Minnesota River Fishing Report

[Iceman1026]

Ok guys where the eyes goin to be this weekend still deep or shallow ?

[Scott K]

I believe they are in mid spawn right now, so fish cautiously, and accordingly to mid spawn routines. Other then that, please be selective, and get them back in the water as quick as possible.

[JackPineGuy]

I believe they are in mid spawn right now, so fish cautiously, and accordingly to mid spawn routines. Other then that, please be selective, and get them back in the water as quick as possible.

very true.

[DTro]

I'm sure they will be stealing my bait and being a nuisance.

[TruthWalleyes]

You think the Flatheads are going DTRO?

[NKLCOLT1911]

I'm sure they will be stealing my bait and being a nuisance.

isint that what they always do?

[NKLCOLT1911]

also JPG i have lived near the MN river since 92 i fished it a bit in the late 90's and then stayed on the lakes and the rainy but because of guys like dtro and some others i have been reintroduced we'll say to it and now i look forward to fishing with my kids on it.

[NoWiser]

I can honestly say that this site is directly responsible for me starting to fish the river. I learned a ton from it and was successful catching flatheads my first time out because of it. That said, I'm not a huge danger to the fishery. I only make it out a handful of times each year, and if I eat a bullhead or catfish I'm puking for 24 straight hours (only thing, besides kiwi, that I know I'm allergic to). Still haven't figured out the walleyes in there, so they are safe, too.

Kind of a coincidence, but the 2nd time I was ever out on the river, one of the regulars here (with HSO stickers on their boat) almost swamped me and bashed my boat and new Honda motor up on the rocks on the upstream side of the Jordan landing while they were showing off whipping circles videotaping themselves. They then proceeded to whip around me going full throttle (almost swamping me again) when I was 50 yards from my fishing spot, and cut me off so they could fish it themselves. And no, it was not Dtro

Anyways, I won't have a chance to fish the river this spring, but I look forward to seeing the reports once things heat up!

[SurlyRobot]

I've been out a couple times this year so far looking for channel cats off the shore but no luck for me yet on chicken livers. I was out last week and this other guy said he was catching carp with worms on bobbers. Forgot to mention I'm fishing out near Carver.

[TruthWalleyes]

its a good time of the year to get channels with crawlers too.

[icecold]

The river is really dropping west of new ulm, If it keeps going down at the rate it is, the creeks wont even have water in them within 3-5 days, pretty low for this time of year

[YiGGiN4SLoBS]

was just out checking on tuesday, went for a cruise up and down the river with a buddy and the cricks in my area are not really running at all... 3-4 ft in most of them with no current. Not even gonna be worth trying tomorrow

[JackPineGuy]

Kind of a coincidence, but the 2nd time I was ever out on the river, one of the regulars here (with HSO stickers on their boat) almost swamped me and bashed my boat and new Honda motor up on the rocks on the upstream side of the Jordan landing while they were showing off whipping circles videotaping themselves. They then proceeded to whip around me going full throttle (almost swamping me again) when I was 50 yards from my fishing spot, and cut me off so they could fish it themselves. And no, it was not Dtro smile

ya all those guys in the river pros do that. just spray with there rooster tail. hogwash, there turnin the river into a palyground

[JackPineGuy]

was just out checking on tuesday, went for a cruise up and down the river with a buddy and the cricks in my area are not really running at all... 3-4 ft in most of them with no current. Not even gonna be worth trying tomorrow

ya dont need ta go on a boat criuse ta know that

[Alagnak]

ya all those guys in the river pros do that. just spray with there rooster tail. hogwash, there turnin the river into a palyground

Not that I condone whipping chitties around other boats or anything like that (unless you're being a richard) and I don't have a river pro just an outboard jet, but I was wondering- could you please post your set of rules on how a person should run/navigate on the MN river? I'd sure hate to do it differently than your set of standards. I've been running jet boats on rivers in Alaska since 98 and here for a few year but I'd finally like to learn from an expert on how to do it right. ;-)

[DTro]

YES!

No HSO stickers on my boat and a good old chewed up prop hanging on the back.

[Papa Grump]

Darnit.. No HSO stickers on my RP, so it wasn't me.. Can't picture a RP with HSO on it either. Sounds like JPG is our old dear friend "Scout" revisited.. Please post pictures of said RP and I'll talk to them .After all, we have been wrecking the river for 13 years and I want in on the fun Oh and please post at the landings " your spot" so we all can leave you alone to your world. Go try the St Croix once. Then you can throw all prop and non-prop guys and gals under the bus.

Now that the thread has been thoroughly hijacked, I'll bring it back to a fishing report.. 5 eyes in the boat on Saturday, one 28" released with a dozen pingers tossed back. Water temps 52-55 degrees, but the spawn is mostly done on the eyes. Channels where on a rampage Friday till the cold front came through.

