St. Croix River Fishing Reports

[River Dan]

paddletails firecracker chartreuse

[croix walleye 6]

up on the croix plastics and blades have totally quit water temps are 64 to 67 degrees. i have been on fish that are stacked on numeros spots and wont touch plastics drop live bait and you are golden. fish on and good luck! iwish they were biting on plastic or blades but thats not the case!!!! and on the croix that color does hardley anything!!!!

[Dale Rueber]

There may be some differences in where you are fishing and the difference between Walleye/Sauger. Yesterday I was dragging a crawler on one side of the boat and a firecracker chartruse jug on the other. More Sheeps on the the Crawler but both caught about the same number of Saugers. No Walleyes caught on either. Fished South of The Bluffs and the Prescott area. Tomorrow we will be testing out the crankbait bite.

I try to do something different (at least different from the last trip) each time I go out. Many times I will experiment in the same area with different presentations. Usually there is a big difference but so far this year the different presentations have not made a huge difference.

[croix walleye 6]

have only caught one sauger in the last 4 weeks but i only fish from hudson to stillwater, saugers are non existing pretty much up here untill the fall. trust me i would love to be using plastic !!! there is no funner way to fish then ripping plastic or blades, but you have to do what the fish want !

[River Dan]

up on the croix plastics and blades have totally quit water temps are 64 to 67 degrees. i have been on fish that are stacked on numeros spots and wont touch plastics and on the croix that color does hardley anything!!!!

Really weird because since the opener the walleyes and saugers have been beating the tar out of plastics and there all coming off the croix, last couple trips out this week plastics put more quality walleyes in the boat then live bait, about 80% of the keepers this week were taken on plastics most of which were walleyes, paddletails my friend!

[vanddelor]

went out for some white bass this morning with my dad and brother. we did pretty good. i don't know about pass year but this memorial weekend the river was very quiet. not that i was complaining:). we ended up with one keeper eye, and 37 whitties. Most were hitting on fat heads, until we ran out!!

[Jarrid Houston]

Fished the area of Interstate Park all weekend. Saw tons of people fishing the shorelines, and keeping just about everything they caught. However, they did not keep the garbage they left behind. I picked up after them... Anyway, as far as the fishing goes, we did pretty well catching a few small eyes, all of which we released back to the drink. As well as smallies, drum. All released. Biggest smallie I have ever seen my brother had her on a light action shorter pannie rod, and battled her good, but evetually she was able to shake free. major bummer, it was all of 22" and fat. Had lots of fun, and love that CROIX!

-JH

[LeeWarrior]

Got out today from 0630-1330 and hammered the whites. Found them hanging around a current break off an island and they were chasing bait fish. It sure surprised me to see them jumping so early but it provided some fun topwater action. We also managed to catch some nice and healthy largemouth and smallies in the mix too. And we also caught a few small pikes with a lot of misses. Overall it was a nice day out enjoying the weather and soaking up the sun.

[TruthWalleyes]

I'd like to get out on the croix this weekend, are the islands around I94 or Beanies above water yet?

I like your report Lee, I had the best time hammering white bass last fall out there.

[bgreen82]

Out yesterday from 4-8:30. Tried a couple bays casting for skis and nords without luck. with the no wake we just decided to troll between all spots. caught 4 fish and missed a few more. one 30" nord, one 18" eye, one 16" smallie and a tiny largemouth. beautiful day to be out. good time had even with limited action.

[bassfshin24]

I really want to start learning the Croix. I have never fished it before and I want to get after the smallies that everyone talks about. What area or launch would you guys recommend I go out of? Are there backwaters to fish for smallies or what kind of structure is there. Like I said, I have never been on the Croix before but I hear nothing but good things about it.

[TRZ II]

Was out for a few hours sun. around stillwater. Found the panfish scattered and seemed confused. Found crappies, only male white crappies that were very black in 11ft of water looking like they were about to spawn, no females-kept 12. Found some nice male sunfish in 4-6ft, mixed in with tiny females full of eggs-kept 13 males. Did find four nice eyes for the box and alot of big sheephead (6 over 5lbs!)one had to go close to 15lbs. The water is still about 5ft high.

