upper miss smallies

[Guest]

Right now the water is pretty high so you shouldn't have any trouble getting around.What area or town do you plan to fish?There are so many boat landings up and down the Miss,you basically can drive up along the roads along the river and look for access signs.Get a Minnesota Atlas and that will show you where the accesses are.

[huskminn]

I have always wanted to fish the upper Miss, but I've been afraid to do so because of my boat (16' Alumacraft w/40 hp). I'm not real familiar with navigating rivers.....is it best for me to stay away or just be really careful?

I assume maps help a little, but I've found them to be just that--little help--on the upper St. Croix. Any words of advice?

[Guest]

I used to fish the Miss.from anywhere from Coon Rapids to Little Falls out of a 14'boat with a 20 prop.I got around OK.The trick is to be able to see what is under the water by reading the current.That is too regognize riffles,or shallow water and big rocks.Any time you see the water boiling in one point,that is a big rock.When you see lots of little waves with no pattern that is shallow water.Absolutely smooth water may also mean shallow water.Look for these signs watch your sonar and take your time and you should have no problem.The biggest disadvantage to running a prop boat is you have to slow down and poke upstream looking for channels that are deep enough to run your boat.Sometimes they are not there,and you can only fish a short section of river,but like I said before ,this would be a good time to get out on the river with a prop boat because the water is high and there is plenty of water to float in.Keep an extra prop and shear pin in your boat and ALWAYS WEAR YOUR LIFEJACKET when your on the river.
A map of the river will not help you when it comes to water depth because the river is always changing but it may help you understand what part of the river you are on.

[This message has been edited by fishhead (edited 06-06-2001).]

[Toad]

Real good advice fishhead. The river's super hot right now for smalljaws, fellas.

-Toad

[snagger]

Where is a good place to put in on the upper mississippi and float down to do some smallie fishing. I prefer a float where there is not a lot of boat traffic. I've never been on it, but I've heard it doesn't get much traffic due to the shallow water. I have a 16' Lund with a 50 hp outboard. Will I have trouble getting around. I'm used to boating on the St. Croix so I've boated shallow rivers before. Any info would be great.

[snagger]

What's the closest stretch of river to minneapolis that is a good smallie producer?

[Borch]

The section from clearwater to Elk River is very good. Had my best luck between Monticello and the power plant to the north. There are some serious pigs in there with an occasional Muskie to get your heart going.

[Guest]

I have had good luck from the Coon Rapids dam to Dayton.There are plenty of smallies in this stretch with some that have some size to them.This is also a place for guys with prop boats.The water is fairly deep from the 169 bridge all the way down to the dam throughout the year.If you don't find them downstream of 169 then fish the side channels north of the bridge.It is a little bit shallow there but if you stay in the side channels you shouldn't hit anything.(its actually deeper there)There is a boat launch on the Anoka side as well as a pay to launch site on the Champlain side.Both are near the 169 bridge.The biggeat problem with fishing this area is that you will be bothered by jet ski's and pleasure boaters in the afternoon.Fish early and get off before noon.