Jump to content
  • GUESTS

    If You  want access  to member only forums on FM, You will need to Sign-in or  Sign-Up now .

    This box will disappear once you are signed in as a member.

St. Croix River Fishing Reports


Joe

Recommended Posts

  • 3 weeks later...

Watch out for debris. Water came up a few inches last night while I was out. A full tree was floating down by the boomsite launch. Beginning of the dock was underwater too.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Only got a few saugers yesterday fishing down near St. Croix Bluffs Park. Do keep an eye open for the logs and debris. I saw a lot of floating stuff yesterday.

How do the big pleasure boats miss that stuff all the time? They seem to have a hard time seeing me in a sixteen foot boat floating way above the water. They like to come flying by within 25 yards all day long. How do they not hit the floating logs all the time?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well I don't know what I'm doing wrong this summer but dang, fished for 4 hours this afternoon til sun down and NOTHING! Started in the channel by 94 bridge and the current was smoking. Went all around the y camp and hardly marked a thing. Tried all my usual spots and marked some fish but no takers. Never saw a school of bait fish on the locater the whole time I was out. Tried from 19-35fow. Figured I would try deep and look for some bait fish. nothing. Water was between 59-62.

in the next few weeks does the bite go shallow or stay a little deeper. I guess I could use a little help and encouragement. LOL Pretty bad season fish wise for me. But still happy to be just out there.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm Having the same luck you are. However haven't been skunked yet. may switch to Sturgeon for a while till they put the feed bag on. Haven't seen any reports on the Sturgeon fishing yet. Any action?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Lots of sturgeon being caught right now. Size has been good too. I'm headed there tonight for some sturgeon action.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Any one having much luck getting them in the box this weekend??.. Went out a couple times this past week. Good thing I don't have to rely on catching fish for a meal eek !! 2 nights out and all I had to show for it were a couple shorts and one crop... Tried everything from 10-25 fow. Temp was about 61 give or take.. Hmmmm

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It was a tough weekend. I had some go saturday night. Channel cats are on a tear right now though. Cut sucker was preferred by the channels, flats, and sturgeon this weekend over shad or worms. Caught 25 channels, about 6 over 10# with 13# biggest.

They're doing a lot of tasting right now, so just let them nibble until they decide the double the rod over.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Hi guys, Ive been fishing the lower St Croix for thirteen years now (mainly bottom fishing with a crawler or cut bait) and this summer began to target walleye with no luck. I have tried trolling #7 shad raps and over the last four days been lindy rigging a fat head with one orange bead with no luck. Ive tried the depths and some of the locations/ techniques of the local bait shops with only a small sauger and a fourteen inch crappie to show for it. Any advice would be much appreciated.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

learning the river took me a lot of years of trial and error. with that said, im sure you could learn a lot of good information fast by fishing with someone who has already put there time in and knows how to catch river eyes. Turk is a local guide who could shorten your learning curve and put u on the eyes. I know for a fact that the eyes are crushing shad raps and lindy rigs. what time are you fishing?....mornings are best on the river in my opinion.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ive heard mornings are the best for summer as well as winter walleye. Ive been going out from 5:30- dark and have fished in/south of the kinni and on the WI side just south of the kinni. Ive tried different depths each night too. 12-18 and 18-25, tried different speeds. When using cranks I troll 3-4 mph and when lindy rigging around 1 mph. Ive been using number 7 shad raps, crayfish, Helsinki shad, blue, minnow colors etc. Caught an 8 in sauger and a 13 in crappie so far.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I was out Thursday last week and found active crappies in 15-21' using a 1/16th flu flu with fatheads. cast towards shoreline rubble letting it hit bottom and slow pulls and hops back to deeper water. light pickups more just weight when you went to pull the jig. managed a few for the frypan 11-12 inches with some 13-14" and 9-10" fish tossed back. Transition areas from rubble to sand seemed to hold fish. Caught some bonus eyes and a 3# channel cat while poking around for crappies.

