Night fishing on the St Croix~ Have your spotlight

…ready.

Nothing has changed much from the previous years.

The pleasure craft still come within 100 feet of your anchored fishing boat.

Before dark, I asked my two female clients to help me keep an eye out for boats heading our way. I said it’s a busy river, nothing to be worried about, but three sets of eye are better than one.

By the time the night was over, they were watching for boats and cruisers more than the fishing poles. I would guess there was less than 400 yards between our boat and Dtros. To many boats and SHIPS passed through our area. There was a quarter mile of river from the outside of the boats to the WI shore line.

The one thing I did realize for the first time last night is when looking up stream I think our boat navigational lights blend in with the city lights of Stillwater. This might lead to some of the close calls.

I know that pleasure craft have just as much right to be on the water as a fisherman does…an 90% of the boaters did go around the 4 or 5 boats out there…it’s just the few that see the boats ahead of them and make it dangerous out there.

Keep your spot light within reach and watch out for the other guy!

Quote:

---

when looking up stream I think our boat navigational lights blend in with the city lights of Stillwater.

---

This is very true. Always a good idea to flash the spot light every few seconds when on the move.

I came up on a boat this summer that I didn’t know was there. South of the train bridge where it is dark, and beyond where it is lit up is hard to tell whats what.

Another time I came up to what appeared to be a new cement pillar was a big cruiser with a dingy on the back covering his back light.

((Good point Brian, I hope this post helps someone.))

Yeah it was a scary one out there. One of those boats decided to have some words with us after we lit em up.

I do agree that we probably blend in with the city lights, but then the boats should slow down and idle through that area.

Here’s a quick vid of one of the boats. This was nowhere near the worst one though

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2dc3Lu67yMQ

I caught the word Holy and can imagine what it was followed by
That just nut’s…..no reason for it. Pool 8 has a good number of cruisers and I appreciate there courtesy. Not that there are not one or 2 bone heads around.

I keep my spot handy and will put up with stupid words after lighting someone up rather than get smacked or a wall of water in the boat.

Good reminder of things that go bump in the night Brian

That one was a mile a way compared to the others!

I’m thinking it’s time the water patrol is notified and asked to sit close by for a night or two…they could use some extra income.

Quote:

---

Good reminder of things that go bump in the night Brian

---

So far since I’ve live here (15 years) I’ve only heard of pleasure craft collisions and their drownings.

If this continuous I’m certain there will be a fishing boat hit. It’s just a matter of time.

I watched that wooow!!! yikes!! Holy **** is right.

I am glad I don’t fish that far south. That doesn’t make for a nice fishing trip.

I’m seriously not kidding when I say that that video is only an average example. We had a bigger one come by that was closer and faster. We stood up and raised our hands and the driver just shrugged as he went by.
Well…. that was followed by our boat nearly getting swamped and some not so choice words by the occupants

We had three things that come together that was poison for the fishing boats.

1. Hot Weather
2. Calm Conditions
3. Saturday
4. Brian K giving them just enough room to squeeze through

It also didn’t help that we were having motor issues and just didn’t want to take a chance going anywhere else.

Where’s the 40 degree weather when you need it?

She’s crazy out there no doubt!

Only a few times I haven’t felt safe in a boat…

– MN River at night in the thick fog during low water
– Mille Lacs when its rough
– Anytime on the St Croix anchored Sturgeon Fishing

I’ll put my St Croix sturgeon adventures right up at the top of the “pucker factor” list. These boats just don’t heed the right of way.

I haven’t been out there yet this year but I don’t miss it. On the real bad days you’ll come home, plop on the couch to watch TV, and you’ll swear to God the couch is rocking back and forth. Those waves will screw up a guys equilibrium after awhile.

Seriously why hasn’t anyone called the water patrol??? send them the video, this is illegal. I didn’t have any incidents when I was out, i’ll guarantee that I’d chase one down to get the name of the boat.

