St. Croix River Fishing Reports

[Sinker]

Hah! Yeah, can't make that stuff up.

[Craigums]

I don't know, The way I see it is with todays technology there are no secret spots anymore. If you guys are posting up on a point or hump or a nice drop off next to the basin, Everyone sees that with their GPS' and they have a right to fish nearby too. It's inconsiderate but it is what it is, get over it.

Now when people post up to me I don't get upset, I usually laugh because I don't have a clue what I'm doing out there and they think I'm on some hot spot lol.

Maybe try talking to the people, most guys out there are really good people...or you guys can continue to be all crumudgeonly, to each there own

[Sinker]

Talk to a lot of people out there with reports, baits, depths, times, etc. You come up and need some minnows, I'll give 'em to you. Auger won't start? You can use mine. Got stuck? I'll be over with my truck, tow rope and a shovel.

[Fisherman For a Lifetime]

Auger won't start? You can use mine.

Auger won't start? I'll drill the holes with my auger for you.

Fixed it. Heard too many stories of people borrowing augers...

[cprguy]

I borrowed auger to a guy once cuz he forgot his. He proceeded to put his full weight on my SM solo like he usually does with his Jiffy (big no no ..no need to do that the auger does the work for ya). And then he cuts about 2 dozen holes with it in the surrounding area (I borrowed it for you to cut a few holes not make swiss cheese out of the lake ...oh and we had a good 24-30" of ice too).

From now on I just help them cut a few holes for them ...and never again will I borrow it to them unless I know them.

[JBMasterAngler]

I fish with no portable at all. Never had a person set up within 50 yards of me on any body of water in the past 10 years

[GeluNumber1]

How thick is the ice near the Stillwater lift bridge?

[WalleyeChaser]

How thick is the ice near the Stillwater lift bridge?

I would stay away from the bridge. Quite a bit of current in that area as it is substantially narrower than the bayport area. Don't be fooled by it being locked up. Watch what happens around there with the warm weather this week!

[Ishikawa]

Fished the Croix all day today. Almost all fishes were caught from 830 till about 1. Heard was a hard day to get them to bite from others on the ice and the DNR guy doing a survey, but my friend found the right presentation and he was catching all day long. Afternoon bite was slow, tried fishing same spot and the fish this time didn't want the same presentation and nothing else seemed to work before it got dark. Thinking the bigger fish had moved elsewhere from the morning.

If you're heading out there, like every year, beware of the idiots who feel it's safe for them and everyone else around them to race from the WI access to the MN access back and forth at 60MPH+. I'm thinking the ice between those two points got beat up pretty good.

[cprguy]

Fished the Croix all day today. Almost all fishes were caught from 830 till about 1. Heard was a hard day to get them to bite from others on the ice and the DNR guy doing a survey, but my friend found the right presentation and he was catching all day long. Afternoon bite was slow, tried fishing same spot and the fish this time didn't want the same presentation and nothing else seemed to work before it got dark. Thinking the bigger fish had moved elsewhere from the morning.

If you're heading out there, like every year, beware of the idiots who feel it's safe for them and everyone else around them to race from the WI access to the MN access back and forth at 60MPH+. I'm thinking the ice between those two points got beat up pretty good.

How much ice were you seeing? Was bout 10 inches last time I was there last week.

[Ishikawa]

Where we were fishing, I'd say between 10-12in tops. Didn't fish middle of the river so couldn't tell you about there. We only ventured where others had been before. Lots of full size trucks and suvs were out and about, mainly north of the buried cable though.

[big gills]

Just curious about the oval ice track outside the bay port marina, is this just for people to be idiots with their vehicles, or is there a legitimate reason for having this,

People please pick up trash when taking shacks off or moving, seen lots of good sized whites dead on ice left behind, I myself don't keep them but I don't see killing them for no reason either??

[Ishikawa]

Fished this morning for about 2 1/2 hrs before heading off to work. Managed about 8 keepers from 8 to 10in with a fat 12in mixed in. Fish were much more aggressive today approaching our bait compared to Monday. The bigger crappies came out of areas with less fish being marked. Areas with more fish being marked had more of the smaller crappies along with small whities. And it was freaking awesome seeing the vex light up from bottom to top with a school of whities chasing the bait fish from the bottom up towards the ice! Too bad I couldn't land one in that rush. Will be back Sat morning again :-)

[BrdHunter01]

Managed about 8 keepers from 8 to 10in

An 8in crappie is a "keeper" Thats sad

No wonder metro lakes have no decent crappies in them.... A 9in minimum should be put in place state wide

[Craigums]

An 8in crappie is a "keeper" Thats sad

No wonder metro lakes have no decent crappies in them.... A 9in minimum should be put in place state wide

Yea, Because by keeping the bigger fish there will be more bigger fish

[BrdHunter01]

Yea, Because by keeping the bigger fish there will be more bigger fish

How do they get big when you keep them at 8

[Ishikawa]

well, I could have kept even all the smaller ones! would I have like bigger ones? obviously! ive met plenty of other people in the river who say keep them all! but to each his own I guess.

[eyesonly]

[ to each his own.

[old timer]

crappies 8 inch to 12 inch, 38 fow, minnows, fiskas, 9:00am - 10:15am,

10.5 inches of ice southern perimeter of crappie town

[sausageman]

Old timer

I like your short and to the point fishing reports.

This may have had something to do with why the fish were "on" this afternoon.

http://www.wunderground.com/history/airp...eq_statename=NA

When I saw that sharp drop in pressure, I ran to the river this afternoon and wasn't disappointed.

SM

[rough_rider]

[AnglinRaaferty]

My biggest reason for keeping 8-9" crappies when fishing in the river (or anywhere at 25-30+ feet) is that half of them die anyways getting reeled up too fast from that depth of water.

I'd rather have a bunch of 8-9" fish fillets making it in my frier than dying in my hole.

[Turk]

My biggest reason for keeping 8-9" crappies when fishing in the river (or anywhere at 25-30+ feet) is that half of them die anyways getting reeled up too fast from that depth of water.

I'd rather have a bunch of 8-9" fish fillets making it in my frier than dying in my hole.

Very true...good point.

[BrdHunter01]

We're not judging you for misleading everyone to harvest the big boys that should be released.

Where did I say to keep the big boys? I personally keep 9-11 inchers.

[metro fisherman]

To be fair cant an 8" crappie be the offspring of a slab and have the good genes to grow into another slab? I dont think there is a reliable way to determine this. I believe all we can ask as anglers is that when you keep a fish you are abiding to the regulations and will fully utilize all useful portions of the fish, doing so is how we pay our respects to the bounty nature offers us.

[Jason_Gundersen]

Good luck controlling fish genetics... That's just like a hunter saying they can control deer genetics

Keep whatever you like cleaning

[water rat]

Good luck controlling fish genetics... That's just like a hunter saying they can control deer genetics

Keep whatever you like cleaning

.

X2.

[Sherman]

Why worry guys....the river have many 8 inchers, you just gotta find em'

[DonBo]

Okay guys, we've been over the topic of "keeper" size fish enough. As long as no laws are broken, and you're utilizing what you keep, what's the big deal?

Let's get back to fishing reports okay?

[old timer]

Windy and slippery. 38 fow, minnows, gulp, fiskas. not many, but good size. 13 inches the largest. 11 inches of ice south perimeter of crappie town