Twin Cities Area Fly Fishing

[-Marc V-]

I'm just curious on how many of the folks on this board that live in the Twin Cities area, so haddd, RinCat, Ice-9 etc, actually fly fish in the metro area, and for what?

I live in Eagan, and have spent some time down on the Mississippi River, and Minnehaha Creek looking for a consistent bite of some kind. I'm not particular with what kind of fish either. Suckers, carp, redhorse, large or smallmouth bass, channel cats, sheephead, pike, whatever as long as it tugs back some. Sunnies, and bluegill can get old catching over 100 in an evening. I am usually disappointed until I end up driving out to the Cannon river, or streams outside of the metro area...

Just wondering if anyone has been able to find a good spots in the cities they look forward to fishing, or if it's mainly just fishing the water available to tide us over until we can break free of the urban sprawl. I'm not looking for peoples spots, but am just wondering if others share the same sentiment...

[fishface]

I live in the N. metro and really look forward to the Miss. just about anywhere in the metro. Especialy with the water being so low. Look for rocky spots near the main channel. Try any of those sunny lakes for LM bass. Put a black wooly bugger on and get a little of everything that swimms in them. Size matters.

[Flaco651]

I used to bass fish the Eagan area lakes and ponds regulary, and bring the fly rod with occasionally. Lots of nice largemouth right in your city.

[so haaad]

Hi Marc-

To answer your question, I do flyfish around the twin cities some, although I somewhat share your sentiment about the quality of our flyfishing opportunities. My "metro" fly fishing consist mainly of going after smallies and...carp. I work in Forest Lake and have a big passion for the "upper" St. Croix, if you want to call the upper St. Croix part of the "metro". I bring my fly rod with me most of the time that I fish those waters. There's some great smallie fishing to be had, or haaad. And I find the sight fishing for carp and suckers to be just as exciting (if not more) as hooking into an unclipped chromer. I often flyfish out of the boat on the Croix. You can cover more ground and get into the more remote areas that way. I've found a couple of other decent metro spots for carp, but otherwise I haven't been too pleased with the metro lakes for fishing...actually any kind of fishing, not just fly fishing. Like you said, it gets a little boring catching that 100th "hey dad" sized sunfish.

For my trout fix during the summer months, I buy a Wisconsin license every year, and highly recommend it if you don't do it already. It's only a 30-40 minute drive from Inver Grove, it would be an easy half day trip.

[-Marc V-]

Thanks for everybody's posts and suggestions.

I used to fly fish some of the Eagan potholes for bass last summer. It was ok. Might have to give that a shot again this summer to break things up.

This is the first year in a while I didn't buy a WI license. I work in Woodbury, so crossing over for an evening of fly fishing is a 25 minute drive or less. Should have got one this year...

I think a boat would help also. Getting tired of the same old shore spots.

Carp can be fun also. Some of the lakes I carp fish in usually get an algae bloom after the water temps rise, and make it difficult to sight fish for them. I should give that a try again. Those are a blast to fight if you can actually get one to eat.

[Scott M]

Vermillion by Hastings is good. I plan to hit that come September.

[Quickstrike]

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And I find the sight fishing for carp and suckers to be just as exciting (if not more) as hooking into an unclipped chromer.

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I don't know if i would go that far!!!

I second the idea of getting a WI license and doing some troutin over there. There is a ton of water to fish even when the big two get crowded, and most of it is pretty productive.

[-Marc V-]

I've actually spent quite a bit of time fishing the Vermillion. Maybe I'm just fishing it in the wrong spots. I need to catch fish to stay entertained. Usually haven't caught much, but when I did, it was a larger than average fish. I'm referring to trout.

I hear other parts of the vermill have nice sized pike as well, but haven't hunted for pike on this river yet. There's another idea.

Cool, attitude is starting to turn around some...

[big musk411]

I live near the metro and am by no means an exclusive flyfisher, but its always more fun with the fly rod . I had a decent Channel Catfish bite going off of flies on the old Miss by my house earlier in the season. Very fun, they sure put a nice bend in the 9WT.

Otherwise I go over to the Rush or the Kinnie for Trouts on the fly a couple times a year.

I have tried for Carps a few times with no luck on the Miss, I can see them but they won't bite. I really want to get one on the fly.

Going to Kodiak in about a month here for the Silver run, hopefully can get my flyfishing fix in .

[-Marc V-]

I found carp somewhat frustrating also. Only because I throw flies at literally hundreds of them, and maybe 1 or 2 actually take in a given day. Pretty cool when their vacuum mouth comes down to slurp up the fly though.