Quote:

---

I’m thinking it’s time the water patrol is notified and asked to sit close by for a night or two…they could use some extra income.

---

I hope someone makes a call. They should see that video.

From p31 of the 2008 Boating Guide:

Quote:

---

It’s against the law:
* To operate a watercraft in a careless or reckless manner
* To operate a watercraft so that its wash or wake endangers, harasses, or interferes with any person or property

---

Just because it happens all the time doesn’t make it safe or legal.

Kid rock makes this look pretty cool in his video.

You can never be too prepared on the Croix!

Personally in my Boat on the Croix I have everything lit up including Bow and Stern lights at all times along with Headlamps and glow lights on all rods and passengers.

My spotlight is always in my lap and the blow horn is close buy! I periodically start the engine to make sure she’ll fire quickly if I need to take evasive action.

I do need to be more persistant on Life Jacket usage. I only have 2 inftablies one of which I wear but some of my friends won’t even use the Inflatible kind let alone the standard PFD type.

My starting battery went dead on my Saturday night…you’ve never seen anyone change a trolling motor battery to the starter battery as fast as I did!

There’s only one person that can get into my boat without a pfd on and that’s my brother in law. It’s not worth the hassle…but anyone else and the boat doesn’t move…especially on the Croix.

With the inflatables out on the market now, you don’t even know your wearing them.

Good point about leaving all the lights on Pier. I notice a boat that had a lantern in the middle too…(electric).

I know this has been brought up before in jest…but seriously…what is the range of a paint ball gun?

It it’s less than 100 ft, could that be used as evidence?

I can tell you this. We had a slingshot in the boat. Little pea size hole in hull might take a while to “show up”

It was very tempting

Seriously Dtro, do you think if I would have moved closer to you it would have made a difference?

I mean besides them being closer to one of us?

No I really don’t.

I think a great idea would be to have a little GTG and anchor all the boats in a straight line across the river…Convoy Style.

Now that would be some quality entertainment.

No laws broken, and by the time the Sheriff shows up, I bet we could really stack em in

Quote:

---

by the time the Sheriff shows up

---

…someone would be hurt!

…but I like your thinking.

I might get out this weekend if everything falls into place. I’ll see if any of the Washington County’s Finest would like to go sturgeon fishing. They would have to bring thier own boat though.

Quote:

---

I might get out this weekend if everything falls into place. I’ll see if any of the Washington County’s Finest would like to go sturgeon fishing. They would have to bring thier own boat though.

---

Brian, I think you are onto something there. Invite a couple of Washington County sheriffs along for a free guide trip so they can experience the fishery from the fisherman’s point of view. Bring a small boat too! I don’t think it would take very long to get the point across that these big cruisers are operating recklessly.

Quote:

---

Seriously Dtro, do you think if I would have moved closer to you it would have made a difference?

I mean besides them being closer to one of us?

---

You could always try setting up some marker bouys for your fishing area. Some 80lb power pro attached to a milk jug and a 3 oz weight or heavier. Place these a far enough way from your boat so that the sturgeon won’t get tangled in them. If the big boats want to run them over and tangle them in their prop that is their decision. Same thing work for boats skiing a little close to my fishing areas on lakes.

Quote:

---

Quote:

---

Seriously Dtro, do you think if I would have moved closer to you it would have made a difference?

I mean besides them being closer to one of us?

---

You could always try setting up some marker bouys for your fishing area. Some 80lb power pro attached to a milk jug and a 3 oz weight or heavier. Place these a far enough way from your boat so that the sturgeon won’t get tangled in them. If the big boats want to run them over and tangle them in their prop that is their decision. Same thing work for boats skiing a little close to my fishing areas on lakes.

---

Nah, go straight to the 130# with a 6oz lead on it. that’ll hold plenty tight enough to get a mass of lead beating the @(!#_!@ out of the lower unit, or the hull in the case of an inboard.