good bite

[Walli1]

Went out early this morning and the bite was again hot,boated our limits in a couple hours, back to do yard work by 8:30 great day, fish were shallow again and tubs with 1/8 weight were the key, have another trip planned for the morning

[tberrict]

likewise Wali. We went through 3 dozen crawlers in less than 2 hours. Then the rain came and we left. I'm not sure if I saw you or not. There were 2 red lund boats, both with white motors. Would either have been you?

[hitthebricks]

I didn't do so well, just a large and small cat and a large and small eye. Walli I think you were already gone by the time I got on the water at the Bluff Launch so I may have missed the hot bite completly . Also looking at you previous posts I think I was fishing too deep (18-28"). How were you presenting the jigs. HTB

[croixeyes]

Last two weekends now I have been finding decent eyes in 16 to 21 feet trolling cranks.Hasent been one after the other but consistant action,more legal size fish than shorts.On a side note,the sheephead seem to be more in tune to hitting my crankbaits.Typically in deeper water than the eyes are coming from.Oh well,they are all welcome in my boat,I just invite a select few to stay....Good luck out there......

[Walli1]

A sight rain delay,but it turned out pretty good bought home another nice meal of eyes, this rain has helped the bite out but over all this is by far one of the better years I've had, havn't came up empty handed yet on any of the trips, this morning found them again willing to take the tube jig tipped with a piece on crawler. Got a few shallow early but then stumbled on a nice school suspended off a steep drop 12-15 down in 40+ feet checked with the camera and sure enough they were eyes, floated down lite weight tub jigs and picked up some nice eater models, fun

[baldav]

Hi all,

I'm new to fishing the Croix and consider myself a novice fisherman that's working hard to improve my skills. I've fished the river 4 times this summer and haven't gotten skunked until yesterday. I went out of the bluffs (6:20 am)and fished spinners with crawlers in the K-channel, which produced one sheephead in 35 fow. Trolled some cranks on the way back to the launch (including the flats outside of the launch) without any takers. Didn't see many fish boated, but I guess I didn't see Walli1

Given Walli1's report, the question I have for you guys is what's a tube jig? what weight would you use for 12-18 fow? for 35-40 fow? Is the jig colored? If so, are there in hot colors that produce better then others? How do you rig the crawler on the jig, through the head or through the middle? I'd be greatful for any knowledge you guys could impart. Thanks.

[Juan Grande]

Had a decent morning out on the river. Boated about 5 species of fish including a nice 17.5 inch smallie which is my biggest to date on the river. Caught it on a buzz bait while casting the shores.

I think the shad are schooling up. We launched out of Bluffs and started working the adjacent shoreline. In a couple spots, the water started boiling with minnows and fish chasing them. We cast some poppers and other topwaters into the schools, but there were no takers.

My buddy picked up one white bass (striper?) with a white Mr. Twister. I'm guessing that's what was feeding on the minnows. Tons of carp surfacing too.

What's a good way to imitate those shad? I tried casting topwaters, a small silver floating Rap, rattle traps, spinners, etc. but they wouldn't hit. I'm guessing a crappie minnow under a bobber would have been deadly.

Noticed quite a few boats fishing that flat right out in front of St. Croix Bluffs.

[Walli1]

I've tried alot of different set ups,couple of weeks ago bobbering was good, cranks seem to alway catch something, I love to lindy rig the best, either plain hook or varies bead colors, glow whites seem to do better but I've been working on split shoting, the last couple tournaments I fished were won by this method (little crow anglers, green lake spicer) but it really is tough to learn. The last week or so I've been having good success on tub jigs (Gitzit )salt and pepper colors. I either rig them up on a 1/8 oz jig head black or hook them with a wide gap #6 on a split shot rig tipped with a crawler its hard to get use to fishing that way cause the line pretty much floats and you need to drop alot of line, unless you can stay on top of them but when you feel them there on, with rain like we've had I find water run in areas, small drain areas seem to produce in early morning

[hitthebricks]

Walli, Do you cast, troll or bottom bounce the tubes and what size tubes do you use? Thanks HTB

[Walli1]

When I fish with tubes usually troll and hover, I don't use bouncers because it cuts down the action of the tube, I modify the 3.75 tube seems to glide better. Hey Jimmy it was a blast this morning, sorry we came up short, next time!

[Walli1]

went to the river early couldn't get much action on tub jigs but picked up a couple lindy rigging with crawlers in 22 feet found the bait and the eyes were right underneath, trip planned for early saturday morning, somewhere around the kini

[Walli1]

Got to the river early 4ish fished in front of buffs park had one line with a tube jig tipped with a crawler and one lindy rigged with a leech got one on the tub jig and two on a leech, switched from a jig to a crawler and couldn't buy a walleye, moved to above the kinni ran into a couple more eyes around cat fish bar caught quite a mix bag of fish. Went in and picked up more crawlers at wind mill than headed backdown to below the kinni hit a couple gps spots but it didn't pay off, so after twelve hours on the water I picked up a nice meal of eyes and caught alot of other fish, plus I did however get really wet and had fun doing it, beats work!

[BigWadeS]

Hey Walli,

Just curious where you put in at that early in the am. I would love to get out before 6am at the bluffs

[Walli1]

I've been launching out of hubs marina in hastings for years its 10 bucks, but for me its worth it cause its a easy in and out and hardly ever a wait, plus I like to get out real early and I don't mind a longer boat ride to get where I'm going. It would be nice if a person could launch earlier than 6 at the buff park, cause I fish that flat alot and have done really well in that area early but seems like after sun up the fishing slows.

[LuckyNorm07]

havent fished the croix much in the mouring.. went out sunday in the am.. a few small 10'' eyes and sauger mixed.. a few rock bass.. decided to go out for the evening bite as well.. so back to the river i went with the cloudy cond.. havent had alot of luck on the river with eyes.. the biggest eye i have ever caught was 24'' in canada.. well my brother and i were tossing plastics along the shoreline break and wham.. i caught a 29.5'' eye.. a very healthy and fat eye.. got a few pics and back in the water to fight another day.. just wanted to post on my nice catch..dont think im going to get a replica(i want to hit the 30'' mark) just curious to see if there are alot of big eyes in the river that are caught.. whats your biggest eye caught on the croix??

[rosspj59]

Congrats on the nice fish LuckyNorm! I can't seem to break 26 inches on the croix. I have a caught a few that size in fishing out there the past 4 years. This year has produced multiple 29"+ walters out there this year for others on the board and in tournaments. Good job releasing the big fish, hopefully you can find her again next year when she grows another inch.

[Walli1]

Nice walleye glad to here you released it, I've fish the river for eight years and the biggest one I've caught and released was 27" but theres been alot of 19-26s I released,I keep only the eater models 15-18s, Once again nice fish and thanks for the release