Coon Rapids Dam to St Anthony Falls Fishing Reports (Pool 1)

[deadeye]

You are in a pretty good area to get into some fish right where your at. Walk down the path by the locke lake dam and the river is within a couple hundred yards of the lake. You got plenty of opportunity right in that area to catch some decent fish. Work the creek all the way up to the river and you should have some decent luck. If your really set on walleyes some red/green triggerx twisters will do the trick otherwise if you just want something to pull on the line a nightcrawler on a bottom rig will get anything that swims there. Like you had mentioned there is plenty of snags so don't use anything you dont mind loosing.

I was out in the boat in the 694 area yesterday before the storms and the fishing was pretty solid. The bass were aggressive and the cats were smashing the bait as soon as it hit the water. I hightailed it outa there right before the storms rolled in but the fish were still going nuts when I left. I spent the first two hours hitting the rockpiles for bass and then had to be lazy and go after the cats. Nothing big but enough that I couldn't keep a line in for more that a minute or two without a bite. I was hoping for a sucker or redhorse for cutbait to get a bigger cat but the 2lbers wouldn't let up.

[Gordie]

herefish its been a while but I used to catch quite a few smallies at tha dam I would float the boat under the HWY and fish the north side of it. had lots of fun but I'm not sure if a guy can do that anymore. always thought of walking that stream to the river just never did it.

[e1teen93]

Hey guys i live in the cr area and was lookin to catch some carp. Do you guys have any tips for fishing on the river? i dont have a boat, so i'll be fishin' from shore. I'm just wondering what kind of things u guys use to catch carp there, and where u fish it, above or below the dam. Any tips would be great, thanx! and good luck to you all.

[mrklean]

toss out a worm always a good bet to catch some carp and a bunch of other fish to

[Riverratpete]

can't beat canned corn

[e1teen93]

Hey have any of you guys fished for pike at the cr dam? i tried the other day, casting mepps and spoons, but had no luck, i fished by the north smaller part of the dam off a little peninsula below that smaller part of the dam.

[deadeye]

Since I can't go to ely again this weekend I'm going to head down tonight and see what's happening at the river by the house. With all the little storms moving through it should be a good night to try for a couple hours.

Edit... I just got home and it was worth the 5 min walk down there. About a dozen smallies with a nice fat 19" for my last cast. He had a hook in his mouth from a battle he won and another hook scar too.

I also managed about 10 sheapshead and a catfish while using a Lindy rig and a worm. The sheapshead were relentless tonight.

[e1teen93]

wow where were u fishing? i went out tonight too, and didnt get a thing, i was fishing off the tiny peninsula below the smaller part of the dam. I was goin for northerns tho, casting, some topwaters, spinner baits, and jerkbaits. Did you catch all those smallies w/ ur lindy rig w/ worm? what time were u fishing? Also if u werent catching the smallies w/ ur lindy rig, what did u catch them w/? im just curious what im doing wrong?

[deadeye]

I got half of the smallies with the Lindy rig and the other half with a Jr thunderstick. The 694 area is where I was at.

[deadeye]

Got out in the boat today and did OK. Not as much action as last night but it was still decent. Managed to find a couple walleyes a couple bass, a hammer handle and a couple cats.

I was burning up with that sun so I wasn't out for terribly long . There was quite a few boats out there but I didn't see much caught.

I was kinda ticked because someone was dumping tree branches into the river somewhere upstream. I had a heck time dodging branches while motoring around . Pretty frustrating that a couple people can make a mess of the river like that. Big 15-20' branches that would really mess up a prop. If I could have seen who did it I would have gotten the 5-0 out there in a snap.

[e1teen93]

ok well has anyone been fishin the coon rapids dam, area of the sippi lately? just wondering if its worth it to go out fishin there tomorrow...

