St. Croix River Fishing Reports

[maxpower117]

Nice report. I'll have to get out there soon. 

I'd hate to bust your bubble, but I think that's a small pike. The dotted pattern is odd so it could be a tiger. Quite often pike have dots when they are very small though. 

[maxpower117]

Actually, the more research I do the more I think it's a musky. 

[expl]

Could be a tiger muskie but that is as close as it gets to a pike,not even questionable.Keep studying up on your fish i.d 

[maxpower117]

The part that throws me off is the light background with dark spots. Pike have a dark background with light spots. 

[Steelhead Chaser]

Made it out in the Hudson area for a boat ride and some fishing with the wife and kid yesterday afternoon.  Perfect weather and a fair amount of people on the river.  Fished from about 2:30 to 6:00.  Found a few active fish away from the crowds.  Caught 6 eyes/saugers.  One legal walleye at 15.5 and the rest of the fish were under 14 inches.  Nothing big, but nice to have a little action anyways with the family.  No other species caught.  Water temp around 78 degrees.  Same program of scatter raps with snap weights.  Lures running around19 ft deep.  Fish caught between 20 and 23 ft of water.  Good luck out there.

[KurtHuber]

I'm taking my father to the St. Croix near the Prescott bridge area on Saturday, weather reports claim either bright sunshine or slightly cloudy, anyone have any tips for this weather combo for early/mid-summer? He likes to jig, sometimes drift with a worm harness, I'd love to get him onto cranks with weights but that's just not him. Thanks!

[vikingmeatwad]

I am late Kurt but I fished a couple days before your trip before, under bridge and at confluence and didn't get any bites. I caught some small eyes up river though so I hope you did well. 

Has anyone been on the croix around hudson/bluffs or prescott lately with any report?

I would imagine with the darkness of the sippi it is pretty tough going still!

[budboy]

Try crawlers Ive been getting them in 12-16

[Steelhead Chaser]

Hudson area report.  First trip out since late June.  Water temp between 55 and 57.  Fished with a buddy from 9:00 to 3:00.  A lot of boats out on the water with the nice weather which made things a little difficult at times.  Ran scatter raps with snap weights again the entire time.  Enough action not to switch it up.  Finished with 6 or 7 eyes, 2 saugers and around 6 white bass.  Biggest eyes were 16.5 and 19.  Target zone for catching fish was from 21 to 26 ft of water.  Baits were running right around 20 feet down with speed at 2.2 MPH.  Nice to get back on the river.  Good luck out there. 

[DonBo]

Nice to hear a St Croix report this time of year.  Sounds like a fun day.  With the nice weather recently, I'm sure sorry my boat's already in storage

 

[dudewheresmyboat]

Walleye fishing has been GREAT on the river, lots of fish caught and lost targeting areas 10-25fow on sand.  Biggest so far has been in the 8lb range with lots of eaters.  Good Luck!

[DonBo]

8 minutes ago, dudewheresmyboat said:

Walleye fishing has been GREAT on the river, lots of fish caught and lost targeting areas 10-25fow on sand.  Biggest so far has been in the 8lb range with lots of eaters.  Good Luck!

That's it, boat's coming out of storage this weekend.  Thanks for the report!

[Herky2002]

On ‎10‎/‎17‎/‎2016 at 7:38 AM, Steelhead Chaser said:

Hudson area report.  First trip out since late June.  Water temp between 55 and 57.  Fished with a buddy from 9:00 to 3:00.  A lot of boats out on the water with the nice weather which made things a little difficult at times.  Ran scatter raps with snap weights again the entire time.  Enough action not to switch it up.  Finished with 6 or 7 eyes, 2 saugers and around 6 white bass.  Biggest eyes were 16.5 and 19.  Target zone for catching fish was from 21 to 26 ft of water.  Baits were running right around 20 feet down with speed at 2.2 MPH.  Nice to get back on the river.  Good luck out there. 

Thanks so much for the report.  Just curious -- how much snap weight does it take to get down to 20 feet?  3 oz, perhaps?

[Steelhead Chaser]

Herky -

I had one pole rigged with 12 pound mono and yes 3 oz.  The other pole had rigged with 20 pound braid and 2.5 oz on that one. 

[dudewheresmyboat]

On 10/18/2016 at 9:45 AM, DonBo said:

That's it, boat's coming out of storage this weekend.  Thanks for the report!

Once you find them you won't be disappointed i've caught more eaters than dinks!  Good Luck sir!

