Bigger fish

[Turk]

The bigger walleyes are showing up on the St. Croix...from my view I still don't see a lot of 15 - 20" ers and limits are coming in but few...however bigger is better, and bigger eyes are turning up. We got a 26" and a 22" today, also the bigger one is on www.croixsippi.com in case you want to eye it up. Caught on jigs and cranks in 20 feet.

Also the DNR was out and caught two anglers fishing from the same boat with three short fish in the box!!! they were anchored in the Kinni narrows today, mighty expensive fishing trip...

Keep Catchin'
Turk

[TRZ]

good to hear more big ones are showing up. 26' is a real hog for the river. Sometimes it blows my mind how many people don't even know there is a slot on the river-especially all the weekend warriors that swarm the river in the winter. i have seen many a 14' walleye frozen on the ice in a colony.

[Sinker]

Yeah,that's right TRZ.How many did we have to put back this past winter that were "almost" legal but not worth getting a ticket for?Dozens.From what all you guys are saying about the abundance of "just shy of legal" walleyes being caught this spring on the river,it should be pretty good this winter,eh? Good Luck Fishing!!!

[Ferny]

Hey Turk, What presentation and depth are your bigger fish >legals coming on?

I hit from Afton to Hudson Sunday and released a ton of saugy's 8"-16" and only 1 eye 14.9999". They were mostly in 20+- feet. I tried jig/minnow, lindy minnow/crawler, 3 way/crank. Everything was working but jigging was the funnest. I got a 10" channel cat on the crank and it barked at me the whole time I was taking it off :-) Cruizers and sun got the best of me and I left.

Thanks,

Ferny.

[Turk]

Ferny,

Both crawlers, leeches, and crankbaits. And the range has been around 20 feet deep. Sunday I talked to Veteran Guide Ed Philpot and he saw two dudes with an big big 10lb class fish they were hauling around and they told him they got it around 20 feet...

Turk

[TRZ]

Sinker, by all indications we should have no problem bringing home plenty of eaters this year, last year it was hit or miss on the keepers. this year more of the fish we get should be 15+. actually i don't really care but the people i take out for the day usually like to keep some fish. and sometimes it is nice to eat some fresh eye! If you want to get out on the river this weekend give me an e-mail- or let me know on the board.

[Ferny]

Thanks Turk, By the way didn't you unseat Eddy as the River Rat tourney winner the last few years?

I guess I'll try some leeches again. I haven't used them on the river for years since minners seem to do so well. I also started using crawlers (green too) again after talking to Tim at Brothers. It's hard to beat the fatty though in my book!

Ferny.

[Turk]

Ferny,

How late into the year do you use fatheads on the Croix? For jigging they always are a big help, but what about rigging, any thoughts...

Good luck!
Turk

[Fisherman For a Lifetime]

I've fished the Croix the past couple days and the bite has slowed quite a bit in the 94 bridge area. The size has also decreased too. Leeches has worked well the past few weeks.

Any tips where the bigger ones went...?

Thanks in advance and good luck!

[Ferny]

Hey Turk, I'll use fattys on bouncers and spinners all through the summer. Then in the fall I'll either crank or jig. The kids and I did real good MN opener anchored on the WI side. We were using crawlers and minnows but that day the crawlers (green) were the ticket Slip bobbering and rigging.

This year I have started using crawlers and leeches again for rigging after many years of not using them. The reason I quit using other bait was too many sheepskins. Tim at Brothers Bait talked me into them again and refining my technique. I'm glad he did!

Ferny.

[Sturgeon46]

My favorite so far this year has been a willow spoon on a three-way rig. Minnow/half crawler/leech.

[crappie getter]

Weird year I have been having alot of trouble finding keeper and beyond walleyes. Alot of 14 1/2" fish. All my buddies are having the same problem!!?? Last year it was no problem finding 18"+ fish. With the water getting back to normal maybe they will show up!

crappie getter,

------------------
Chris's Croix Guide Service
http://fishingminnesota.com/stcroixguide/
(651) 458-1899
[email protected]
St. Croix River

[Ferny]

Sturgeon, That's interesting. A couple years ago I tried some very light silver salmon spoons about 4" long. I put them on BB's and fished side by side with a spinner and minner for a test. They did pretty well until I snagged them and broke off. I was just experimenting and it seemed to work just fine. It would probably work better behind 3-ways. The eyes and saugys had no problem getting hooked as well as a big crappie with the entire treble inside his mouth! How the heck can they do that?

Ferny.

[Sturgeon46]

Ferny - I think you know the willow spoons I mean. I'm floating them just a little with a small hollow plastic ball in front. They look so good in the water, I'm tempted to eat them!

[This message has been edited by Jim W (edited 06-06-2003).]