[deadeye]

Well the roughfishing has been pretty decent as of late in the bc area. I was trying for bass but ended up just doing the hook line sinker worm rig and have done really well fishing from shore. Cats, sheepies, bass have all been hammering it. Yesterday was definitely better than tonight as I have time to write this while I'm watching my line though.

Not as much boat traffic as of late so I'm thinking about trying from the boat tomorrow and seeing if the mid river reefs are producing.

[e1teen93]

Ya i havent had any luck w/ bass lately, ive tried casting pretty much everything in my tackle box at them, but no luck, so u usually fish the bc side of the river, do u usually fish pretty far downstream, or near the dam? and ya the hook line sinker rig is the only thing i've had luck w/ on the river lately. would u have any tips for me to catch some bass out there? anything would be cool! thanx and good luck out there!

[deadeye]

Brooklyn center, so the area around 694 and south is where I'm at the most.

Lately a rapala type lure seems to be pretty good. I'm a Storm fan so a small shallow thunderstick is what I have been using the most. Slower speed retreive twitching on the way back and pauses to keep it floating above snags. A subwart might be a good bet now too.

Otherwise I also toss a chug bug out to see if I can get a bite on that. Usually I get a couple good strikes each time I go. Its fun to watch them strike cause they really hit the lure like they are mad.

If I were not having luck with the cranks I would be trying a drop shot rig with a small green senko wacky rigged. Its kinda slow fishing with that but they never turn that down.

Honestly, lately I have been on a hunt for random stuff so I have been doing the Lindy rig with a worm just to have the chance at getting a largeish random fish. I fish for bass for like 30 min and switch to Lindy rig.

[UncleKes]

I have fished this section of the river for almost 55 years now so heed what I tell you. Everyone is right about it being a shallow rock strewn, deadhead (submerged tree trunk laden mine field that will hole your boat or eat your prop faster than you can say "Minnesota".

Having said all that, you can navigate this stretch at certain times of the year all the way up from 694 to the Coon Rapids Dam. I DO NOT RECOMMEND DOING THIS, Mind you but if you absolutely must risk your boat and motor go in with a VERY SHALLOW DRAFT BOAT like a Jon boat and a low shaft motor. A deep V-Hull is only asking for trouble! Even a Jet Ski can have trouble with this stretch. (I personally saw one young man on a jet ski his a boulder about 2 years ago and the Jet ski came apart like it had been hit by a mortar round! The young man almost drowned and would have had he not had a buddy coming along from the rear. I later heard he had broken his shoulder and had head injuries and internal bleeding! Not a pleasant way to spend a summer!)

Launch your boat at the landing in Fridley just south of the 694 bridge. Immediately (And I mean RIGHT NOW!) bear toward the West side of the river and proceed up the the first island north of the bridge. Edge your boat along the west side of the island. DO NOT TAKE YOUR BOAT Along the East side (Fridley side) There is a rock/gravel bar that runds along the island almost to the north end that is only a few inches deep.

The West end of the river is the only way to proceed (AND THIS IS ONLY AT certain times of the year or say after a major storm when the river is high.

After the first island the river deepens a bit and you can proceed north as far as Rice Creek on the Fridley side but immediately after Rice Creek bear to the West side again. Just north of Rice Creek you encounter a boulder field for the next two or three miles up stream almost until you reach the 610 bridge. After that the river deepens till you get to the Dam.

I say again, I do not recommend making this trip in any motorized boat. This stretch can be canoed or rowed but they do not call this stretch the "River of Lost Props and Lost Confidence" for nothing! Trust me!

Remember, if you absolutely must take a motor boat up this stretch bear to the West (Brooklyn Center/Brooklyn Park side.)

Good Luck!

Uncle Kes

[Rick Reisewitz]

Have you been on the east side of the island lately? I was on wednesday night and i will be staying on the east channel from now on. The depth has changed alot on the west side since last year.

[e1teen93]

oh ok, so u dont usually fish by the dam, ok thats where i fish, maybe thats the problem.. lol.

