Water temps are dropping and the bite will be getting better and better until the end of the Catch and Release season on Oct 15th.
ABOVE >Sturgeon Virgin Dave getting grips on his first Lake Sturgeon and Personal Best fish of his life!
We’ve caught fish on the whole gamut from crawlers, slice of sucker, fatheads and combos of each. Bait hasn’t really been in favor of one over the other so far.
Last evening as promised the Washington County Sheriff swung by. Of course with the colder weather there were 1/4 the boats on the river. No close calls…it was pretty darn peaceful with only 3 or 4 fisherman’s boats in the area.
ABOVE >Sturgeon Virgin John from St Charles MN (St Jude’s Children’s Hospital Fund Raising trip)
With the exception of one fish caught in 25 feet of water, all our fish came from the featureless 30 to 34 foot basin of the St. Croix Scenic Riverway near Bayport MN
ABOVE >Jeremy of Rochester, MN with the first sturgeon he’s ever caught or held.
The last couple nights have been cool with temps dropping to the 50’s and stiff breezes blowing us up stream. Warmer cloths is now not an option but a necessity. Gloves feel good for the short drive to the launch.
To a river fisherman, fishing up stream of the boat seems very strange. We could have held the boat with two anchors, but the fish didn’t seem to mind allowing the boat’s transom to swing up stream and fish that way. There’s very little current in the St Croix.
ABOVE >Chief Fish Finder Jesse Krook with his first St Croix River Sturgeon of 2011.
Some friendly reminders:
* To harvest a Lake Sturgeon you’ll need a $5. Lake Sturgeon tag. The fish must be 60 inches long or more. The harvest season closes at the end of September. Followed by a 2 week catch and release season. Anglers do not need a Sturgeon tag to fish-catch and release Sturgeon.
* Support all large fish by using two hands and please don’t hold our dinosaurs by their gill covers.
* Watch out for other boaters.
Good Luck and See You on the River!