Tunrevir~

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ive heard mornings are the best for summer as well as winter walleye. Ive been going out from 5:30- dark and have fished in/south of the kinni and on the WI side just south of the kinni. Ive tried different depths each night too. 12-18 and 18-25, tried different speeds. When using cranks I troll 3-4 mph and when lindy rigging around 1 mph. Ive been using number 7 shad raps, crayfish, Helsinki shad, blue, minnow colors etc. Caught an 8 in sauger and a 13 in crappie so far.

try slowing down, 1.5-2 for trolling and .5 for less for lindy rigging. 3 ways and cranks should start producing now. Troll them at .5 mph to 1 mph using shallow shad raps with 2 to 3 ounces of lead as the dropper in 15-28 fow. Are you marking bait or fish in the areas you are fishing? Another good color to add is firetiger or something chartuse and maybe black/gold or black silver. As the water gets colder the jig bite will start going.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I was out last night trolling a num 7 tiger fire shad rap in 19-27 fow at 2-2.5 mph from 5:30 til dark. I was marking bait fish and what I assumed(hoped) were eyes and still no luck. Im starting to think my presentation is not effective since I don't yet own a nice gps/finder combo and lack of rigging knowledge/experience, so Im having a difficult time following a break line with a sub-par finder and the navionics iphone app. I will probably take the fat heads with me tonight and give that a shot.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Your too deep! Start at 22'(deepest) and work shallower as you move into the evening. Don't discount suspended mark either, but concentrate on less water and the break lines...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Last night I tried drifting a fathead on a #6 red hook, 4ft snell with a 3/16 weight at .5-1 mph in 17-24 fow. Notta thing...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I too am new to the river. The rig you describe is close to what I used for my break-thru day Saturday. I use probably a 1/2 oz bullet with a 3' or so snell but I add 2 or 3 red beads in front of my red hook tipped with fathead or crawler. The thing I finally caught on to is the bite is very light, sometimes just a heavy feel vs normal feel. Also I try to work the breakline very slowly, keeping my rig as straight down under me as I can almost not moving. I'm still trying to crack the crank-bait routine everyone is doing also. I've been fishing 6 times now over 2 weeks and it finally came together Saturday. I caught at least 15 walleye-sauger with 3 nice keepers for the pan. I'm on this forum trying to pick-up tips from the river rats.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

firetiger or something chartuse and maybe black/gold or black silver. As the water gets colder the jig bite will start going.

For Rap jig colors on the river, you need the holy trinity in you tackle box for sure!

Firetiger

Orange Craw

Perch

Works every time.. Well for me any ways grin

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I too am new to the river. The rig you describe is close to what I used for my break-thru day Saturday. I use probably a 1/2 oz bullet with a 3' or so snell but I add 2 or 3 red beads in front of my red hook tipped with fathead or crawler. The thing I finally caught on to is the bite is very light, sometimes just a heavy feel vs normal feel. Also I try to work the breakline very slowly, keeping my rig as straight down under me as I can almost not moving. I'm still trying to crack the crank-bait routine everyone is doing also. I've been fishing 6 times now over 2 weeks and it finally came together Saturday. I caught at least 15 walleye-sauger with 3 nice keepers for the pan. I'm on this forum trying to pick-up tips from the river rats.

The rats are a crusty bunch, normally lock-jawed. Sometimes, though, they will part with some wisdom wink

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I can guarantee you are well on your way to becoming a rat... Once you fish the river and begin to crack the code, lakes will lose their appeal.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I can guarantee you are well on your way to becoming a rat... Once you fish the river and begin to crack the code, lakes will lose their appeal.

I don't think I've heard truer words spoken!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for the comment. I can already feel the river pulling me away from the lakes. I'm already crusty so I'm on my way.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I can guarantee you are well on your way to becoming a rat... Once you fish the river and begin to crack the code, lakes will lose their appeal.

That's how it works for me...Except i think it has more to do with they type and size of species available in the bigger rivers...and lakes just offer the standard walleye/dinner species.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yep, the river owns its own mystique. Doesn't matter which river, they all have the same draw-a sense of adventure and discovery that a lake can never quite offer.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...

Wondering where all the recent fishing reports are. Hopefully people will post some fishing updates. We fished last Sat. pm from 3 to 6 and had 2 bites with 4 people! cry

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.




  • Similar Content

  • Your Responses - Share & Have Fun :)

