Question for you river rats. In your experience, does the extremely high water (like it sounds like we will have this weekend) turn the fish off to the point that my time would be better spent duck hunting instead of trying to boat a few eyes? I’m still learning river fishing dynamics and any insight is appreciated. By the way, as my post earlier in the week indicated, I’m thinking about the St. Croix south of Hudson. Thanks.
High water equils some of the best walleye fishing of the year. This is for the guys that can find the fish. In high water they seem to bunch up in places out of the current. Once you find one there is a good chance that many more are right behind it. The trick is locating them.
I also think they bite more aggrisely during high water. With the clowdy conditions high water brings it does not seem like great feeding conditions for sight feeding fish. This is why I thinnk when you get something in front of them they are on it. If not it is gone into the muddy water. Clearer conditions they can watch it go by and decide if they want it or not.
On the upper croix i would head into the back waters looking for walleyes. Not sure of the loser part. Guess I would start with current breaks and close to the shore line. Lost alot of jigs to brush on the shoreline on pool 2 this spring.
I have another related question. Will this quick cool down and raise in water start bringing fish upstream toward the dams, or is it to early? Will this bring the fish out of the backwaters toward the current, or the opposite? Just curious, I look to do some exploring Sunday/Monday myself on pool 10.
I would think out of the channel towards areas with less currents. Look for current seems and places with eddys. It was interisting this spring with the rising water watching the walleyes move from a tip of a wingdam nearest the channel to the middle of the wingdam and then to the shoreline. Even from there the water came up more and they moved about 20′ up the shoreline into and near a bunch of brush. As the water dropped the worked there way back out to the tip and then left in the shallow water.
With the back waters you have down there I would think a good bet would be to just keep traveling and looking for current seems. For get the live bait. Work these areas with crank baits and jigs with plastic or hair. Keep checking good looking areas and deffently come back to areas where you have found fish. Putting a milk run together can make for some productive days on the water.
Not sure about that movement towards the dam.
I actually like high water because most pools at normal flow allow the fish to go anywhere, but high water consentrates the fish in predictable spots like eddys or wingdams. I plan on hitting Pool 2 this weekend because of the high water, I just hope its not to muddy. 
Marbels…I can’t tell you about current conditions…I haven’t been out…
But as mikew says, I’ve had some of my best fishing in high water…South of Hudson. I’ve fished a rods lenght way from shore and nailed some piggies…
MMMM
With that conversation I think I know what I am doing tomorrow.
Do any of you guys honor the full moon and head out a dusk on the Croix?
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