[NKLCOLT1911]

went out friday, fished near some flowing water with some slack off to the side, bite was slow i caught 1 27' channel in the less current area but the best action came from the cut bait rod tossed right into the middle of the channel, two fish caught from there, then the cold front/rain chased us off, water was 57 degrees wont be long now till the flats wake up from their slumber.

[wastewaterguru]

I don't have any HSO stickers either.

But if you ever see a "school bus" yellow RiverPro doing anything that annoys you, it wasn't me.

I have had dozens of experiences dealing with idiots on the river over the last 15 years and amazingly not one of those incidents involved anyone in a jet boat.

[harvey lee]

For the past 5 -6 years I have fished the river, I have never seen any RP do anything to bother me or any others.

NEVER.

Good to hear you got on some eyes Grump, I am going to try the river tomorrow I believe.

[NoWiser]

I have never had issues with a RP, either. They fly by going to and from their spots, but have never done anything I would consider disrespectful that I can recall.

Glad to hear the bite is picking up. Wish I had some free time, I'd love to go try to catch some channels this weekend. My remodel should be done by next spring, and then it is game on!

[NKLCOLT1911]

only problem i have had is that bright yellow RP's head lights are really stinkin bright.

[Scott K]

I think most people on the river are very respectful of each other. I am sure there are a few bad apple, but I am sure a lot less then going to any given lake.

[wastewaterguru]

A couple things you can always count on when I am running the river at night...

#1 is that the headlights stay on unless I am coming head to head with another boat that is moving toward me. I will turn them off to keep from blinding another driver. However, if you are anchored or on shore I am not turning them off. They are for my safety.....

#2 is that I am not coming off plane unless I want to stop and chat. I will hug the shore as far from you as I safely can.....but I am gonna stay on the gas. If anyone would prefer that I back off to maximum wake speed, then flash your lights at me or yell obsenities and next time I come by I will be happy to accomodate.

#3. I don't remember names or faces or boats very well, but if you see me and want to chat then wave me over. I will ALWAYS stop if asked. I love talking fishing with anyone and am happy to give tips, exchange river entertainment ideas, etc.

The jet boats are loud and annoying but they are a lot more annoying when not on plane.

[NKLCOLT1911]

A couple things you can always count on when I am running the river at night...

#1 is that the headlights stay on unless I am coming head to head with another boat that is moving toward me. I will turn them off to keep from blinding another driver. However, if you are anchored or on shore I am not turning them off. They are for my safety.....

#2 is that I am not coming off plane unless I want to stop and chat. I will hug the shore as far from you as I safely can.....but I am gonna stay on the gas. If anyone would prefer that I back off to maximum wake speed, then flash your lights at me or yell obsenities and next time I come by I will be happy to accomodate.

#3. I don't remember names or faces or boats very well, but if you see me and want to chat then wave me over. I will ALWAYS stop if asked. I love talking fishing with anyone and am happy to give tips, exchange river entertainment ideas, etc.

The jet boats are loud and annoying but they are a lot more annoying when not on plane.

i wonder what people on the road are thinking when they see you coming down the river at night, i wouldnt say a jet boat is annoying, more awesome sounding than anything.

[EBass]

I love the sounds of a RP when it's started. Ah the rumble!

So anyone cattin? Tried da Crow and was skunked. Haven't been out since.

[harvey lee]

I hit the Mn river this am about 7. Was looking for eyes and boated 2 but and the channels would not leave me alone. I moved 3 times trying to find more active eyes and every time I did, the channels must have followed me.

I was fishing by a 10-12ft hole just up on the edge by a sandbar using crawlers.

Those channels were nutso this am and the largest was only 23 inches. Also boated approx 15# carp and 3-4 sheepies. Seemed like I had a bite every 3-5 minutes at the longest, few times they hit the bait before I could get ready.

Very fun morning even though I did not get into the eyes like I had hoped.

I thought the river by the mouth of the Rush river may be a bit deeper than it was. I could not get to the Rush river as it was way to shallow.

Fun thing with the river and using crawlers, one never knows what will bite next.

[TruthWalleyes]

Wow Harvey, that's quite a morning. Are you using a whole crawler on the bottom? I think i'll head to the river this afternoon.

[harvey lee]

When I fish close to the sandbars, I will use a spinner with a gold blade and 2-3 hooks and a whole crawler.

I placed my bait on the edge of the sandbar. The sandbar was approx 3ft deep and the drop off was to approx 7-9fow, the best location for fish was in the 4-6ft range up against the sandbar. In other words, I fished the breakline off the sandbar.

[YiGGiN4SLoBS]

ya dont need ta go on a boat criuse ta know that

whats your point? Are you saying its not enjoyable to go for a cruise on the river?