    • Kettle
      Walked today and yesterday, flushed 9, shot at two and got two. Hopefully next year I'll have a dog to hunt with. Still warm up here, skim of ice on ponds. Weather has been nice. Hopefully walk a bit more the next few weeks. Been pretty cautious walking for birds to not interfere with deer hunters. There sure are not the deer hunters there used to be 
    • LakeofthewoodsMN
      On the South Shore...  The focus for many this week is the ongoing deer hunting season which is a big tradition in these parts, even for avid walleye anglers.  There were some that either already harvested their deer or are more into catching fall walleyes than hunting.     Those that are fishing are taking advantage of the unseasonably warm weather and excellent walleye and sauger bite that is happening across the lake.  Cold weather is in the forecast in the upcoming days and weeks so that is also getting many excited. The best depths on the south end of LOW are 22-28 feet of water.     Vertical jigging with frozen emerald shiners is catching most of the walleyes, saugers and jumbo perch.  Depending upon where on the lake you are fishing, some slots and big trophies are in the mix as well, but most reports are talking about good numbers of eaters.    Jumbo perch are coming in good numbers this fall which will serve ice anglers well.  Watch out for an occasional pike or even lake sturgeon mixed in with the walleyes.      There are good numbers of walleyes and saugers across the south shore which is setting up nicely for early ice.   On the Rainy River...  There continues to be good numbers of shiners in the river, and consequently, there are good walleyes in the river as well.     Walleyes along with saugers, pike and some sturgeon are coming in up and down the river.  Most walleyes are being caught in 10-25 feet of water in various stretches of the river.   Jigging with live or frozen emerald shiners is the key. Some anglers are also still slow trolling crankbaits upstream to cover more ground and find fish. Both methods are producing solid results. Sturgeon fishing remains strong.  The catch-and-release sturgeon fishing is open into the spring when it changes to the "keep season" on April 24th. Up at the NW Angle...  As temps are getting colder, most are in the woods hunting and not fall fishing, however, for those who bundle up, fishing continues to be excellent.     A nice mixed bag with walleyes, saugers, perch, pike and crappies being caught. Very good muskie fishing with the colder water temps and shorter days.  Some big fish and some good numbers are being caught amongst the islands.  Both casting and trolling is getting it done.  
    • gimruis
      I hunt in the rifle zone so I don't have a need to use a shotgun to hunt deer, but I would be looking at this if there was ever a need to.   There could be state legislation introduced next summer that eliminates the shotgun zone completely.  It has bipartisan support.  Wisconsin removed theirs years ago and MN is usually later to follow.  They've tried to pass it more than once and it came up just short both times.  Probably just a matter of time.
    • Wanderer
      Oh, h e l l no! 
    • leech~~
      Screw that, here's whatch need!  😆   Power-Shok Rifled Slug 10 Gauge 766 Grain Grain Weight: 766 Shotshell Length: 3-1/2in / 89mm Muzzle Velocity: 1280
    • Wanderer
      20 ga has become a real popular deer round in the last 5 or so years.  The rifled barrels are zinging those sabot slugs with rifle like accuracy out to 100 yards easily.  Some go so far as dialing in for a 200 yard shot but really, by 150 they’re falling off pretty low.   I have a single shot Ultraslug in 20 ga that shoots really well at 100 yards.  Most everyone I know that has bought a slug gun lately has gotten the Savage 220 in 20ga.  Problem can be finding the shells you want.
    • leech~~
      My son always bugs me about getting a nice light over-under 20ga for grouse hunting.  I say Heck no, I'm getting a 3 1/2" 10ga so I can put as much lead in the air that I can!!     So, I'm keeping my 12ga.  
    • 11-87
      That’s almost exactly what I was thinking.  Have slug barrels for both   One for turkey and one for deer.      I have a 20ga mosseberg as well. (Combo came with the scope but never used.   I always liked the 12 better
    • leech~~
      Wanderer is right on the money and covered it well.  I was wondering too if you had a slug barrel for one of your guns?  If so you could make that your slug gun with a scope, and the other your turkey gun with the Red dot.  As you can afford it. 
    • Wanderer
      Kinda depends on if you want magnification or quick target acquisition.   More magnification options and better accuracy with a scope.  You get what you pay for too so get comfortable with a budget for one.  Tasco and Bushnell work but I find they lose their zero easier, have low contrast and don’t gather light well in low light conditions.  That said, I’m still using one I haven’t replaced yet.  Vortex has been the hot brand for the past several years for bang for the buck.  Good products.  Nothing beats Swarovski though.  Huge dough for those.  Burris is another decent option.   There are some specific models for shotgun/slug hunting in the economy brands and bullet drop compensation (BDC) reticles.  Based on experience I’d recommend not falling for that marketing ploy.   Red dots are usually lower magnification and easier to get on target.  Reasonably accurate but don’t do well with definition, like searching the brush for your target.  I put a HAWKE red dot on a .22 for squirrels and it’s been good.  For turkey, that’s probably the route I’d go.     If your slug shots are normally not too far and too brushy, I’d think a red dot could work there too if you’re only buying 1 scope.  You’ll be better off dimming the reticle to the lowest setting you can easily use to not over shine the target and get a finer aim point.   If you don’t have a slug barrel, you might appreciate one of those.  I had a browning with a smoothbore slug barrel that shot Brenneke 2-3/4 inch well.  The 11-87 would well fitted with a cantelever rifled barrel. 
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.