St Croix open upstream of Stillwater

The St Croix River is open from the Stillwater Lift Bridge upstream. I checked from the public access north of Stillwater and the Boom site this afternoon. River looks open at least up to the High Bridge. There were some good sized ice flows drifting downstream with the current. Water level is recorded at 676.22 (normal is 675). The water is low and clear. From downtown Stillwater the ice looks like it is stacked up downstream as far as you can see. The lack of snow melt has the water pretty low for this time of year. If we don’t get much spring rain it could be a low river year.

I was coming on here to report that the ice has also disappeared up here too……. I went over both the osceola bridge and the taylors falls bridge and she is wide open on both.. no sign of ice floating anywhere…. pretty much normal and clear……. very very fishable

Maybe with the amount of open water up that way and the windy conditions I’m hearing rumors of will help bust up the rest of the river. A little more moisture to bring the river up a little for spawning would be good but I DON’T want another season like last year’s! Entirely to much flooding and for way too long! I know I was pretty concerned about this spring’s flooding as this past winter was approaching. A ton of snow over a saturated frozen ground and water systems still higher than normal…………..it could’ve been a new record………….but I’m sure glad it looks as if that won’t be happening…………..this year at least!

Yo Comanchero! How open is the river south of the bridge? Is it open to the Power Plant yet? I see there’s still a shelf hung up north of the RR tracks but it’s really breaking up south of I-94. When the warm temps return (with the predicted rain), I suspect that shelf will disappear quickly.

A-h-h-h. . . Franconia. Silver Bass in April. Then start working south to Walleyes near the Kinni in October. . . I can’t wait!

My son is 16. My dad is 79. All three of us in the boat again this year. . . Perfect – thank God for the St Croix River!

Stillakid – I just drove downtown Stillwater to Bayport to check the ice conditions. The main river channel is open from the Stillwater Lift Bridge down to just south of Sunnyside Marina. She is still froze from the High Lines all the way down to the Hudson Swing Bridge. The ice is looking pretty fragile so it should open up anytime. It sure does look fishy upstream of Stillwater. I am going catfishing on Monday – it sounds like it is going to warm up again. I am going to drown some cutbait it some of the upstream holes. I will let you know how I do?
Next time you come through Bayport, check out the huge new house on Hub’s Point, just above Clyde’s Marina. The windows are all in and the siding is all done in Fieldstone. I bet the place is at least 7,000 square feet. It has to be a several million dollar mansion. They won’t build the new bridge because of the wild and scenic river requirements but this guy gets to build a castle right on the water. I’ve always wondered how that works? I wonder what kind of hoops he had to jump to build his house? I have a friend that lives on the river and they will not even let him trim his trees on the bank. Makes for interesting discussions.

Wow! That sounds like a heated discussion just looking for a home! Yeah………….that whole bridge deal………….I don’t know when or what it will take but somebody’s going to gett one across her someday and chances are Stillwater is going to be crying over the loss of traffic through town! That lift bridge can only be shut down and fixed so many times before someone’s going to wake up to getting a new one across. I keep hearing things like “over” and “forever lost”………..give it time. I may be dead but give it time………..that bridge will come! There’s already an ancient lift bridge and a power plant! Get off the National Scenic Riverway and go milk a new cow! We know how to build bridges without killing the environment and the scenery is only the scenery people are used to. That bridge wouldn’t hurt it. How many calendars include pictures of bridges??? There’s a pill I’d like ’em to swallow! Stillwater would benefit because there are people that avoid Stillwater now because of the congested thoroughfare. But, add an express and you’ll add to the people getting in the vicinity. There’ll be better access to WI, which will develop the border, bringing more people to…………….where?……………I’m thinking you know! Can you spell it? Can you say it with me? Sure you can! STILLWATER! You know, those tree huggers don’t seem to pay for much………….why do they have so much control?

Anyway, I’ll be down at the bridge rallying support for the troops again Sunday (4th week!) about 8am so if you want to make up a sign, I’ll double duty and hold one that says, “Support Our Troops, Build The Stinkin’ Bridge!!!” Tell you what, I’ll have donuts and coffee if you want to stop down anyway!

Anyone else? There’ll be support at the bridge again this week! Come on and join us! It’s not only a feel good thing to do, it’s WAAAYYY more fun than you’d think, and more rewarding than you can imagine!

