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

On 10/3/2018 at 7:19 AM, Steelhead Chaser said:

Fished the Hudson area yesterday from 8 am to 2 pm.  Decent weather and almost zero boat traffic which made things nice.  Had the area we were fishing to ourselves the whole time.  Fishing was very good by my standards anyway.  Managed to boat around 18 walleyes/saugers, a few white bass and a nice crappie.  Nice quality nice as well.  11 of eyes/saugers were between 16 and 20 inches.  Fished with 2 lines.  Water temp was right around 60 degrees.  Water depth fished from 23 to 27 feet.  25 to 26 feet seemed to be the sweet spot.  Trolling the entire time with Crank baits and snap weights.  Speed 2 to 2.4.  Baits about 1 foot off bottom.  Appears the fall fishing has begun.  Good luck out there. 

 

Thanks for the report Steel. I will be out Sunday in the same area mainly jigging but I will check ~23 ft first. Were you getting your bites around the shad bait balls? I imagine the fish are feeding now on them.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 months later...

Quite a few out on the Bayport ice right now. Most all are still walking, but did see a couple ATV's out there. Didn't go out myself, but sure am getting anxious to give it a try.

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Went out last night for sturgeon. Considering it was my first outing of the year, I did okay with a couple sub-30" fish. Saw some dandies.

  • Thumbs Up 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 7 months later...
  • 3 months later...

David Swanson, the man who plowed the ice road across the croix for over 30 years passed away last week. Sad news to hear. I had never known who plowed the road. He kept that road in better shape than the plows in the city keep the streets! And he did it for free! Article said he retired from plowing the road in 2016. I haven’t ice fished the croix in 6 or 7 years, so has there been an ice road the last few winters?

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 5 months later...

Anyone hit the river on opening weekend? I did some shore fishing at Franconia today. Water water higher than expected. Higher than last week, even though gauge online said otherwise. Didn’t look like anyone was catching anything. I just soaked crawlers on the bottom. Had planned to use waders, but water was too high and fast. Caught 7 redhorse.

 

1E3C3606-4705-43D9-9F34-2A674B43BC8D.jpeg

CBCCAEFF-3942-4AA0-8E30-9DDD3F871C4F.jpeg

F39F994F-EA8C-4C2B-ADCA-BA3EBD8246DF.jpeg

  • Thumbs Up 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Went sat very slow and a lot of people. Launched at the bluffs got there at 5:45am and didn't get the boat in till 7:15 and got the last parking spot. Probably 20 behind me a lot of tickets given for parking in the lot on top 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Went to the ferry landing, east of Rush City. Tried wading, but it was tough going in the wind...especially since I forgot my gloves ? this area looks smallie paradise! Will probably be a couple more weeks before they get going though. Lost a couple small bass, and landed 1 pike.

 

52FC9624-4E63-4BAB-B397-F9B6F0805559.jpeg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Went back to the croix again today. I was a few miles farther upstream than yesterday. Boy, I sure can’t wait for the water to warm up and get lower! This whole stretch just looks like absolute heaven! Easy wading too...except for the spot where I stepped into soft mud, sank, then fell over into water. Caught 3 smallies, one was 17 inches. Also saw a turkey fly across the river.

 

2CE25CD4-C88E-445A-8C97-A000DEA82FE4.jpeg

E1C17F54-A8F6-49AC-AE95-799CAD185AF2.jpeg

52D776AD-5621-42B3-ABC0-65A8D91FAF85.jpeg

  • Thumbs Up 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well, thinking the sunshine would turn the fish on, I went to the croix again. This time I just soaked some worms at Franconia, with the kids. Only caught 4 redhorse, including my daughter’s first!

 

 

 

37FC2401-BCBF-4C04-AB92-C7277A97DABB.jpeg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

JB, i know exactly where you are in the pics holding the smallmouth. Locally it's referred to as the washout. A little used spot about 60-70 yards upstream can be dynamite if somebody is already at the creek, you can easily see the current seam created by a rock outcrop.  It's been my stomping ground for quite some time. It's a great spot. Late summer (think after the deer flies start to diminish) wading any part of that section can be awesome. I canoe float stopping at likely spot is great too. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Discovered another new spot on the upper croix today. So, last week I was fishing a spot, and made a cast...line snaps! I watch my one and only flat rap go sailing half way across the river! Today, 7 days later, and about 2 miles downstream, I stumble upon this...

 

9D6B5F13-B150-4974-8693-B5148236D89E.jpeg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

As far as the fishing goes...water level was probably the same as last week, but is on the rise. Temps were maybe 2 degrees warmer. Probably needs another 2 degrees for things to really pick up. Caught 6 total. 4 smallies (two 15 inchers), a tiny little pike. And the surprise of the day, a 16 inch largemouth! Also stumbled upon an old homestead nearby the access. Was cool to just stand inside and wonder what was happening there 100+ years ago.