[deadeye]

Yeah most of the time I fish here in BC.

I still like to go up to the dam sometimes, it can be really good at times. Especially in the fall and in the spring. Mornings now can be good too. However, given the crowds on a summer day especially on a weekend it is more than I am willing to deal with. I'm sure the fish there feel the same way. You can mediate that by walking downstream from the dam and wading to spots people don't go but its still busy there.

Last night my only fishing companion was monster woodchuck that watched me fish. The closest person fishing was well up river on the dock 1/4 mile away. Not bad considering 94 is within 100 yards of where I was at.

[deadeye]

I usually go up the west side in my boat too. There is a pretty big gravel bar on the west bank just north of the big storm drain but it seems pretty good if you stay in the middle up to the rip rap. After that its better close to the west shore again.

The east side can be ok but if the water is really low there is a point at the north end of the island that is really tough to go by.

Honestly though with how much it can change year to year I always go slow the first couple times up until I know for sure whats going on. Even then I seem to have close calls. With all the wading I have done I have seen that there are a lot of really huge rocks in random places that can mess you up no matter how careful you are.

[e1teen93]

Ya i have never caught a thing but roughfish out of the cr dam this year, i must be doin something wrong, but i guess i did just start fishing there like a month ago.. haha.

[Slabasaurus]

Been out near the Locke Park area and rice creek confluence recently. I've not had the best luck there, but I believe that's probably due to my schedule and inability to get to the spot before sundown. Buddy of mine has been having ok luck on the river the past week or two.

the creek's not bad for smallies, size isn't great but they're in there, and a good fight. The creek is shallow enough in spots where you can seem em swim up and hit your lure.

Gonna try to hit it up this week again sometime, but with the twins sched and me having tix, it's not looking good. I feel like I need more diversity in my species list this season, most exotic thing I've landed was a white bass on prior.

[e1teen93]

Anyone fish the coon rapids dam lately? any luck?

[Adam Wolf]

I fish the sippi' mostly near downtown, being that I live just a few blocks east of the Stone Arch. I fish both in pool 1 and up towards boom island / N NE minneapolis. When water temps are above 70 I usually focus on fly fishing for carp / drum. When they cool off I switch to almost exclusively a jig with plastics since it is effective and not too expensive to lose in a snag. My question for all you other river fisherpeople is what is the biggest walleye you have caught out of this stretch of the river? (not including pool 2). I've seen larger pike and smallies so there must be the opportunity for growth to occur, I've had days where I catch a good deal of walleye, but I've never caught a walleye over 15".

When I start catching them it seems they are in schools of all about the same size, do you think I am just in an area that doesn't hold bigger fish, or is it something that i can expect to catch a bigger one once in a while. I heard a talk given by a DNR fisheries biologist and he said growth for walleye in pool 2 is about the best in the state, I can't remember exactly the numbers he gave but it was something like an average of 24 inches after 4 years, which is unbelievable. Anyway it was the highest in the state that they had info on, and compared to the BWCA a fish that size would likely be at least 12 years old. Above ford dam the river is narrower with less back water so maybe there are less bait fish / spawning habitat, but we know there are fish in the river since we have all caught them. The water is the exact same though, just different current and structure. Maybe it has something to do with wintering areas? Any thoughts on what the difference might be?

[Slabasaurus]

The size of the walleye in pool 2 is pretty ridiculous I think. Avg of over 23" or something crazy. I'm placing this 100% on the C&R only on 'eyes in pool two.

Tryin to hit up the menomin park area this afternoon/evnin... well see if i can catch any non-smallies this time (Really don't have a problem with smallies, but would love to get into something a little different than I'm used to)

[EBass]

Biggest eye from the 694 area was about 21-23" or so. It was one of the meanest eyes I've came across that hit a spinnerbait and fought really well and when it was in the boat it did the intense crappie flop and shook the bait out and flopped on the deck and back in the water. It was caught off one of the 694 pillars. This was eon's ago though.

