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Has anyone ever fished the Cedar River between Austin and the Iowa border? I've walked the river near Osage and St. Ansgar Iowa and found the river to be very productive for smallmouth bass. I was debating on fishing a few miles of the river in the canoe next week. Just wondering if anyone has had any luck in the past.

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I have fished the Cedar quite a bit in the past. Right in Austin can be good for smallies and above town can be good for pike. As for South of Austin to the border I have not found it to be too productive. There are many refrigerators, stoves and tires though frown.gif

mw

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Yeah, tell me about it. I hunt down by lyle, and its like a landfill in some spots. There is a no kill reg in effect between the state line street bridge and Otrano Dam, so there should be some nice fish down there, but I just don't want to fork over the hefty fee for an Iowa fishing license.

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I usually spend the coin for the license. Growing up in Rose Creek I used to frequent many of the smaller rivers south of the boarder. It can be good if take the time to figure it out.

mw

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It's $39.50 for an annual nonresident Iowa fishing license, roughly 2/3 the cost of a Wisconsin nonresident license. It's a good deal if you live near the border, some excellent fishing to be found. The Cedar River and Clear Lake are reasonably close by and the walleye season is year-round, except for a few lakes noted in the regulations.

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Yeah 39.50 isn't too bad. I think I'll wait until January to pick it up. I've had really good luck trout fishing down there too around (St. Ansgar and Cresco)in the spring and fall. Iowa stocks their trout streams once a week, so if you go its a pretty much guaranteed meal.

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  • 1 year later...

Went out on the Cedar River a ways south of Austin last week and did real well. Sat. morning ice was collecting on my eyes. Caught 2 eyes & countless smallies. Morning was Ok, late morn/ afternoon hot, evening slow.

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Austin can surprise ya. I was going down outside of Lyle. Started there and found myself down to Mitchell Damm by days end. Just shore fishing.

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  • 11 months later...

Just saw a pic of two walleyes caught from fishing pier at the Mill Pond. Caught at 6:00 am with in 15 minutes of each other...27 1/2"

One of them looked like a pot bellied pig. Jig with white twister tail. He also caught a 24" after that. All fish were released for someone else to catch. I will try to get the picture to scan and will post it later. You may even see that pic in the local paper soon!

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the dnr released a bunch of pounders in there a couple of years back, never tried it but hear of people catching a couple. dont eat them. who knows what the have been eating

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ya about 3 yrs ago i caught one 25" below the eastside dam. and i caught about 4-5 13-14inchers since they stocked em. I havent fished around austin lately since i live in mankato. Are there still some around after the flood?

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Unbelievable anything lives in Mill Pond. Years ago, like 35 years ag0, we caught huge northerns by the pool and near the bridge casting orange and black spotted daredevils, but usually with sucker minnows. We caught some huge bass in East Side Lake, just under the I-90 bridge. Have not fished it in 30 yrs. Brings back so good memories tho!!

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Hey there are loads of fish in the mill pond! Ive had a shack on there the past 4 winters and we get a lot out there. days we caught over 100 gills. some big ones too i got a 9 1/2 inch out of there last winter. Big crappies in there too. catch lot of northerns and large mouth on tip ups out there too.

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Ah yes, my old stomping grounds. Eastside Lake produced many LM Bass in the 20" range for us when we were young. We would literally walk around the entire lake casting until our arms fell off. I never fished much at Mills but I remember catching lot's of really nice crappies by the bridge there in the spring. The areas best action that receives the least amount of pressure is the smallmouth that make their home in the river. Glad to hear there are still some decent fish around.

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How long ago? I had to have ran into ya? Wasn't too many spots we didn't hit in that town. Mill can surprise a guy at times. About 5 years ago I got a 7 lb. flathead out of there. Wasn't a trophy by any means but how many flatheads you see come outta there?

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3 more nice ones caught by a friend(walleyes)last Monday in a park in Austin. I would post the pic but they are stringered up. The Cedar river is full of fish and so is East Side Lake (Just check the DNR website). A person just needs to take the time to find them. And a pair of hip or chest waders too!! Small rap or jig with twister tail (white). Good luck!

Just a side note about East Side Lake. My Dad told me it was a gravel pit years and years ago and a premier spot to swim and fish after the dam was built!! Any old timers out there remember that or have any other stories ?

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We used to fish bellow the Klagges(some may not remember where that is) dam on the river almost every day as a kid. It was either bullheads or rock bass with an occasional snapping turtle thrown in. But down the river almost to the second bridge, there were many times we caught HUGE northerns. Another good place was Turtle Creek. Just under the bridge on the west end of town. Smallmouth in there, not real big but fun. Only to have the equipment I have and the exoerience I have now back then!!! As to Mill Pond, what a great place for a kid in Austion to learn to fish.

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  • 6 months later...

I was born in Austin and we used to be able to get access north of town at several locations, both above and below the Ramsey dam. Is there any public/quasi-public (Paid) access left? (for a small boat or kayak) We caught some really nice fish up there in the day and would like to show the area to my son.

Mike

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I know there is a public access south of Austin. Doubt you could get a boat in there though. You could also put a canoe/kayak in at the mill pond or above Ramsey dam.

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I'll take news/advice from anyone who has a Clash icon. Thanks. I should be there in the next couple weeks and will check it out. I assume it is public??

Mike

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