 

A9EB7DCE-55F6-4A7F-A281-A1CEDABF21EF.jpeg

21056AAF-C678-4298-A336-2A3BE2B8A443.jpeg

3F9B46DE-56B9-4223-8C5D-01D902F24769.jpeg

112A1B9C-6D56-404D-A9CE-F64A02D311A3.jpeg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Finally took the boat out for the first time this year! River didn’t seem as high as I expected. But wow has the William O’Brien stretch changed since last year. Sandbars where there have never been sandbars before, backwaters smothered in silt, even a couple new little islands. Wind was brutal. Fishing was decent. Caught 13 total. Equal mix of white bass, pike, and smallies, plus a bonus walleye. Had a lot of white bass follows, but they weren’t very active.

 

F1122AAC-EC4C-4E44-BD8C-ECF71421B7E0.jpeg

BDA76B63-3DF7-4E0D-848A-4E7BD0E7D1A7.jpeg

1A5B9152-0D34-4C96-948E-E91B07675BCC.jpeg

BCAC0F2A-37BB-4A29-A2A5-EE80039EBBD8.jpeg

  • Thumbs Up 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Went wading on the upper croix today. Started at my secret spot, but high water made it tough to get around. Fish were fairly active though. Caught 5 decent bass and a little pike. Zipped up to highway 70 bridge and gave that a try. Caught 2 really nice walleyes here. But like the other spot, high water made wading not possible. Might come back here with my boat though ?

 

AD16F93F-24B4-40BE-91DA-F12B8931FC21.jpeg

67F26E2B-E0D7-4CBA-88AE-6A2DD5BCDC7F.jpeg

F64C9F17-7992-4CC9-8E2E-870FDD6419F1.jpeg

F58FBD9A-8B66-413D-A8A1-35CE52684692.jpeg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well, the highway 70 access won me over yesterday, only to break my heart today. I should have seen the warning signs at the start of the day. Get to the launch, get everything ready, about to put boat in the water...forgot the life jackets! ? I drove to the Walmart in Pine City and bought 2 life jackets! Finally got on the water. Was a nice boat ride upstream. Was hoping maybe to make it all the way up to the mouth of the Snake River. Probably made it halfway before it got too shallow. I most likely could have made it through had I had more ambition, but we needed to start fishing. Hooked into a few fish right away, but lost them. I’m pretty sure one was a small muskie. Ended up drifting all the way back to boat launch, and only caught 2 fish! And both were just a couple hundred yards up from the launch! Was a smallie and a little walleye. So yes, slow day indeed. Looks like a nice trail system at the access though. Might have to plan a hike there this summer.

 

A6CDA837-E94D-4388-BA55-8050B69EE55C.jpeg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Launched out of Copas today. Got beat up by the wind pretty good. Caught an 18.5 inch largemouth, and a 17 inch walleye. Then it was a looooooong time in between fish. My son found a brief bit of success when he started jigging a small paddle tail and caught his very first sheephead. Then I had him jig one of those gulp minnow things, and he caught a 15 inch smallie. But that’s where it all ended. After we loaded everything up I threw him in the river ?

 

A77359B8-1821-48E4-92A1-AA92C05010B0.jpeg

D15BF929-7B8C-48A9-8C13-9C42C31768E5.jpeg

801B9D03-5B2B-4022-9BAE-CB7D243C8EC8.jpeg

F1DACF21-DE76-4489-BCBE-798F10CB6B0F.jpeg

984C9A67-5E0A-4164-AC5E-1AF83CBADE55.jpeg

  • Thumbs Up 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hey JBMasterAngler I see you are very framilar with the St Croix I live near White Bear Lake could you recommend some shore fishing spots on the river thanks!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Franconia or Somerset landings. Quite a bit of fishable shoreline at both spots. Boomsite wayside is fishable too, but there’s always way too many people down there, and too much boat traffic for my liking. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Well, the fishing has come to a screeching halt! Fished yesterday out of Rush City and only caught 2 little bass and a little pike. Today tried the mouth of the snake river, and got totally skunked. River is very low and running clear, but goodness! I thought I’d catch a couple by accident at least! Weekend wasn’t completely uneventful...I sprang a leak in my waders ?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...

Launched out of Copas today. Water is really low. And the wind was really blowing upstream (what else is new? ?) I had to run my outboard in reverse just to drift downstream in some stretches. Fishing was really slow. Caught 2 little smallies and 32” and 29” pike. Pike are sitting right on the bottom where cold springs are entering. Tried trolling the main channel, but didn’t catch anything.