Nice work on the channel cats on the fly. Those have seemed to be tough critters to hook up with on the long rod. Did manage two this year back to back. I almost wonder if they were the same fish. Wish I would have got pictures of the second to compare body markings. They are fun fighters!

I'm jealous about Kodiak with the Silvers. Was just up to AK week before last. Floated the Kenai a couple times, and fished some other streams. Sockeye were going then. There were supposed to be tons of silvers in the river, but none were to be found. Otherwise did pretty good on dollies, trout, and a few grayling. Hoping to make it back that way sometime in the next couple years if possible.

Have an awesome trip!

[DEADhead]

marc you should have been out with me today. The channel cats on the Otter Tail were biting aggresively near the surface. I caught more cats today than I did bass. I was almost getting sick of taking them off my line.

[-Marc V-]

That's awesome! It's nice having days when taking fish off the line seems like a chore...

Ottertail is a good river! Was out at a buddies cabin on Ottertail lake this summer. Fished the river one evening before the bore of trolling for walleye and managed some bass, crappie, decent bluegills, big bullies, some average northern,and a really nice northern on the fly. Buddy asked, while I was stringing up my fly rod, why I would waste the time to trying to fly fish . The northern was a blast, and was the nicest fish caught that night. Thought it might have been a carp while fighting it.

Again, makes me wish I was outside of the cities!

Just got back from fishing tonight. Caught my first flathead! Fun fish. Wasn't all that big, probably around 10 lbs or little better. Not on the long rod...sitting there waiting for one to bite, while the other guys were jawin' away, started to wonder how I could catch one on the fly rod. Maybe one day when I get a boat, I'll waste all sorts of time trying to catch one on the fly...

[DEADhead]

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started to wonder how I could catch one on the fly rod.

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sounds like a challenge, but I bet it can be done.

The Otter Tail is indeed a nice river; definitely under-appreciated and under utilized by most area folks here in lakes country, but good for me .

If I was still living in metro, I would be a river bum, spending lots of time fishing pool 2 and the st. croix. I used to fish both of those rivers when I was younger and in high school; my biggest regret was not fishing them more when I moved back home after graduating college. I spent so much time trying to get out of the cities to fish, that I overlooked prime waters in my backyard.

I'd like to catch a gar on the fly, may be next to impossible, but anything's possible when fishing the river. Next time I visit my mom, I'll get a hold of you Marc, and we can hit pool 2 for some rough fishing.

[-Marc V-]

Sounds good JP! Would be a challenge, but would be a blast to try! If it's too easy, it just does seem worth it anyway.

Rough fishing is good stuff...took some time to open my mind, but I'm glad I did. Otherwise I'd probably still be sitting in someones boat trolling for walleye. I know I probably don't make many friends with comments like that, but I caught a walleye, I myself, can retire on this spring. It was like pulling in an 8-9 lbs gob of weeds, which is what I originally thought it was, and almost lost it because I wasn't playing it.

Thanks for the suggestions on the Miss, and St. Croix. I've been wanting to get out on the Croix for a while. I'm starting to become a river bum. Hear the Croix is a diverse and productive piece of water. Anywhere from sturgeon, musky, flatheads, eels, smallmouth bass, the list goes on...it just keeps coming around to needing a boat! Hopefully this fall.

[so haaad]

Mark, I have a boat and I'd be happy to show you around the St. Croix with a fly rod (or even spinning gear) a little. My problem is that the next couple of months are pretty busy, especially the weekends. Tunrevir (from this site) and I got out on the upper river last week, and practically had the whole river to ourselves. Fishing was alright - the crappies were cooperating some.

[Cyberfish]

If you can get a canoe, kayak, or float tube, you can find many lakes in the area that hold lots of bass and pike willing to inhale flies and poppers!

green sunfish with a huge appetite!

[-Marc V-]

Hi Haad...thanks, that would be a good time to get out on the croix slinging flies. Would an after work venture be possible? I work in Woodbury, and could get out of here maybe around 3:30 at the earliest if that works. Otherwise let me know if any weekends free up, maybe we can get something to work out. To much to do in the fall it seems, and not enough time. feel free to shoot me an email at marcvelo4444 (at) hotmail ((Contact Us Please)) com

I do have a canoe Cyber. It's played it's part. Some of the other fishing I want to do pretty much requires a boat also. It's long past time I got one.

[so haaad]

Marc-

Yep, I could do an after work outing on the Croix. I usually work until 4:30 or 5:00. I'll check my schedule. My fall season involves duck, pheasant and bow hunting, too, especially on the weekends. So hopefully we can find a time that works. almontco1 and then ya hoo