Help for a St. Croix 10 mile cruise (Marine and to the south)

[Slyster]

I plan to go out with a friend on Monday for a 5-10 mile cruise on the river with my little boat. We aren't there to FISH.. but I'd like a fish some. From Marine and south a some miles.. looks very interesting on a map!.. all those little islands and shallow routes. (just soutn of O'brian)

1- Bass in that area?

2- Best lure to toss?

3- Plastics vs spin/crank?

[tunrevir]

Slyster get a hotspots map for the area as it will show some of the more prominent fishing spots and tells what techniques were used to fish them. I think you will like where the apple river flows in, can be some huge pikers there and smallies with the occasional largemouth. Just a word of caution, if you head south of the Forest service houseboat towards the High bridge they will not let you return upriver. They are trying to stop the zeebs from getting upriver.

Tunrevir~

[Slyster]

Thanks for that info!

anyone have answers to my 3 questions?

I really would like to know what ONE lure I should bring to catch fish... any species.. (no live bait)... crank? Plastic?

[tunrevir]

I'd take a twistertail and spinner in 1/4oz either in black or chartreuse. The spinner is a bit more versitile as you can fish top to bottom with it and in between. Sounds like they have been getting them down south with tubes 1/8-1/4 in the shallows next5 to the rocks.

Tunrevir~

[Slyster]

Well.. we did it! Put in at the Obrien... and fished the 6 mile stretch to the high bridge.. yikes... how shallow and how slow.... caught 1 smallie and 1 tiny walleye... we tried 7-10 inch twister tails (a number of colors) with beetle spins and a wide variety of cranks. Won't fish there again. But sure would go there for exploration and scenery again! We are going again in the fall for the colors.

[croixeyes]

Slyster..You may want to check out the fishing up there in mid to late October.The eyes will start to migrate up that way again and there are alot of places that hold staging fish.Im sure there is also a descent population of fish that hold up there all year.From big cats in the holes to LARGE Pike in the spring fed areas.Like all other areas of the river,you gotta put in your time.It is an awesome place to be in the fall,and your usually by yourself.Man i cant wait til fall..Good luck out there......