[DonBo]

I really want to start learning the Croix. I have never fished it before and I want to get after the smallies that everyone talks about. What area or launch would you guys recommend I go out of? Are there backwaters to fish for smallies or what kind of structure is there. Like I said, I have never been on the Croix before but I hear nothing but good things about it.

Not much of a trick to find smallmouth on the Croix. Launch anywhere convenient for you and look for rocky shorelines, they're everywhere. Certainly there can be more to it at times, but the river is an awesome smallmouth fishery and you shouldn't have a hard time finding some.

[HookEmHard84]

I was out on Sunday trying to find some Channel Cats, only found one small one. This was my first time out this year, and i cant believe how high the water still is! Hard to beleieve last year I camped on the islands on May 1st.

[TRZ II]

My spots where panfish usually spawn are now 8 ft deep!!! The pannies are all messed up.

[LeeWarrior]

Went out yesterday in target of some cats from shore and managed to catch 5 and lost another 5. All fish came from flooded timber in about 4-6 FOW. It sure was fun wadering and catching them in the woods.

[Stratosman]

The eyes are still going good as of late... got a bunch on Saturday morning, still live bait, their preference switched between leeches and crawlers throughout the morning. Depths between 14-28. Bro in law out today and hammered them in 8-9 feet. Live bait again but I would bet fan casting cranks would have hammered them as well!

Gonna get out agin mid-week, can't wait!

[River Dan]

Stupid Snot Rocket

[Dale Rueber]

Hey dan, are you seeing more pike this year? I caught 3 in one day trolling cranks and a couple of days later Andy picked one up. I have not caught 3 in a year much less getting 3 in 1 day.

[River Dan]

Hey dan, are you seeing more pike this year? I caught 3 in one day trolling cranks and a couple of days later Andy picked one up. I have not caught 3 in a year much less getting 3 in 1 day.

Yes sir usually only get a couple a year but this year numbers have tripled, also been running into a few muskies tearing walleyes apart, saturday shreaded a 17 incher pretty cool but a waste of a nice eater

[Stratosman]

Same here... Had a BIG ski take a run at a 14"er on Saturday as well right at boatside. Where are they when I'm after em?

[Dale Rueber]

From the sounds of it you need to use a 14" bait that looks like a Walleye if you want to catch a Muskie on the Croix. Does anybody make plastics that big?

[tunrevir]

Hey Dale have you seen the line of Castaic plastics? I think they have a trout that is 10-12 inches. Might need the beef up the line and the size jigging rod when fishing those babies

Tunrevir~

[zooks]

From the sounds of it you need to use a 14" bait that looks like a Walleye if you want to catch a Muskie on the Croix. Does anybody make plastics that big?

What, you mean like one of the most popular muskie baits going?

http://www.muskyinnovations.com/bulldawgs.htm

[Irish]

A Pounder Bulldawg is 15", Muskie Innovations makes a great walleye pattern.

[Turk]

We too had a ski eat an 18 inch walleye along the boat side. I should say rip the fish off the hooks of the Rap.

If you look closely you will see many walleye now have tooth marks on them, smallies have the scars too.

I am seeing these scars more and more this season than previous years?

[Stratosman]

Wonder if thier primary forage base has diminished...?

[Jarrid Houston]

Fished the interstate park area for dads day. Caught several fish including walleyes, pike, smallies, and sheep head. Noticed many active fish swimming the shallow sands. Fun day on the croix as always. Kept nothing!!!

[TRZ II]

Was out sun. had my best numbers day by far, boated 29 eyes in 3hrs. Only 3 were legal! All on cranks. Worst percentage of legals i have ever had. Also got 6 pike biggest 33". Great day on the river. All 8-14ft. Also got to fight a 15 lb channel cat for about 10 min. thought for sure it was a big pike/musky.

[croix walleye 6]

released over 12 fish today between 19"& 23" the 23" was over 5 lbs looked like it was on steroids. plenty of fish to be had. we were only out from 9:30 to 1:30pm kept 6 for a meal. could of easily kept our 12. nice to see thim swim away!!!