St. Croix River Fishing Reports

[Fisherman For a Lifetime]

Yea, the little buggers.....

[Jeremy airjer W]

I had a steel lemon-lime Shasta can on the other day (Needed a church key to open it). Never new Shasta had been around that long? Couldn't for life of me figure out what was going on until it was along side the boat!

[fishwater]

I got an empty folgers coffee can last year, hooked the lip. It was keeling from side to side pretty good, thought I had a pig... Good times.

[fishwater]

I was finally able to get out for the first time in well over a week last night. We fished from 6-9:30 around Hudson. Trolled for well over an hour with zero action running 6 rods. Lots of fish marked? Wound up in 17-24' rigging during the twilight hour and managed 5 walleye and a handful of little sauger rigging crawlers on slow death hooks. My buddies from CO were pretty excited about taking a few fish home. All three of them managed to catch at least one saugeye AND a sheepshead...

[Turk]

Hello gang heres a st. croix river report

June 26, 2009 St. Croix River fishing is looking good, and shaping up into its fine summer time form with multi specie fin friends looking to tug on the line. First I’ll talk about the river conditions, the Croix is clearer now than I can remember, clearer than previously discussed a few weeks ago. Despite the recent rains the water level is not going to budge and is staying firmly put at 675.5 feet above sea level, where in fact it has been for much of the open water season. With the previously mentioned clear water you would think that the walleye would move deep. I am sure some have but I am finding them shallower than expected, other anglers are finding them shallow as well. Walleyes have been caught in depths from 6 to 21. More recently the shallow end of that depth range is holding more fish. Walleyes have been caught on the cast, jig and troll either livebait rigs or cranks. For livebait rigs crawlers and leeches have been best with or without spinners. I would advise trolling long breaklines and cast to specific spots and naturally target areas you believe hold fish. Colors patterns have not been noticeable so experiment.

Crappies though hard to find, as they are not scattered are a complete bonanza when found as they are grouped tight and well sized from the Croix. Here look to fathead minnows to fool these slabs, use fats on a 1/8-ounce jighead.

Smallmouth are on a strong bite still shallow from 2 to 8 feet deep and are hitting soft plastic very well from tubes to jerkbaits to lizards smallie action is very good! Smallies are also being caught on Rapala DT10 two strong colors are pearl gray shiner and crawdad. I have been trying to turn them on Spooks and buzz baits with limited success.

Channel cats are also hitting walleye anglers, though I have not fished for or talked to cat anglers recently, I expect a channel cat bite, one that can go on in the day, to be productive as the water is warm now. Use cut bait, crawlers, or chicken livers to take these whiskered devils. Also I like to bleed them out prior to cleaning them for best flavor.

Keep Catchin!

Turk

[Spallgard]

Yesterday, Wednesday June 24th. Started at 10:30 am. Overcast with light rain. Got a 30" Musky on a Jackpot. 10 minutes later had a hot-follow from a 40+. Couldn't connect. Partner had 3 follows. All on Jackpots. As the weather cleared, No more action.

Had some Long-nosed Gar follow up spinner-baits and a glider. Non-aggressive but were interested.

Off at 5:00pm Sure got hot!

Dave

[WalleyeChaser]

Great report as always Turk! I will have to get back out there soon as i have not been out since the weekend after the opener. Been exploring some lakes more. And was on vacation on a lake in northern wisconsin this last week. Caught plenty of eyes so got my confidence back up after being pretty humbled on the mighty croix with only a handful of keepers so far. Good luck everyone!

[davidd]

Spent noon to 8 pm on the St. Croix from the highway 8 bridge to just south of the second island south of there. We put our pontoon in at Interstate Park, WI.

We were worried about the low water, but the launch went very well. However, we did have some touch and go moments just north of the second island south of there, where it was very shallow. Tip: Watch where the river paddle boats go very closely.

We did some fishing just south of the highway bridge. Lots of fish jumping, but didn't catch anything. We then relocated to just south of the second island south of there in about 12 feet of water and anchored. My wife had fun catching sucker after sucker on a lindy rig with whole nightcrawlers. She also caught a 12" small mouth bass. One other smaller smallmouth bass and a small sheepshead were also caught fishing this way.

A great day to be on the river after a very wet morning! Got out of the water *just* before the last downpour of the day.