[deadeye]

I think the thing with pool 2 is there is so much stuff there for them to eat and with the nutrient rich mn river dumping in there it just adds to the mix even more. Mooneyes, Goldeyes, shad, all kinds of crayfish, minnows of every variety, ect are feeding those fish. No wonder why they get fat. Plus there is plenty of warm water in there to keep the metabolisms going right through winter too.

In pool one my biggest eye was also pretty close to 694. I was on the west side of the big island in low water in august. It was about 23" long and I also admit it was a very hard fighting fish. It always seems like river fish fight harder than lake fish. Probably a combination of current and a fish that is stronger than a lake fish from living in that current.

Anyway, good fishing should be in full swing right now.

[Slabasaurus]

Not sure why i forgot about the whole mn river deal and the rich ecosystem for the river in pool 2. I'll change my answer to 90% C&R, 10% environment. Their habitat helps them grow quick, no fishing pressure keeps the bigguns there.

I have noticed the fishin has picked up since that front pushed through a few days ago... Caught this one the other night on pool 1, just a little south of the CR dam... finally broke the cold streak on 'eyes.

[deadeye]

Looks like a nice addition to supper to me!

Yeah the good fishing should be in full swing here. The indian summer we are in is kind of goofing it up a bit but it makes it more comfortable on the water for sure. This is the only time of year I have had properly consistent fishing for eyes on pool 1. Most of the year I fish for whats biting on the day I go, right now you can go after stuff and not get skunked going after your target.

[Slabasaurus]

Woulda been dinner, but because I'm weird and superstitious, i had to put this one back. first fish of the night, first 'eye at that spot... too many things going against me eatin that one. Buddy caught one later, that one will be dinner tonight...

I've been playin around with different things on the river, just because of the diversity there. Seems like all that wants to bite are smallies and walleye... what the heck?

Drop shotting worms, catch walleye. Crankbaits, catch walley and smallies. Jig and minnow, catch smallies. Slip bobber (in current, I know i know) smallies.

Meanwhile carp are jumpin. Buddy's catchin northerns and largies, and walleye, all on a rebel crank in perch.

Don't get me wrong, i can sit out on the river and not even put a line in and enjoy it, it's pretty nice there... any tips other than be patient and keep tryin the backwater/upwells and current seams? No spots needed, I like lookin for things.

Next week is lookin promisin for me, major/minor times are actually during my non work/sleep hours! Plus there's the whole october full moon thing... ribbit.

[Adam Wolf]

Slabasaurus, Sounds like you have problems man . Can't keep those darn walleye n bass of your hook! Don't get me wrong, I'll take on a carp on a 6 weight any day, but shore fishing in the metro and consistently catching waldos is worth it just to brag about, even if they don't put up much of a fight.

Good call on the Minnesota River deadeye. I do think CnR helps but probably more a function of biology for the size they get to so quickly. If you think about pool 1 there are really few people who fish it, maybe even the least amount of fishing pressure in the metro for its acreage. It is in the Gorge with limited shore access, and the only way to get there by boat is launching at boom island then going through both St. Anthony Falls Locks, or coming up from hidden falls through Lock n Dam #1, a huge deterrent. There is only a few places you can get to by driving to or parking near by. A few times I've tried scaling the gorge to nearly fall and slide down on my face. If you get out on a bike or set out on foot you are likely to be the only one around. She doesn't give up her secrets easily, but hopefully in a year or two I can afford a cheap boat and get out for some exploring on the water rather just from shore. Fortunately it is super close to me and i've been able to catch enough fish to keep my interest up. I can catch fish all year, but have to switch my target species depending on water temps and current flows. I have really come to appreciate river fishing and the different challenges it offers from a lake over the last few years.

I've fished much less in the upper river where you guys are talking about. Although some of the feeder creeks look pretty promising on google earth.