I saw a guy fishing today, for what?

[Ely Lake Expert]

I noticed a guy fishing the st. louis river by forbes today, what is in there right now that you can keep?

[Proctor Pete]

I think I saw the same guy on Saturday, (yesterday) while going for a ride and wondered the same thing. It wasn't like he was trying to hide or anything so could he have been targeting 'cats? I dunno so this is a good question.-Pete

[Ely Lake Expert]

I don't have a rule book handy, can you fish cats right now? Or when does the season start for them, they are fun to catch and release.

[Fisher Dave]

If inland seasons apply to the area, cats are open year around.

[Lowe]

I don't think cat season opens until next weekend. Could be wrong.

He was more than likely fishing for black suckers. They're thick in the St. Louis and are fun to fish for this time of year. Crawler off the bottom is all you need, the mouths of small feeder creeks or in a fast water/slow water seam is the best bet. Lots of bones but they're very good smoked. Later in the year the meat can get soft and taste muddy, but during pre-spawn the meat is white and firm.

Fisher Dave did you leave Floodwood?

[Fisher Dave]

Sure did .. I had enough of *Dodge City* of the north for a lifetime... lack of work, and people stealing everything that wasn't nailed down, and a few things that were.. I figured I better get out before I lost everything, or killed someone trying to take it.

I will still be in the area from time to time... but I can go there and back on a tank of gas... the fishing on the st louis can be worth it.

[buffelhead]

The Suckers are thick there now, You can catch all ya want!

[FlagUp]

I wanna catch some suckers... Anywhere around Cloquet where they r runnin? I want some good clean ones to smoke up.

[Lowe]

FlagUp, this weekend should be pretty good for suckers, maybe even a little early (ice went out a week ago). There should be about a week-long run of blacks, and then the redhorse will start biting. I don't keep the redhorse tho I've heard some people do.

I fish in the Brookston area, not too far from Cloquet. There's several really good spots right in town, but I'm sure you can catch them up and down the length of the river. The mouth of any medium or larger sized feeder creek is going to have suckers around.