Croix opener

Not sure if I have missed another post but the croix chatter seems pretty quiet this year. Who is going out in the rain?

Croix opener, will miss it this year!

Little bit of chatter here:

http://www.in-depthoutdoors.com/community/forums/topic/the-countdown/

-J.

I’ll be out in a very quiet little area near home. Was out checking it a couple days ago and marked a bunch of fish in the normal areas. I’m kind of excited. But I’m sure it’ll be nasty weather.
But the water is at a good level again. It should be no issue to navigate this year compared to last year I couldn’t make it to the st Croix Bridge with out issue

I’ll be out in the rain. The flow should be about perfect.

I will be out this weekend too. The forecast doesn’t look too good. Hope the fish are hungry.

Pretty good opener this year. About perfect conditions. Very lite traffic at the landing and on the river. Trolled ripping raps for about 4hrs. Caught 7 walleyes. 6 where perfect keeping size. All males and all milting heavy. My boat is a mess.

Nice job Mike! I lasted about 3 1/2 hours using live bait rigs. Pretty slow for me. Only managed 1 short Walleye.

Little slower for us today. Combination of trolling and pitching jigs to find our fish today. Found six for the box again. Didn’t pay to stay on one spot to long.

Was able to put in a half day this AM, all ringworms for this guy. Lots of shorts, handful of pike, 3 19″ers

Dish out of eddies 10′

I stopped down on Saturday and did a little shore fishing. Just pitching jigs at seams. I wanted to take the boat out but took the easy way because of the weather. Still caught some for the fry pan.

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I enjoyed my time on the Croix sitting in the rain yesterday. Had fresh walleye for dinner last night to boot.

I fished Saturday through the rain. My buddy caught a 19 inch fish and I never had a bite that I know of. Planned to fish Sunday but had enough rain on Saturday. I’m still the fishless cheesehead. Hope to get the monkey off my back soon.

Mike W wrote:

Trolled ripping raps for about 4hrs.

Sounds like an interesting technique. Can you share how fast you pull them and I am assuming up river?

Thanks

Stopped by Osceola and Fanconia landing today. Talked to a boat at Osceola who got 6 total. Reports from Franconia were not at good.

Justin riegel wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Mike W wrote:</div>
Trolled ripping raps for about 4hrs.

Sounds like an interesting technique. Can you share how fast you pull them and I am assuming up river?

Thanks

I a curious as well!! Never pulled them myself either. I do really good with Rapala Ripstops but never pulled lipless.

Justin riegel wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Mike W wrote:</div>
Trolled ripping raps for about 4hrs.

Sounds like an interesting technique. Can you share how fast you pull them and I am assuming up river?

Thanks

Speed was all over the place below 2 mph. Fished less than 10′ of water. Just clip one on, cast it out and drive around. Make sure to pump the heck out of the rod and drop the rod tip back every now and again to trigger the followers.

After bite died off I gave the rippers a try, surprised how well they dive down and stay down, even in current, makes sense tho seeming how thin and heavy they are. Another tool in the river belt arsenal.

Fished Stillwater, down to swing bridge on 4/30. Water was 44.5 at Wolf Marine and was consistent throughout never getting over 45.5. Caught 9 total, 5 keepers. Trolled in 6-8 for two fish, then used graph to mark some pods and caught the rest on live bait rigs.

Terrible weather, with the wind and rain.

Another in our party caught this beaut pulling raps in shallow water.

Looking to get out tomorrow evening for a few hours.

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Nice St Croix eye, sunfish!

Out for three hours last night. Water temps up to 51-52 in the Stillwater area. 3 for the box, and 3 shorts, pulling live bait in 10-14.

Going to head a bit further south Saturday Morning for a 5-6 hour stretch, to see what’s happening.

I think I read somewhere that the Hudson city ramp was going to be closed this summer. Does anyone have information on this, whether it’s true or false? Thanks!

walleyewizard wrote:

I think I read somewhere that the Hudson city ramp was going to be closed this summer. Does anyone have information on this, whether it’s true or false? Thanks!

Correct. Work started a couple weeks ago and they aim to be open July 4. I think I read 15 additional parking spaces and the ability to stay open during higher water are part of the improvements.