Want some action?

I couldn’t stand it today. I told my wife Sunday (when it was snowing) that I wasn’t going out again until it warmed up. Well I don’t know if 50 is warmed up…but with the sun out..I just had to go.

Ran down to the Kinni. There were a couple boats on the south end and, at one time 10 at the north end. I never saw a fish caught. Although I sure there was. I picked up a shorty on the way down the straight and sauger/lunch on the way up. Thought I would try some of the breaks along the beach on the north end.

Never left that spot!

From 4 to 6:30 it was fish after fish…ok, here’s the catch…Silver Bass…some approaching 2 lbs. One right after another. What a fighting fish (they actually put a walleye to shame) Dang, did I say that out loud!

No, I don’t keep Silver’s…but I don’t keep most of the eye’s I catch. Some would say Silver’s are too easy…but I say…beats the heck out of the action those guys were having fishing for eyes! And I had the whole bay to myself!

Sandbar, Eyejacker was out there too.

Silver bass? Are you sure they weren’t Blue Bass? I want pics.

Tim, check Opener Repo on this thread. Pic of Brian loving his bass.

Brian, the first step towards recovery is accepting that you have a catfishing dysfuntion.

No pic’s today. I did have one dandy “Blue Bass” ( that cracks me up!) that gave me a tussle.

I don’t know…I may have to rethink this whole bass thing…the bigger ones really smacked my rap and put up a much better fight than than a walleye…and when was the last time you caught 30+ catfish in 4 hours?

Hmmmmm….

nice going Briank. At least you got out and sounds like having fun.
think I’m grounded for the rest of the week yet. I tore a muscle in the calf of my R leg about 2 weeks ago on the river, and last week I cracked a couple of ribs reaching for something in my boat parked in the garage. wasn’t mending with all my activities so now I’m paying for it. gotta get mended up. But I did thnk about it today. Even went and got gas for the boat. but that was it.
thanks for the post.

Tuesday was a beautiful day on the water compared to last Saturday and Sunday. It was fun to fish without 5 layers of clothes on. The bite was pretty slow for me. I picked up 4 short Walleye, 1 sheepie, and two legal 15.5″ and 16.5″ Walleye. Missed a few decent bites and had my fair share of snags. Looking forward to 70 degrees today!

I have a question for you Croix rats. Do the 14″ Walleye seem to be fighting like 18″+ Walleye? I know it’s early in the season and it takes time to get “the feel” of a legal sized fish, but those 14″ fish seem to be very healthy and strong.

Sandbar

Hey Brian,

Where was your 7 weight? I’ve had the pleasure of nailing a bunch of Silvers with a fly rod. It was one of the few times in my life where I had to quit fishing because my arms were getting worn out. They’ll hit streamers, Muddlers, poppers, pretty much anything as long as it’s white or shiny and about the right size. You should try it some time as it’s a real hoot.

Rootski

Great minds think alike Rootski! Normally I carry my 6 weight with me for just this type of situation…or if it’s nice, I’ll fish the rocks for bass.

To be honest…I don’t know if a 6/7 would handle the larger silvers…BUT if the wife doesn’t go along today…I’ll let you know!

(She has enough piercings already)

Fishing Machine…take it easy!! Sit home, watch Dr Phil for a few days while snacking on your pickled pike….

Well take it easy anyway…for some reason I don’t think your a Dr Phil follower!

PS Don’t you have any sons that could fill your boat for you?

Brian,

I landed a lot of Largemouth Bass over 18 inches last summer, the best at 22 inches (6 lb class) on my magic 6 weight. A 6 or 7 weight is more than enough for a Silver. I don’t use my 8 weight unless I’m throwing bigger bugs. The fly size determines what i’ll use more than the size of the fish. We should do this while the Silvers are running!

Rootski

Briank,

Two posts in a row that you mentioned BASS

I knew you would come to the dark side

Ron

Thinking that those silver’s would be hitting like sunfish again today, (should have known better…the wind changed) I took my wife down there because she got all of my yard work done…( if you believe that…)

I couldn’t even mark a fish in that same area. Pulled three short eyes out of there…and on LITTLE silver.

Fishen…can’t live with it…can’t live….

I think a few people read your post Brian. Last night there was a flotilla on the location you described.

I hear ya Mike, I thought of that as I was submitting… then thought…It might do the river good to ge soon of those fish out… Take a little presure off the eyes and let some folks have some fun…

If they were reading my posts…and went out..and got skunked…it’s likely to be the last time they listen to me!

Don’t be giving away the hot eye spot-on-spot over the public forum or you may find company at night chasing those cats in the secret places…..

With duct tape… or worse…I bet!

What time were you looking that way Suz? I was over there until about 6 pm…there was one flat bottom boat…(I don’t think they were fishing ) and a couple that just meandered through….

It’s funny…I asked at Beanies where they were hitting (eyes) they said the Hudson Channel wasn’t doing anything. If I wanted keepers, go to the Catfish bar…(where few are fishing). I asked at windmill marina and they said the Hudson channel and the Kinni….

So…once again, when I’m asked where the eye’s are biting on the Croix…I say…”All Over”. And that’s the truth!