FIrst your point about the tree huggers having a lot of power. I agree. I used to live in Stillwater halfway up the south hill, and there were times on a Friday or Saturday that I wouldn’t be able to get out of my driveway because the Bridge was up, and everyone and their brother was trying to get into Stillwater. I moved out of that town because of that stinking bridge. While I was there, I remember hearing and reading a lot about this bridge. It seems that the Sierra Club was putting a lot of pressure on the DOT. They did whatever they could to stop that bridge. It seems that the only people who don’t want the bridge to be built, don’t live in Stillwater. They just own the big yachts, and don’t think that they should have to see a bridge going over THEIR river. Once again, it’s a case of the vocal minority stepping on the silent majority.
As for the support our troops rallys being held down by the old bridge, you’re 100% right! It is one of the most fun and rewarding thing you’ll ever do. I strongly encourage anybody who want’s to support our troops to go there next Sunday.
Steve

Amen Steve!

Friday the main channel in Stillsville was open to the NSP pilings. Saturday it looked as though the Wi ice floated into the main channel? Well it should go pretty fast now any way. Plenty of fishable water from the Boomsite launch.

New mansion? Is it where the old winter access is down in Bayport by the condo’s? Like on a flood plain? If it is that should be illegal! No matter how money you have. I was just down in Redwing commenting on the houses almost at water level. I’m sure it’s awesome but doesn’t the Fed pay them on the insurance whenever it floods?

Bridge= more pilings to fish
My biggest Croix eye (6.5lbs) came from the Stillsville bridge pilings in May ’92…now that was a good year!

I’m on the North hill and we avoid downtown in the summer unless you want to sit in traffic and people watch.

Ferny.

So you’ve moved to Woodbury? We’re still practically neighbors then!

For anyone following up on the “Support” efforts, it’s been decided that it’ll go every Sunday from noon to 3pm. We have good numbers, great people, and a VERY good time supporting the efforts of our soldiers. Almost as importantly though, we can support each other and those friends, neighbors, acquaintences, and even strangers in their time of need. Every week someone stops to state their gratitude for us being there…………..and often it comes with teary eyed sincerity. THAT’s the moment you realize you haven’t wasted a minute of your time. AND………….you’ll be able to look those soldiers in the eye when they come home and tell them “you were with them”.

Please, everyone is not enough! If there’s anyway you can sacrifice part of an afternoon for those sacrificing their entire lives, come and be with us. If you can’t make the treck, do so in your area of the world! We’ve got help and contacts and such that we can help you with ideas or signs……………to get started in your part of the world.

To all those that have a sign in the yard, a flag on the pole, in the window, something on a bumper sticker………..THANK YOU!!!!

We can never truly realize the magnitude of blessings that await this life until it has first been learned to give selflessly, and unconditionally.

Very well said.

Yeah, we had to move to Woodbury to get away from all of the people.
Steve

All alone in Woodbury eh? LOL! That’s rich!

I took a good look at the river this morning and it looks like the ice from the swing bridge to the power plant is getting REALLY gray so she’s thinning out very quickly! South of I-94 another large section of “the lake” has opened up. I can’t help but wonder if she’ll be ice free after the rain comes through? There were a couple more boats out there Sunday……………….near Stillwater that is. Only a few short weeks and it’ll be “that time” again!!!! YEAH!!!!

Looks like the Croix is ready to go. Kid you do have a way of getting things started. LOL. The bridge has to built maybe we the “silent majority” need to support building it. I have no doubt that if we all banded together we could give the tree huggers a run for thier money. Cases built on fact always win over ones built on emotions. And lastly please people if you or anyone you know can spare a few hours on Sunday stop down at the relic of a bridge and show your support. We are getting noticed by the media we just need to keep it up and they won’t be able to turn a blind eye to us anymore. As Kid said its the least we can do. See ya Sunday Kid. Hey Steve are you going down on Sunday?

I’m planning on going. Unless of course I need to do some packing or go find a house or something. Who knows for sure.
Steve

Start? I started something? Wha–huh? Uh………I believe it was you Todd, that put out the call and got this thing started! I mean, “the phone rang” and all I did was answer buddy! From there, were all just participants doing what we can, where we can, when we can. Send me pm if you know of other things I should be attending!

SAK2

Kid
when are we going to get out on the water and chase some Croix crappies and Silvers. The boat is ready to go anytime you are.

Weather permitting, are you busy after the rally? Or before hand? I forgot to see what the conditions are like today and I’ve never chased them this close to ice out (from a boat) but they should be in the same areas if the ice is gone. Anyway, I’m game for a shot at success! Throw me a pm!

I stopped by the Windmill Marina today. All the solid ice that was north of the marina a few days ago, is floating pieces in front of the marina. With that wind today, the ice may well be down to New Orleans by now!