[Steelhead Chaser]

Hudson area report.  Fished yesterday morning with a buddy from 8:30 till 2:30 and found some active fish.  Water temp was around 54 degrees.  Speed right around 2.2 mph.  Same program of snap weights and scatter raps.  Caught around a dozen eyes/saugers, 1 surprise 18 smallie, and 1 white bass.  Keeper eyes/saugers went 15, 16 17, 19 and one around 20.  Best water seemed to be between 24 and 27 feet of water.  Good luck out there.

 

[vikingmeatwad]

Nice keepers Steelhead! I was jigging fatheads and caught a lot of Whiteys with a couple nice Sauger.

[Steelhead Chaser]

 

Hudson area report.  Made it out yesterday with a buddy from 8:30 to 2:30.  Could not resist the great weather we were having.  Beautiful day on the river no doubt and the fish were cooperative.  Safe to say the fall feed bag is on.  Managed around 15 fish and 2 limits with fish from 15.5 to 21 inches.  All eyes and no sauger this time which was surprising.  Same pattern of snap weights and scatter raps.  Speed 2.0 to 2.4.  Best water was from 26 to 29 feet.  Still marking a lot of bait pods in the areas we were fishing.  Pretty much had the area we were fishing all to ourself, which was nice.  The fish are eating well and appear to be very healthy.  Good luck out there. 

 

[Steelhead Chaser]

Made it out yesterday for the final time this year.  Fished the Hudson area from 8:30 to 2:30.  Weather was actually pretty nice.  Water temp around 47 degrees.  Managed to boat 17 walleyes with the biggest two being 22 and 24 inches.  A lot more shorts this time around though.  Also caught around a half dozen white bass and 1 smallie.  No saugers again.  Appears they have left the area - not sure where they went?  Same program of snap weights and scatter raps on sharp breaks.  Firetiger being the best by far.  Fish caught from 27 to 30 feet of water.  Graph absolutely loaded with bait.  Lots of huge baits pods.  Another good year on the river.  An amazing fishery.  Good luck out there.

[ESSGuy]

4hours today, 11am-3pm. 3 crappies, 1 walleye-13" and 3 white bass. Pretty fun day, ice is still 5-6 inches. When it cracks it makes the pucker factor go way up. Cold week and it should be nice by next  weekend.

Edited December 31, 2016 by ESSGuy
Math error

[iiccee63]

Trying to figure out why hardly anyone posts on here? Pretty quiet. I haven't fished the Croix hardly this year because it's been pretty dead for 3 years or so.

[lazermule]

Where do you guys put in at to fish Stillwater/Hudson area?

 

LM

[JBMasterAngler]

Boomsite access just north of Stillwater, or Hudson city park. 

[JBMasterAngler]

Anyone going out for the opener this weekend? I'll be too busy trout fishing, but I'm all booked up for the month of May on the Croix 

[Sherman]

I'll be out this wknd and got 3 spots to try out so still debating which one will be the ticket. The past couple weeks I've been getting some while crappie fishing.  Going to be shore fishing so FYI the water level is pretty high right now with all the rain from few weeks ago. A wader would be handy if you have one.  Good luck n be safe out there.

[Steelhead Chaser]

I hope to be out early next week.  Weather and river level depending.  Will post a report if I make it out.  Boat all ready to go.

[JBMasterAngler]

Any reports? I know there was a lot of people out there. The boomsite access was already 3/4 full when I drove by at 5 AM. I'm thinking about going out of blufflands park on Friday. 

[SPEC]

I was out for the opener, camped on the islands, water level was about 2 to 2 1/2 feet lower than last year at this time But Water temp was COLD 43* average from Friday morning to Sunday morning...Not the most debris in the water that I have seen but lots of crap to clean off the lines and to steer around

Fishing was OK, But not great, and they had not spawned yet so I tossed them all back

[JBMasterAngler]

Fished out of bluffs park today. Was first time I've ever been down there. Was pretty nice. Fishing was slow! Doesn't sound like anyone was catching anything. Didn't find any white bass. I did catch something very unexpected however...a 19.5 inch brown trout! Just more proof that you just never know what you'll catch on the croix  also caught 3 largemouth bass, 2 smallies, and 2 hammer handles. 

 

 

[JBMasterAngler]

Fished out of Stillwater, hoping I'd have better luck than the day before.was not the case! Was even slower! Water too high, and too cold. Lots of boats out, but I didn't see anyone catching anything. I caught 3 pike, a white bass, and a 17 inch largemouth bass. Hopefully things warm up before I head out there again next Friday.