RIVER EYES!

[Bassboy1645]

Hit the Mn river between St peter and kato today 330pm to 6 pm.. I drove from spot to spot via truck and fished from shore and waders. On my second cast with a #5 firetiger jointed shad rap I caught my third biggest eye ever a 23 14" eye weighing about 5 pounds!! It was on a current seam tight against the bank in a foot of water. The next stop produced a couple hits and many snags. A ways down river towards kato I caught a few fish in the 10-13 inch range again on firetiger rap. Not bad for a few casts here and there just for old times sake

[harvey lee]

Sounds like you had a good time. Most fisherman dont realize how good the river fishing can be.

[toughguy]

I like those jointed shad raps in rivers. They have nice action at slow speeds. They are my first choice in rivers. Congrats on the personal best.

[jwhawkridge]

I've fished the Blue Earth River for years. Seen a lot of strange things come up (including softshell turtles). In the last few years I've seen pike and decent walleyes come out of there. I think I'll have to try the Minnesota, thanks for the heads up!!!

[pikerliker]

I've always been interested in the river, but don't know alot about how to find them in the river. I know a few things but I'm afraid to take my boat out and lose my prop to an unseen tree, rock, sandbar, etc. I also don't like the idea of losing $5 and $7 cranks every other cast to snags!! I've tried pitching jigs and minnows from shore around LeSueur and I've got an odd walleye or sauger here and there, but I've never had what I considered a good outing. I have seen some very big walleye's taken from boats while I was shore fishing. They looked to mostly be verticle jigging. I'd love to learn how to fish the river, namely because it's closer and I don't have to drive 30-45 MN to get to it like all the lakes around here. I guess I got spoiled growing up near Buffalo MN where I could hit a lake 5 MN any direction from my house.

~piker

[jwhawkridge]

I've always had luck with a simple Lindy rig. It keeps the bait moving through the water and is also a lot cheaper to replace than lures. Pulled pike and walleyes in while I was fishing from shore. Of Course you'll get rough fish with that too...

Those lakes around Buffalo can be quite good. My girlfriend is from Delano and I fish with her brother around there. Pulaski is good, Dog, Whaletail (and Dexter) all have good fish in them.

[Bassboy1645]

Piker, as a general rule of thumb river fish of any species are more aggresive then their lake dwelling counterparts becasue food tumbles in the current and If thyre slightly hungry they have to hit the food or its gone. Not like a lake fish were it can hang around food all day. Therefore current seams, eddies, pockets, and riffles as well as backwaters, stumps, and rocks usually hold fish. Sandbars and gravel flats can be good too especially the breaks where they go into deeper water. Outside bends hold fish all day but it can be difficult to keep bait on the bottom in the main current. River water is very dingy for the most part so bright colors are a good starting point. As far as the MN river goes I wouldnt recommend any kind of boat other than a Canoe or a johnboat. Very shallow and very unpredicatbale river. Another thing is BE PREPARED! Youll never know what ur going to catch! Hope that Helps!