I don’t think it’s always as much “where” they are hitting as it is putting in the time. People came and left on the spot I was fishing the other night but I stayed there because I knew the fish were there and I caught 5 keepers in 2.5 hours and a few shorts. I had 4 of those keepers in about an hour. Lots of bites at times too. They turn on and off. You just need to be in front of them when they turn on.I left early but I’m certain I could have limited if I tried. I released all fish that night.

Oh those finicky walleyes, I have encountered that same thing where the bite turns on and off too. The croix walleye feeding pattern is not as predictable as one would think. The fish there definitely have a mind of their own. It has been said before by many others that sometimes the best bite is right in the middle of the day, which I have experienced myself. Sometimes it’s nice when all the people move away because they are not biting and you stay there and have the spot all to yourself.

Suzuki says…Don’t be giving away the hot eye spot-on-spot over the public forum or you may find company at night chasing those cats in the secret places…..

Right on Suzuki, my thoughts exactly!
Turk

Guys,could someone explain to me…how a silver bass post turned into a “don’t post where the eyes are” warning post….?

I’m confused?

Thought I would chase some eye’s today…little breezy this afternoon…but you could find some sheltered areas out of the wind that held fish…

I was fishing a river in North America, in the upper midwest. Using a worm that I bought from an undisclosed source and a generic lindy rig.

I worked most of the places close to home that were listed on the Hotspots map and had more than 10 boats in the area. If the fish were hitting there…(and they could have been) it was too crowded for me.

So, in checking out the Hotspots map a little closer, I found some darkened areas that listed areas that hold walleyes.

Checked out a couple of those on the East side of this North American River and lucked into some fish. Unfortunatly all seven of them were REAL short. I can’t say the lenght, it might give away the general river I was fishing…but then again…they were REAL short.

Although no fish made it to the live well, it was a great afternoon to be on any North American River.

PS All the reports from locals say they are catching legals, trolling, spinners, lindy’s…but they aren’t jumping into the boat. Put in a little time and you will have yourself a meal.

Pss If you see a boat with an American Flag on the anchor light…swing over and say Hi…but don’t mention it on this board…don’t want to give out any secrets of the Croix…(Rats, did I say that out loud!)

Psss…If you want to catch fish on the Croix…don’t follow me…

Oh take er easy Brian. Just a little friendly hinting. True, but friendly. I’ll pm my hot spots to you anytime you ask.

I pm my hotspots to you…but I don’t think you are interested in silvers….

Good Point suzuki, spending quality time on confidence spots when the bite is tough often produces more at the end of the day than running around all day, you can’t score if you don’t shoot and if you are going to shoot, shoot to score in other words keep your lines in the water in your best spots!

Atleast that is how my High School Hockey Coach would have said it.

Lindy
In-Depthangling Field Staff
Lindy’s St. Croix River Guide Service
http://www.fishthestcroix.com
715-220-2777

Too FUNNY!
Brian, as you know, I was blamed for telling the world about Buffalo Slough! And the Vermillion River! You know they never existed before I uttered their names!
The nice thing about this site is that people are honest, and give out good tips and advice. It makes us all better fisherfolks. I get just as many “Thank You” posts as I do the nasty ones. Hey, you still have to catch the fish, right?
Tuck

If you are looking for some of the best white bass action I have seen give the upper croix a try right now. Just got back from franconia with Adam and the white bass where just nuts. Rock Island is just silly with them and alot of other holes and current seems had constant white bass surface feeding at them. Surface lures worked great today. Small spoons, Floating raps, and poppers all took lots of fish. Just as long as it stays next to the surface there is a good chance a bass will hit it. Even took a few fish dead sticking float raps.

On the other hand, where did al the walleyes go? We could not even find one today. It did not help that the bass bite distracted us.

Adams got the largest white bass today that was 18″. She was a brute. Most fish where very good sized.

This post will self destruct in 20 seconds due to its content of vital fishing information.

You guys are too silly!

A couple PM’s and a valuum and I settled down.

I talked with Putz today. He was <censored> them out on the Croix…ended up with <censored> with the smallest <censored> in. and the largest <censored>.

The location is <censored> and the other <censored> using his secret walleye lure… <censored>.

Big brother must be watching over me again…

Ok kidding around aside….

I think the problem is that no one is really hitting them hard. Sure, spend the time out there and you’ll come home with some fish. But it’s not like I expected it to be for the opener.

I haven’t talked with EVERYONE, but eveyone I have talked to has said the same thing whether they are useing live bait or cranks…put in the time and you’ll have some nice fish.

So when someone finds an area that they can get a half a limit by working it…they are protective. Nothing wrong with that. The other piece is that there are a LOT of fishing boats out there. If they see someone fishing an area they may not go there today…but next time their out, they’ll drag a worm across the area a few time….I know I’ve done that a number of times…sometimes it pays off…sometimes not.

MN lakes will be open soon, that’s going to take a lot of preasure off the Croix.

Just my opinion.

Ps a freind was up by the Arcola bridge Sunday. Said the same thing about the Silvers….Time to find that fly rod!

Brian, I’m with you on that opener theory. The wife is having some sort of Tupperware party Sunday and (sadly) i have been asked to leave the house, all day. I am hoping to have the Croix nearly to myself!

Hope the weather’s good for you Greg…I doubt that you’ll be alone…We’ve had some warmer weather which brought along some cruiser hatches. It’s not bad…yet.

If the temps get out of the 40’s I’ll see you out there!
Sheesh the water temps will probably dive again after the next two days.