[HookEmHard84]

Went out Saturday night about 9PM-Midnight. Wanted to get out there much earlier, but a golf showdown took longer than expected. First two casts of the night caught fish (one silver, one wally), after that the rain storm moved in and the fish shut down. The entertainment, on the other hand, did not! We were fishing down by Afton marina and heard quite a bit of commotion coming from the MN side shore, we slowly trolled over there, and made it just in time to catch a bunch of bachelorette party girls going for a midnight dip! They asked us if we were the entertainment for the night…if only I had worn my speedo! Haha, you never know what you’ll get out there!

[13walleyecatcher]

Turk:

Just wondering what speed you are running at and depth you are targeting when trolling.

Also, do you ever use slip weights above the snell when dragging bottom.

Thanks

[Turk]

I've been trolling shallow from 8 to 11 feet of water , but that's because of the wind. 2.0 to 3.0 for trolling speed. But trolling has not been that great as of this week...

[jighead 3]

Thanks Turk, You are very kind to share your wisdom of the river!!. My friend and I are heading out today looking for walleyes and sauger using jigs and minnows & leeches. I've only fished the river once any more helpful tips or area's we should consider? I'm thinking of putting in at Stillwater public access and going south. How is the access depth wise ?

[AuggieDawg11]

Had the day off of work yesterday for my birthday so I went out for a few hours (11-4). Caught 8 eyes 7 shorts and one 17" plus a 14" smallie. Fished below 94 on the MN side. Trolled up river using jointed shad raps (Natural colors) and drifted back down jigging fatheads. Good times till my boat motor decided to start acting up. Thanks to whoever helped me load my boat at Beanies by the way.

[Spallgard]

Hookemhard84,

What type of lure, speed and depth were you using to catch the bachelorettes on? Afton Marina 9-12 pm. Do you think they'd be easier to catch later, say 1am to 2am?

Thanks for the info!

[fishwater]

whoever helped me load my boat at Beanies by the way.

Auggie, that might have been me. I helped a bit with a red lund when I launched Thursday around 4. Glad to help. I caught 5 or so short walleye and some little sauger rigging crawlers in 17'-22'. Caught a break and trolled up a 24" walleye in 26' trolling between locations.

Friday morning we caught 4 short walleye and a few sauger in 27-32' trolling sr7's.

[WalleyeChaser]

Fishwater what are you using to run cranks that deep if i may ask? Been playing around doing more trolling but can't seem to get much deeper than 15ft. Been running bottom bouncers should i try a diff. method?

[River Dan]

Havn't been on the river for a week and a half, was up on the big pond last week and took in the full throttle tournament lots of fun and good guys run it, plus walleyelabman and I always have a great time together, caught alot of over slot fish and even manage a 28 1/4 released of course. Got back on the river for a trip on thursday and put 11 nice eyes in the box, the guys I had out were pleased as can be, got together with sandman and wade and put some decent eyes in the box shane and wade got three I believe and I boxed five, today Walleyelabman and I boxed five really nice ones and had a great time beating up on stripers for some fast action. The eye bite seems to be good, all eyes have come from lindy riggen with leeches and crawlers take your pick they both seem to be working well, fish have been running shallower then this time last year don't be afraid to stay in less then ten feet! Good luck and see you on the water!!

[AuggieDawg11]

Originally Posted By: AuggieDawg11

whoever helped me load my boat at Beanies by the way.

Auggie, that might have been me. I helped a bit with a red lund when I launched Thursday around 4. Glad to help.

Yep, that's the one. Did not recognize you with the beard.

[fishwater]

Fishwater what are you using to run cranks that deep if i may ask?

[Sandmannd]

Havn't been on the river for a week and a half, was up on the big pond last week and took in the full throttle tournament lots of fun and good guys run it, plus walleyelabman and I always have a great time together, caught alot of over slot fish and even manage a 28 1/4 released of course. Got back on the river for a trip on thursday and put 11 nice eyes in the box, the guys I had out were pleased as can be, got together with sandman and wade and put some decent eyes in the box shane and wade got three I believe and I boxed five, today Walleyelabman and I boxed five really nice ones and had a great time beating up on stripers for some fast action. The eye bite seems to be good, all eyes have come from lindy riggen with leeches and crawlers take your pick they both seem to be working well, fish have been running shallower then this time last year don't be afraid to stay in less then ten feet! Good luck and see you on the water!!

Yea, we had three keepers between 17 & 19 inches in the boat. Lots of shorties for sure. Got out yesterday with Dan again and we managed lots of shorties and then fish from 16.5" to 22"!! Was a great day. My morning was slow as I was watching Dan pull in fish, then I nailed my 18.5 incher and shortly after a nice phat 20". Course Dan had to show me up with his 22 incher. Walleyelabman was out as well and had a couple 18's in the box before we took off.

