Begging for recon & reports.......

[Aquaman01]

Hi,
Next week my son & I are going up to the Crow Wing River area for a couple of days. I've never been, except to scope out campgrounds.
I'll have a 12' jon boat with a 5.5hp motor and a push-pole, as well as a portaging harness for when it gets really shallow.

I saw a dam up the Crow Wing on a map, about 5 or six river miles up from the confluence. I'd like to fish it, and any knowledge about the navigability/fishability of the stretch up to the dam would be appreciated.

Also,
How many & what species can I expect to be in those waters? We usually measure a successful river trip by number of species caught.

Thanks a lot, ya'll,
Rob

[Kevin Turner]

Rob, Cory is dead on. I would put in just below the dam and have a look. IMO, some of the best fishing is with in sight of the dam....Kevin

[Toad]

Forgot about Sylvan Dam-- not so far upstream as Pillager Dam. Again there's an access below Sylvan. And good shore fishing. So as you travel upstream from the Miss - CW confluence, it's Sylvan Dam up about 4 miles, then another 6 miles or so you run into Pillager Dam. Also, above Sylvan Dam is Sylvan Reservoir, which houses some really big largemouths, walleyes and crappies. The Gull River pours into the Crow Wing here, too.

All in all, some really fun territory for exploration.

-Cory

[Aquaman01]

Thanks for the responses, Cory & Kevin! Two excellant sources, to be sure!

Sounds like we're in for a great adventure and some awesome fishing! The terrain looks pretty promising on the map; tight bends, islands, confluences. Man, I'm excited as a kid on Christmas Eve!

Maybe a shore lunch of spit-roasted walleye, roasted corn on the cob and foil-wrapped new potatoes.

Thanks again, guys!!
Rob

Kevin,
Gonna be another fish fry this year?

[Toad]

Rob,

Good stretch. And good call on the small jonboat. If you get the right conditions, particularly right after a good stretch of rain, walleye fishing can be excellent on the Crow Wing. As can smallmouth bass action. There's usually a short period in early spring, and then another in fall when big walleyes make an upriver push. If you hit it right, it's possible to score multiple 10s in a short time frame.

Of course, as to conditions, you'll likely be jumping out of the boat to tow it over shallows in a number of spots. The Miss is a different story, although it's still awfully low.

The dam you refer to is in Pillager. There's also an access right in town there that many anglers use. Might be easier to do that than grinding your way way upstream. Won't find cats here, but you'll get the usual mix-- pike, smallmouths, walleyes, a few largemouths, sunfish, the odd crappie, perch-- including good shots at smallmouth buffalo, a variety of redhorse species and carp.

Hope you enjoy your trip.

-a friend,
Cory Schmidt

[JEFFO]

Hey Aqua-
Can i ask what a "portaging harness" is?
I like to portage my jonny boat every now and again.

thanks
jo

[Aquaman01]

Right now it's just an old, wide tie-down strap that I can tie around my waist to make portaging through shallows easier.

I've thought about using an old back-pack, cutting off the pack and tying a canvas strap to the reinforcing area. The end of the strap has a carabiner on it and I can hook it to a bow eye or something and 'tow' the boat behind me while I trudge through the shallows.

Primitive, but it's more comfortable than a rope.

Rob