn't mind chasing eyes though with a jig and minnow.

[deadeye]

Unfortunatly that is how I got my big smallie, I was out eye fishin' with a jig and crawler a week before bass season opened. It sucked because I wanted to have it mounted but I had to let it go. Oh well one more big one for other people to catch. Anyway, I still seem to get a couple of 5lbrs each summer and a 3lbr is a weekly occurance so I have just learned to let em go.
><>deadeye

[EBass]

looks like I'm fishing with you deadeye

[BigMike]

Count me in too. 3lbers on a regular basis definitely beats the pocket bass downtown mpls and the drive up to elk river & monti...

When I move to woodbury in the middle of summer, driving to all the good smallie spots that I know of is going to take forever!!! I think I might have to start scouting out spots for smallies on the 'croix!

[Jughead]

Please post when you guys are going, I am in New Brighton off of Silver Lake.....I drive over it all the time. Never been there.

On a humorous note there was a guy in a 16" Lund who was trying to get out on the boatramp SE of 694 yesterday at about 5:15. His engine was hedged so high that he was spraying water like a fountain at the Bellagio. Must be ALOT of snages around there.......

Take care.

Mark

[EBass]

It's a shady place if you don't know where the shallow spots are. But there is a 8-10' channel sometimes. Except in the rapids or shallow areas, and sunken islands.

[deadeye]

Yeah I have definitly used up my share of shear pins on that stretch of water. Hopefully there will be some rain soon, the water was really low the last time I was in the cities. Although the shore fishing is the best with low H20...
><>deadeye

[Baudette66]

Was fishing behind the folks house yesterday. They live about a mile south of the 610 bridge. 13 eyes in a hour and a half. Thought I would spend a little time while I was down fishing in the old stomping grounds. 2 smallies and a couple of small cats also. Fish are satrting to bite again in this stretch. Good luck to you guys sounds like your on the right track.

[deadeye]

How are the water levels doing? High/Low?
I am up in ely at school but I'm going to be home this weekend and might try to get out and do a little catfishin. Good to hear the fish are biting.
><>deadeye

[EBass]

I don't know deadeye. I haven't been there since Sat Am and that was before the rain. I'm going to be in that neck of the woods tonight. 694 area, so I may swing by to see. I'm sure it's gone up a couple of feet. It better have!

[Baudette66]

Water's low. Only up a few feet from last summer, and that was the lowest i have seen it since the drought in the late 80's

[deadeye]

That's no good, I wonder what it will be like later this summer! Hopefully there will be some rain. I like fishing when the water is low but man, from what I have heard down in the cities there needs to be some rain. Well anyway thanks for the report.
><>deadeye

[Lost]

Glad I found this post! I've been wanting to try out that area for fishing but have yet to get out there. Maybe if there's a couple "guides" willing to show me some decent spots we can make plans. I'm ready for anything but more interested in the cats until everything else opens up.

[Guest]

Hey Deadeye, I used to live in Ely (worked at WELY and lived above the movie theater on Sheridan). Did a ton of shore fishing up there. Spring fishing from shore can be pretty good. Have you ever fished the bridge on the main highway down by Winton? That used to be a hotspot. The Fall Lake dam was supposed to be good (though I never had luck). The dam on birch Lake? Just wondering. I still head up there 1-2 times a year. I usually fish Shagawa (no Stinky Ditch) or Nels. Have a good one.

P.S. Brrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!!!!!

[Guest]

Is it legal to be fishing walleye and smallies on the river now?

[deadeye]

Uncle Dave,
I fish all of those spots you said, my favorite is the birch lake dam and I live on white iron so that is also a favorite. I have done ok at the power dam but I always seem to be there at the wrong time.
Anyway I was in the cities this past weekend and finnaly got to fish the big miss, I ended up with one 3lb kitty for a hour of fishin. Not terribly good but it was nice to get out anyway. The water was extremly low for this time of the year, it was almost as low as last summer (not good)but I have heard that they are doing work on a dam downriver so they are keeping the water down for that. As for smallie/eye fishing, it isnt legal where I fish, I think once it borders wisconsin you can go for anything. There might be some exceptions to that but, I'm not willing to try it out and get busted.
><>deadeye

[deadeye]

Well, Im back.
I got back last week and have gotten down to the river a couple of times. The cats are biting pretty good (or were, before this cold spell). I have been nailing them with fresh smelt. Unfortunatly someone had a smallie that would have gone 4 lbs on a stringer get away from them and float down to where I was fishing. I untied the stringer from its gills and revived it but it was pretty torn up. Its to bad i didn't see them catch it, or i would have called the CO. I know what its like to get a big one out of season, as my biggest smallie (24 inches) was caught on opener a couple years ago. It sucked because I didn't have a camera, or anyone else with me but I still let it go. Well enough bickering, I hope everyone has a good opener, and has fun!
><>deadeye

[so haaad]

Hey Deadeye-
I don't have a boat. Are there any good places where I could fish cats from shore? I'm new to the Miss, and it's size is kind of overwhelming.

Haaad