Croix Sturgeon

So after seeing the inspiring recent episode of IDO, st croix sturgeon, I decided to target them last night. Was in one of my crappie spots,8-11pm 35 fow, used the same technique with a spoon, crawlers, fatheads, and a snowman lol. Saw one a few big marks near bottom, no bites. Wondering how many you sturgeon guys typically mark in a night? I’m thinking I need to relocate? in a basin area near Bayport now. Also are the guys who setup near the Kingplant targeting sturgeon? Thanks in advance for any input!

Tyeye wrote:

Also are the guys who setup near the Kingplant targeting sturgeon?

I would say yes. I’ve fished up there before and caught a few. Be careful of the open water near the discharge.

I usually setup and fish no more than an hour without a bite. Keep moving til you find fish.

Thanks biggill, planning on heading out tomorrow, I’ll post my report.

Headed out tonight targeting sturgeon again. About 12 ‘bites detected, ie our bobbers falling off our snowmen and all with marks on the bottom. No fish on ice, exciting though!

Mud puppies. They show up as small marks on your screen. Annoying. When a sturgeon moves in you know it. The stir up the bottom and in general root around until they find your bait.

When you get a bite, do you lift your bait off the bottom to make sure a fish isn’t on there?

With mud puppies, I would just lift the bait while they bite and see if the dang thing is still clamped on. They just clamp onto your bait all the way to the top. I try to shake the off. Yuck!

I had an inkling it was mud puppies! No I couldn’t contain my excitement and went right for the hookset. Never felt any extra weight though. Thinking I’ll relocate and try again this week, I’ll post if my luck changes!

You will know when you see a sturgeon on the graph… If I can give any advise to spots it would be to stay away from other people!!! Sitting by others does no good. You want them to isolate your bait and be able to find it with ease. They can smell from a ways away.

Thanks Buschman, I’m planning on going out tomorrow night, I’ll post my report. I tend to stay away from other people for other reasons anyway so I got that part covered!

Still Sturgeonless…. did get a mud puppy, and my first croix after dark crappie! Will have to try again next week, new spot.

What have you guys been seeing for ice conditions? I was thinking about driving my truck out there.

As long as you know where you’re going, the ice is fine (as it can be).

Any problem areas in particular? Was going to head out in Bayport.

Same problem areas as always

King Power Plant discharge area
Mallalieu Lake dam area

Neck down area around Hudson.

If you don’t stray too far from the Anderson Ice Road you be fine. Once you get away from that and other fishermen, all bets are off and you’re on your own.

I just don’t feel comfortable listing places that are safe. It’s a river and that means it can change. I don’t know your ability, experience or to be honest…common sense and I don’t want to see your name in the paper tomorrow as drowning because of some guys instruction on “safe ice”. Know what I mean?

I hear ya. Experienced on the ice just not St Croix. I’ll stick to the areas I know are good.

I’ll agree with Brian on this. I’ve drive a few miles up and down but never away from other people or doing my own trailblazing. I’ve seen the warm water from the discharge go all directions down and up river in my boat.

I’ve lived near the croix my whole life and just this winter got into fishing sturgeon through the ice. I can agree that the furthest you can get from any activity the better(obviously use caution). We landed this brute last week in the main channel that had no significance to it whatsoever. the biggest part is being in the right place at the right time!

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Nice fish there!! looks like a chunky one. Bet it was a good fight!

Nice one iversonhunter!

It’s amazing that we have that kind of fishery right here and relatively few know about it or that sturgeon even exist!

Great catch iversonhunter! Im out again tonight, new spot, nothing yet…

No luck last night, im going to give it one more go tonight, anyybody know hiw the road/ice is to and around highline pt?

That’s a beast!

nice fish. I’ve fished the Croix since 2000. never caught one of those beasts. I use crawlers a lot. think I would at least luck into a couple over the last 18 years

Thanks guys! It was an awesome fight! Had our extra stiff trout rod completely bent and the drag screaming for 25 minutes. 63″ long and about 75 pounds

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