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Fishing the MN River


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I'm going to fish the MN this weekend. I'm not target anything specific and would actually like to catch a good variety of fish - C&R of course. I pretty much only fish lakes so this is pretty new. Any tips for a good catch-all strategy? Can you just drag spoons and raps up and downstream and get a good variety? Do I look for emergent weeds or eddies to find bass? Will anchoring or floating with a bobber and live bait work well?

I don't need to know your secret spots, just a point in the right direction. Catching walleye, bass, carp, gar, cats, and anything else are all on the list. Thanks!

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Hopefully the water comes down a lot by then. I was out yesterday and the water was real high and the curent made fishing many of my normal spots impossible. Right now with the river at or overflowing its banks a lot of fish are in the wood/brush along the shore.

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No to be a debbie downer, but now is a very bad time to "give the MN a try".

River is at its highest point this year and flowing fast. I watched a pile of trees the width of the entire channel quietly slip by us the other night. That one was just waiting to swallow up an unexpecting anchored boat.

As far a catching bass, and bobber fishing and things like that. Sure you might catch a random fish, but when river fishing, you are more apt to catch something while jig fishing or bottom fishing with a crawler or cut bait.

Expect to catch mostly carp, sheephead, cats, and walleye.

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I'd rather have bad news about river flow than be caught in it. I'll bump this thread in a few weeks when I decide to head out there again.

Thanks guys.

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As long as they keep up on the mud removal at the launches, it should be much better in a week.

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The ramp under 35 is in good shape the water is just up to to top. It looks like the level should drop a couple of feet by the weekend so hopefully the water will clear up and make the walleye a little easier the tempt.

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As long as they keep up on the mud removal at the launches, it should be much better in a week.

Maybe not so much after today. frown

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  • Your Responses - Share & Have Fun :)

    • smurfy
      i cant help you with the weed thing, but i just came back form out that way......Regal, New London Hawick area. i dont no how big the swat of rain was but there is water standing everywhere. my buddy told me they had over 3 inches of rain yesterday/last night 
    • mulefarm
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    • LakeofthewoodsMN
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    • leech~~
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    • Rick G
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    • monstermoose78
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    • smurfy
      good......you?? living the dream..in my basement playing internet thug right now!!!!!! 🤣 working on getting the boat ready.......bought a new cheatmaster locator for the boat so working on that.   waiting for warmer weather to start my garden!!!
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