st cloud St Cloud Fishing Reports

[Rick G]

Had every intention of hitting Koronis this evening. After talking with a close friend that was out there this morning I decided not to. He informed me there was quite a bit of muck and sediment hanging in the water, and the fish were not real active. I opted to hit the good old river instead. Action is pretty short lived right now, best bite tonight was from 7-8. I ended up getting a few, but missed twice as many as I caught. No big ones again I am about due again I think Here is the best one

Nothing huge, but respectable Everything bit the Husky Jerk again except a few crappies that came via a 3in white Mr. Twister curly tail.

[Stick in Mud]

That's the saddest-looking face I've ever seen. You must catch a lot of walleyes if that one didn't brighten your night.

[Griffond]

Should try a slow retrieve on really large shad raps... mite work out better...

[Borch]

Had every intention of hitting Koronis this evening. After talking with a close friend that was out there this morning I decided not to. He informed me there was quite a bit of muck and sediment hanging in the water, and the fish were not real active.

You thinking it's turned already? Seems like it turns earlier than some lakes and you can definitely tell once it happens. Night trolling in very, very slow for a while.

[Rick G]

Having just word of mouth and not actually seeing the lake for myself, I would say maybe

[sartellangler05]

This is true of Koronis. I think it might have turned, the looks of it. I was out there early Tuesday until afternoon without a bite....not good. Does a lake turnover stall a walleye bite for just some time or what? I've never fished this late open water and after Friday evenings good night bite, I was disappointed to not have a strike on Tuesday. Someone have experience on this? Usually first ice is pretty good for walleye...so I just wonder how long after the turn it takes for them to pick up again.

[Rick G]

Made it over to Elk Lake yesterday for the evening bite. Even with the high water, my low profile roller trailer, it was still a pain in the butt to get my boat off

Fishing was ok/good for the whole time we were out. Throwing crank baits around the mouth of the river and in the Lilly creek area produced the first few small walleyes/northerns. Around 5ish we switched it up and started throwing jigs around the center rock bar, only rock bass and small snakes until we hit the mud bar just east of the rocks, here we started to find a couple more walleyes with a few crappies mixed in, but the muck and dead vegetation kept fouling our jigs. We ended up bobber fishing right off the drop in 8ft of water with plain hooks and fatheads. Best bite was from 7-8:30, then it slowed to a crawl.

The water temp was 40.2 out on the lake, and a little warmer closer to the river and Lilly Creek. No big fish last night, but could have had plenty of eaters .

[JeremyCampbell]

Went over to Watab today.I found some sunfish on the 8" size on the north east bar around 13' deep.Also found a perch that was surprisingly bigger than the usual for Avon/coldspring lakes.Wasn't great fishing but got enough to satisfy me.Used Minnows on the bottom in the weeds which were most of the bigger one's were.Here's that perch.

[Rick G]

This warm front did me no favors tonight. The strong SW wind made things tougher than they have been. Ended up getting a few walleyes and crappies, but as usual, nothing big . Here is another sad face walleye . I'm going to have to hit some different water this weekend if I want anything bigger I guess... besides the Chain, does anyone know where the hogs have been biting? I promise not to tell anyone.

[Stick in Mud]

Man, Rick, smile a bit. I gave Mille Lacs one more go last night (after fishing the Chain all morning and afternoon) and ended up getting skunked (at Mille Lacs). I'd have given my left tooth (one of them, anyways) for a bite last night...even if it was a small one.

[Rick G]

Got out to the Chain for a few hours this afternoon. Hit a few spots on the Shoe and Cedar before choosing one to focus on. This spot was just off a wind swept main lake bar, I was marking lots of fish in 16-20ft. Caught a good number of crappies, a few gills and several year classes of walleyes. Got everything to bite on a good old 1/8 Fireball and minnow combo. Water temp was 42-46 depending on where we tried. I think these lakes might have turned already, I marked pods of fish down to almost 40ft in a couple spots... I think they were catfish starting to stage for winter Here is my best walleye for the day

Sorry the tail got cut off, my camera/net man was more excited than I was

[JeremyCampbell]

That's Golden! Nice report .

[eyeguy 54]

nice fishey!

[JeremyCampbell]

Went on the river and got Dog gone skunked today! Lol. I'm working near Clearwater this week maybe il try one of those lakes. I ran into an Hso guy in sartell.Nice meeting you GeoFish.We got to meet up on the ice sometime this winter since we both fish some of the same waters.Have a great week all

[Rick G]

That sucks you got skunked it happens to all of us from time to time. Hopefully your next time out will make up for it.

I hit the Chain again today, target was crappies, and boy did we get into them Broke out the Vexilars and short rods for this outing. Worked a small basin area that bottomed out at 24ft, the edges of this basin were loaded with crappies and various other Chain fish.

