New To The Community...And Loving It!

[Loon]

Hey, fellas...

Just stumbled upon this awesome online community with a timely Google search and I must say I'm SHOCKED at how many people are as infatuated with the Northern/Western stretch of the river as I have become.

I'm still shaking from the weekend I had in the Monticello stretch.

I know absolutely nothing about river fishing, but I am willing to listen and learn because after two trips this weekend I realize that it's a whole different ballgame.

I spooled up with 10# superline and a #3 inline spinner on my 6' medium spinning combo and never looked back. (not sure if I can disclose the brand names in my post - Can I?)

Common sense told me to fish the backside of islands because I figured the bronzebacks would want a break from the current. Not that they're lazy, but rather opportunistic.

So far, that's my approach until I hear from you guys because I was shocked at the effectiveness. I put four 17"-18" smallies in the boat and countless 15"-16"ers to boot. Not to mention a dogfish that almost made me lose my lunch! Those things are ugly.

My main question coming out of the experience is: When I'm traveling from island to island (sometimes 10 minutes), how do I spend the travel time? Are fish in the middle? Pitching the shore didn't produce very many fish and it was pretty boring. Should I be running crankbaits through the 6-8 feet depths? Should I be bottom bouncing a leech? Or should I just make a phone call and sit tight until the next island?

Anyway...I'm just anxious to get some tips because I've taught myself everything I know...and that's not saying much! If I can put more fish in the boat with some help from you guys, that would be awesome.

I'm glad I found this site. It's gonna be a great summer.

------------------
"Bury the barb and cross her eyes..."

[Royce Aardahl]

welcome aboard!! what's wrong with a dogfish, I have a friend that loves to catch them, heehee. we use mepps all the time and I am trying rooster tails and tubes this summer also. we float down the river and cast the shoreline between islands. you never know what you'll pick up.no time for phone calls. good way to find a knew hotspot. we usually have a few minnows along so we can anchor in some of the spots and catch walleye or cats. have fun out there!!

[Kevin Turner]

Welcome to the dark side.....

[smallie_hawgin]

Ah yes, another river rat in the making.... Got to love the smallies. I still think we are really fortunate to have such a great fishery that is so close to home and very low pressure compared to lakes. This time of year the males will still be up in the eddy areas. They don't have to be behind islands though. The females after the spawn will return to their typical summer haunts. Hope this helps.

[Loon]

Thanks guys...

That same Mepp's produced 10 walleyes traveling between islands on Memorial Day! Nice ones, too.

I wonder if live bait would've caught more.

Thanks again for the advice.

-Brandon

[HawgTide]

Loon, I may have spoken to you on Monday. Were you anchored between the Hwy 25 bridge and the camp grounds? I was in a tracker bass boat with my brother in law.

[Loon]

That probably was me...I was in a 14-ft aluminum...beige color with a little Merc.

I talk to everyone that passes by and I do anchor a lot...so I'm sure it was.

I probably would've caught more fish if I wasn't spending so much time tying on yet another Mepp's #3 that my female companion was donating to the river that afternoon. lol...(I'm kidding...it's nice to have the company)

I'm sure we'll see each other again, so say "Hi" if we do.

-Brandon

[Aquaman01]

Welcome aboard, Loon!

To answer your policy question - yes, yu may say what brand of tackle you were using. General consensus among the Mods is that communicating Brand, Make & Model are an integral part of talking about our sport.

HOWEVER....
This site makes it's $$ (what little of it it makes) partially on ads and sponsorships. A user of this site, be they "Family" or "Staff" is encouraged to buy, try and 'plug' a sponsored item i.e.; River-Pro Boats, Catch-n-Tackle, Ice-Saws or whatever.

We may not enthusiastically promote, provide ordering info for, or 'link' to a non-sponsor.

It's perfectly acceptable to say that you were using a Gapen Medium-light 6 1/2', an Abu Garcia 5500-C4 with 6/20# Power-Pro and Heddon Zara Spook. You just can't post "get these amazing lures at www.blankety-blank.com Or say that the 5500-C4 is currently on sale at Glandular-Mound for $13.00 (after rebate and a pint of blood).

It IS okay to ask in a post about hard-to-find items, like circle-hooks or glass-jigs.

It IS okay to post a question or report about a particular item's performance, i.e.; "How do I tune my Strike-King spinnerbaits?" or "I am dissapointed with my Shakespeare Snoopy Combo".

It IS okay to suggest a bait shop or ask where one may be found near you.

It IS okay to link to "dot org" stuff like the DNR site, or the UMN site, or the Army Corps of Engineers site.

When in doubt...ask a Mod. That's what we're here for

Anyway - now that you've crossed over to the Dark Side (nice one, Kevin) you're gonna find that the only way to learn Missy's secrets is to court her. Take notice of everything around you when you're out; water levels, current speed, water clarity, the relationships between current and cover, current and current, substrate to substrate, etc, etc,.

All river fish look for their food to come to them from upstream. No exceptions.

Good Luck, Good discovery, and try to always fish upriver from the launch (never know when things might go bad).

U N L E S S .....
You have an awesome river machine - the ultimate in safety, fishability, durability and performance at an AMAZINGLY affordable price!!!The River-Pro is every inch an astounding value - a MUST HAVE for the hard-core "La Rata del Rio"
Check 'em out at www.riverpro-boats.com

(Kevin owes me a white spinnerbait now)

Peace and Fishes,
Rob

[This message has been edited by Aquaman01 (edited 06-08-2004).]

[HawgTide]

**** = Bad, Dam = OK

[MuleSkinner]

Just to clarify. Above the Sartell Dam. So is still some moving current, but quite slow. (In case you thougt I meant Lake Pepin, etc.)

Also, you can take a **** picture of the **** dam. I think river dams are spelled without the n on the end. If you put an n on the end, I think you mean wishing the "eternal hot place" onto someone or something. Which I have done to certain uncaught fish on occasion, and parts of my boat, and fishing equipment, and ...

Anyway, I am going to pay attention to up versus down stream trolling from now on.

[Royce Aardahl]

I've had luck trolling both ways. Just pick up the speed going with the current. Now I'm not talking fast water, just medium current or less.

[lumbertick]

I have had noticably better luck on the stuff above the Sartell dam going with the current...

[MuleSkinner]

First off, welcome Loon. You'll get good info on this site, in between the tight-lipped hot bite silence (which is as it should be).

Now, question for Aquaman01, you stated "All river fish look for their food to come to them from upstream. No exceptions." I am fairly new to the river. But I do not fish shallow rapids areas, mainly the above-dam deep slow moving basins. Which I assumed was like lake fishing. Do you think the same holds true there? So, you would never suggest trolling upstream? (No exceptions?)

[jclymer]

Muleskinner,
I think above a **** would be considered backwaters, not true river fishing. Backwaters can be fished like a lake. River fish look for their food to come downstream. Backwater fish this theory does not hold true.

[jclymer]

**** = Dam
Sorry about my fowl language!!!!!

[Aquaman01]

Okay, maybe "no exceptions" was a little over the top. I was referring to current areas as opposed to large slack areas. Trying to give an entry-level pointer (which I not-so-long-ago required, myself).

I've even hit into LM bass on the upriver slacks at Little Falls. I didn't know LM bass made it that far north.

[MuleSkinner]

Hey Aquaman01, I am glad you had said "no exceptions". Otherwise I would not have paid heed. I appreciate your pointer. This will completely change my river fishing steps, trying same areas, but opposite direction. L-tick concurred, so I will be checking it out. Thanks again.

[Royce Aardahl]

I caught a LM in Sauk Rapids a couple years ago. I was surprised.