Gotta love the river!!

[AuggieDawg11]

Plan on going out tomorrow morning. Has anyone been trolling spinners and if so have they been effective? I haven't tried this method before and have wanted to for awhile. Any advice is greatly appreciated.

[River Dan]

Sure was fun having you in the boat again Shane, seems we always have a good time even if the fog was thick starting out, the quality walleyes were a nice touch, just think we caught eyes up to the time we left, thats fishing!

Shane with his 20 and I with a 22 good times!

[Stratosman]

Nice report and fish! Look like P3 eye's. I was out on 3 last night and got a few, moved up to the Croix and got into some decent slabs, kept 5 for a meal for my wife and I this evening. All eye's went back this time. Sure was alot of carryover boat traffic from the weekend, but was another nice night out there.

[Turk]

Has anyone been trolling spinners

Yes, I have. Spinners with crawlers harnesses also spinners and fatheads turn fish...

Turk

[New2Croix]

Have any particular colors of spinner outperformed the others?

What depths are you finding walleye?

Any information/help is greatly appreciated!

[fishwater]

I'm kinda partial to gold and orange spinners.

[River Dan]

I second gold but red beads please

[Turk]

07-10-09 St. Croix River walleye fishing is productive in deeper depths now and 15 to 25 feet of water is a great place to locate walleyes in. Popular presentations have been Lindy rigging with livebait (crawlers and leeches), trolling spinners on three ways or on lindy weights, trolling crankbaits, also casting jigs with bait from an anchored boat position.

Walleyes are nice sized with 16 to 18 inch fish being caught and many smaller ones as well, the bite is not as good as the spring time but good enough to bring home a half dozen or more (including saugers). Saugers have shown themselves lately and these fine fish pad the catch totals and the fillet count if you choose. Normally if you catch a few legal walleye (15 inch and over is legal for walleye) you can get the as many nice eating sized saugers as walleye. Saugers hit the same walleye presentations. Lure colors for Spinners have been red and gold or chartreuse is especially good with crawlers. Crankbaits remain the Rapala raps, minnow raps, deep tail dancers, and RS raps. Storm Thundersticks are also working.

Smallmouth bass are definitely moving deeper, where jigs from 1/8 to ¼ are in order to take these bronze brawlers. Tubes, grubs, lizards, and worms on jigs are turning fish. The shallow near suicide smallie bite is looking over and they are making you work for them now in deeper water. Rapala DTs will quickly cover ground to catch and locate active smallies. Best depths are now from 6 to 20 feet (btw - we turned a nice smallie a bit deeper fishing for walleye today – shallow is always more enjoyable and easier, but you have to fish them where they are.

White bass, still little surface action. Sheepheads have been moderately active and caught on walleye presentations. Believe it or not – sheeps are decent eating fish, firm white meat, don’t believe me? Sneak on home and try it, make sure nobody sees you because heaven forbid you got expose as a sheephead eater. Client Steve Benke calls sheeps – a real mans fish! -. Prepared blackened Cajun style, sheeps (freshwater drum) are a tasty meal.

The river itself has a slight algae bloom, my water filled livewell for weeks has been as clear as a mountain streams water, but today it had a slight green tint. You will also notice that the fish themselves have taken a bronze hue. Our first walleye today had a bronze coloring where I initially mistook it for a sauger…Also the smallies have taken on this coloring too. The river is still 675.3 with light amounts of floating grass. Forgot the water temp but I would guess surface water was 75 degrees.

Keep Catchin!

[luv2gofishn]

I was out ALL day yesterday and caught a grand total of 4 fish. 1 rock bass, 2 small smallies and a small channel cat. I tried different depths from 5'-25'. I tried lindy rigs with leeches and crawlers, spinners, jigs with plastics, and trolling cranks on leadcore and without. I fished from Kinni to Prescott. It definitely got tough when all the wave makers came out and felt a lot like a Sat. I've been having decent luck the past few weeks in other areas I've been fishing, but yesterday was tough! I talked to a few other guys who seemed to have similar experiences. Maybe it was due to the rain Thurs night/Fri early morning? Not sure. It was still better than being at work, but a few more fish would have been nice. Oh well, that's enough whining from me! Anyone else have any luck yesterday?

[fishwater]

We had really good action this morning pulling cranks in 27-34'. We got a fat 22" and a 20" and 3 between 17-20", one nice sauger. They were pounding the cranks pretty good. We got mostly walleye with a few sauger, no other fish at all.

We we're running sr7's on leadcore and ssr7's on 4oz 3 way rigs, both did about the same.