st croix North of Taylors Falls Dam

[jac714]

What is the fishing like north of the dam in Taylor's Falls?  I have wanted to fish it for years but haven't gotten around to it and wonder if it was worth the effort and if so what I should target adn where I should fish.  I have a boat so I can get just about anywhere in the impoundment.

 

Thanks

[JBMasterAngler]

Lot's of smallies. Definitely worth a shot.

[tunrevir]

There is some great deepwater fishing closer to the dam.  Look for crappies suspended in 15-25' near shorelines.  If you can find down trees key on these areas as the fish will school up there and can be caught verticle jigging 1/16th ox flu flu tipped with crappie minnows.  poke around the dock areas and lily pads for gills, smallies and pike.  Gills will take panfish leeches under a float or presented on light jigs.  Further upriver from the dam look for smallies and small pike and key on shoreline rip rap and current breaks along the shore.  Walleye can be found in some of the deeper holes and eddies working a jig and minnow and plastics like ring worms pitched on jigs and dragged across the bottom.

Tunrevir~

[jac714]

Thank you for the tips. I am going to try it this weekend.

[tunrevir]

Good luck!  Cruise the basin and near shore and you should be able to pick out suspended fish with your electronics which usually in my experience have been crappies.  If you find suspended fish at 18' you will probably find them in that depth right near shore as well.  Don't be afraid to pitch jig and minnow combos to the shoreline and work them back to the boat as this is a great way to contact a variety of fish.  Start with 1/16th oz jigs and if depth and current dictate move to 1/8th or larger but you should be able to get by with the light jigs in the slower current areas.  Good luck and let us know how it goes!

Tunrevir~

[jac714]

Will do.  Thanks for the tips.