Tailend of the flathead season – Water coming up!

St Croix was 679′ this morning and 60 degrees. Water is back to early season high water fishing. Normal pool elevation is 675.5′ the river has come up 2′ in the last two days after all that rain and looks like she will go higher. With the 60 degree water temp I am going to chase some flatheads. Matt has really got me thinking my approaches to flatheads at this time of year.

I just read Flathead WI’s article “Fall Pattern Flatheads” on his webpage. Great info, Matt – Thanks. I recommend it because it does charge you up to keep on chasing flats. I was going to test out Matt’s theories and I’ve got a few spots that match his wingdam pattern pretty close. Now this high water may throw me a curve ball. I may modify Matt’s approach a little bit based on the high water. I’m hoping they have moved to wintering areas as Matt thinks and will stage from those spots into normal spring high water wingdam and shoreline spots. The weather is supposed to moderate this weekend back into the 60’s and clear. Should be shaping up to be the tailend of the season. I’m hoping we have a couple of weeks yet.

Matt – Has this high water changed your approach at all?

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Matt – Has this high water changed your approach at all?

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Drastically – my new approach is, “Get out there and fish before all hell breaks loose!”

My favorite spots are not fishable in the way I normally fish them if the water flow is above about 50,000. Can’t anchor the boat safely! That means I have tomorrow night and Saturday night to fish, then the season may pass me by. I don’t think it will change where the fish are – I think the current down on the back wall of the wingdam and in the scour hole will remain livable, although they might skirt the edges more and stick tighter to cover. I’ve fished spots like this in really high water from different vantage points and still got fish, but never hammered them.

I’ve got a feeling my flathead season on the St Croix may be over. The river gauge at Stillwater was temporarily relocated while they repaired the bridge. The rising high water overtook the temporary location of the reading gauge and they had to take it down before it drowned out. Using the Prescott gauge the St Croix River is at 681′ and the chart looks like a rocket on the way to the moon (up 5.5′ and still going). The river is at 681′ now and at 683′ they make the entire river “No Wake”. I’m wondering how high she is going to crest at. This creates an interesting end to the catfishing season. I’m not ready to hang up the sticks quite yet.