Kept the tackle pretty simple, 1/16-1/8oz jig heads or 1/8oz Frostee or Rattlin' Flyer spoons were the hot baits, though we could have probably thrown just about anything down and the would have bit, it was just that good today.

Ended up catching way more crappies than I would have cared to keep track of, a few walleyes, catfish, bluegills and two good sized northerns. It was just one of those days where everything worked out right

[Genofish]

Nice meeting you yesterday Jeremy, we will have to get together and wet a line. Slow at the dam on the east side, I left before dark to get home

and watch the game, bad choice. Out of town for awhile, good luck fishing.

[Genofish]

Nice catch Rick, if this cold weather keeps up the vex will be on the ice soon.

[Rick G]

Slow at the dam on the east side, I left before dark to get home

and watch the game

How bout those Vikings lol.

You guys should be staying later. The walleyes and crappies have been biting much better after dark the last week or so.

[perry p]

Great post, Rick! Whenever I'm in this area, it's usually Rice or Pearl, but the 'Chain is obviously a tremendous fishery!

[Rick G]

So_so night on the river yesterday, got a few crappies and a handful of walleyes. Did loose one real nice 'eye right at the surface oh well, at least I got to see it. Jigs and grubs was the only thing I could get fish to go on. I think the crankbait bite has started to die down for the season. Last night was the first time I wished I would have had some live bait with, as I could have worked it slower than the plastics.

[JeremyCampbell]

To bad I grabbed the minnow bucket back

[JeremyCampbell]

Well I havent got a good fishing report but it's a fishing report.I been all over the river in three towns every day or night and my average is only two small walleye a night.Were talking only 16" small.Scattered Rockies in many places.I usually miss a couple of fish too especially at night.I been useing many things for tackle in the ole paint bucket and seems the raps produce more bites then others.Very slow for me on lakes also.I will stay at it and keep you posted Happy Halloween!

[Rick G]

Jeremy, as the water temps continue to fall the crankbait bite goes down hill. But don't be discouraged, good river fishing can be had for a while yet, but you will have to be willing to change your tactics.

To start with, those days of fast moving baits are behind us. Slow is the key to success right now, baits like these will be working through Nov.

Hair jigs, like the ones to the left, tipped with a fathead are one of my favorite late fall presentations. They can be worked super slow and appear to be a much bigger bait than what they are.

Ring worms, like the next two in the picture are another bait that can be deadly on river 'eyes. I fish these style of baits with a smaller ball style of head with a large hook, the Lindy Max Gap jigs are great for this.

Finally we have the good old swim bait, they can be worked just like a jig and minnow. I find bigger baits 4-6in to be most productive. They seem to work when just about everything else fails.

[JeremyCampbell]

I havnt tried the ring worm before.I have a kit of swim baits of many colors I havnt used yet.Thanks that is a lot of info from a guy who catches a lot of fish You can't find a better site for that info.lol

[Nhamm]

Where did you find that Shad plastic bait??? I have been looking for something like that for a while now, seems all the clear minnow baits have some type of black fleck, or chart. or just plain with different coloring, not like that sweet one you got there with the silver undertones, I would love to get my hands on those!

[Rick G]

Where did you find that Shad plastic bait??? I have been looking for something like that for a while now, seems all the clear minnow baits have some type of black fleck, or chart. or just plain with different coloring, not like that sweet one you got there with the silver undertones, I would love to get my hands on those!

They are made by Bass/Walleye Assassin, I picked them up at FF either spring of this year or last, I can't remember right off

[Nhamm]

Always need a reason to go to the bait store, now I do! Thanks man.

[Stick in Mud]

Went out to Koronis last night for what I think might've been the last openwater trip of the year. The weather was absolutely perfect....no complaints there.

We actually had a bit of a frustrating night. Like usual on my trolling outings, I went through 20 or 30 lures. My buddy might've tried half that. The fish were down there, and they were "biting." Well, it was more like "bumping," because they'd not really get hooked up. We tried everything we could think of (big lures, medium lures, small lures, fast boat speed, medium boat speed, slow boat speed, really slow boat speed, etc.), but we were only able to get a few to the boat, with nothing over 18''. All the ones we did catch were either hooked outside the mouth/on the head or barely on the back treble.

Still, the weather was gorgeous, there was enough action to keep us interested, and my buddy got a meal of fish. Can't complain.

[11Bravo]

Anyone have any good tips for Grand? I've never fished it and am thinking of throwing the spear house out there this year.

[dfv87]

Stick... We found the same thing Sat night... I had multiple fish hit be on for 5 secs then be off... we managed 5 keepers and a nice pike through it all and what a nice night on the water! Gonna miss the boat as it goes to storage. Well there is always next year.