 

4BBCB858-B04F-42A3-853B-575DF76BC3BB.jpeg

5044F0DB-D27D-4909-AD5C-E7CD160E8091.jpeg

  • Thumbs Up 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Took my wife above the dam today. The slow fishing didn’t score me any points. Just 2 little bass, and 2 little walleyes. Also didn’t buy me much time. I would have normally just kept going farther and farther upstream, but her patience is very thin if the fish aren’t biting, hence the reason I’m posting this at 4:30 ?
 

 

BFAE0182-4367-4CE6-B646-985950F688B0.jpeg

48EA810A-5C70-4CAB-84ED-B3656FAAA6E5.jpeg

  • Thumbs Up 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I launched at Franconia waiving a white flag! I made the decision to use live bait! And the fish treated it as though my bait (fathead minnows) had no hooks! Me and my son (mostly me) lost at least a dozen fish! We at least got to see most of them...smallies and pike. In the evening we switched to casting rapalas, but took advantage of the border waters and let minnows dangle under a bobber on opposite side of boat. Only landed 1 little pike and 1 little bass. Highlight of the day was the Taylors Falls Princess referencing us on the loud speaker.

  • Thumbs Up 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 6 months later...

Made a last second decision to fish out of Bayport today. For awhile, it was looking like a bad decision. Had only caught 1 little white bass all day. On a hunch, I set up in a spot I thought might be good for the evening. I was right! Caught 3 walleye, 1 sauger, 1 perch, and a slab crappie. Also lost one (probably a walleye). Marked quite a few others. Everything out of the same hole. Deadstick didn’t produce anything. Gold frostee spoon with minnow head was the ticket!

 

7F0B4551-FD08-4338-9BAE-8E0B17A3873B.jpeg

E40B370C-3600-44AC-BD08-C3FEFF15AF63.jpeg

383AFF62-7EA5-4CB1-96C6-9479D98685E3.jpeg

80100CE6-144F-4122-83CC-A606913933FC.jpeg

F0A1ED3E-5C65-4180-84EA-50996CE4BFDD.jpeg

  • Thumbs Up 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 months later...

Finally took my boat out for first time this season. Everything works! That’s about the only highlight of the day. Water was probably over a foot lower than last week at the somerset landing. I think may have been a degree or two cooler as well. Caught 4 little smallies, 3 small pike, and a decent white bass. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Launched at Somerset landing again today. Man, is the water low. If you launch at William O’Brien, don’t go downstream! You might not be able to get back up! Saw lots of bigger boats trying desperately to find a way to get upstream, about 1/3 mile upstream from somerset landing. Even in my little boat, I discovered several new sandbars. Fishing was pretty slow. Whities still haven’t moved in for spawning. Caught 12 total, 5 different species (6 if you include the clam my son caught). Daughter caught her first white bass, and it’s her favorite fish now. Hopefully the forecasted rain is a significant amount.

 

AB6A65BA-F1DA-4806-AF96-4F0AD09BA11B.jpeg

E8A1394F-6531-435F-B938-A0D771547394.jpeg

DE18E1CD-BB3B-4C21-BD3B-6E7526C4B715.jpeg

07E737F4-CB8A-4165-A51A-9C9B3AE9B9FE.jpeg

190EA598-C80A-46F9-8607-4D17D8D50DDA.jpeg

58FF74FE-D860-48AD-B0FD-5A583F169915.jpeg

  • Thumbs Up 1
  • l Love It 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

A few days ago I went out on the croix from Prescott looking to catch anything. Nice size white bass were jumping everywhere chasing schools of minnows to the surface. The two of us caught about a dozen each over 2 hours. The best results were with really fast retrieve of floating or shallow crankbait. The same fast presentation pulled in a couple nice smallmouth as happy accidents.

Edited by superkuh
typo
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 8 months later...

This was the first winter I had the appropriate gear to target sturgeon through the ice out of Bayport. I did not catch any! Based on reports, it was really slow for everyone compared to last year. It is cool marking fish on the croix though, as you have no idea what it will be. Ended up catching 2 sauger, 2 mudpuppies, and a rock bass (first I’ve ever caught through the ice).

 

C893923E-E1A1-4947-B613-197F7BE7EB20.jpeg

7A1DD122-88AB-4FBA-96E7-ADE9CC35F66C.jpeg

5FE48FA3-68B1-4DEB-AC6E-2406F27E5987.jpeg

E6D322F8-475D-47E3-AE5D-C8105D09E1B9.jpeg

  • Thumbs Up 1
  • Confused 1
  • l Love It 1
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 :)

    • 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. 
    • 11-87
      Looking for recommendations on scope or red dot    I basically hunt turkey and whitetail, live in southern MN. So it’s all deer/ shotgun    looking to add a scope/ red dot as my eyes don’t work like they used to to with the open sights.    my gun options are 11/87 12. Browning BPS 12    not looking for the most expensive or the cheapest    pros and cons of one over the other
×
×
  • 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.