Keep fishing on Saturday

Don’t give up on the Saturday bite even when the boats are running wild and its the middle of the day. I often turn to the deeper bite in 25 to 32 feet and slowly work marks near structure, work slowly just as you would when a cold front hits. These bites are so subtle (unless a channel cat hits as they have been)you need light line and a very sensitive pole to catch these fish. The challenge is to keep in the same spot with the waves. This approach calls for either a rig or jig w/livebait. Actually I prefer to slowly move the boat with the rig and vertical the jig. It is also a must to be confident that the eyes are down there or this slow approach can feel like slow death. Also I’ve been south of the Kinni in all but one of the last five trips.

Keep Catchin’
Turk

Good pointers Turk.

“you need light line and a very sensitive pole to catch these fish…..” Sounds like a perfect situation for one of those Limit Creek 6’9’’ spinning rods. Quickly becoming my favorite rigging rod. Soft sensitive tip with enough backbone to handle bigger fish. Light as a feather – can hold it all day.

-J.

Limit Creek? Have not heard of that one? Been using St Croix Avids… Are these a bit more economical?

Turk can chime in here. The Limit Creek brand is owned by Turk. The rods are sold exclusively through Jimmy’s bait in Stillwater. The 6’9” model retails out at $69.99 with a full warranty. Just can’t say enough good things about this rod. Everyone who has either used my rod or simply held it just loves the thing. It’s my go to light rigging rod that doubles as a fantastic slip bobber rod too. Get’s a ton of use from me up on Mille Lacs and has held up perfectly to the abuse I tend to dish out.

The Limit Creek 6’9” action falls squarely in between the St. Croix Avid 6’3” and the Avid 6’9”. (I have both rods.) The Avid 6’3” is a little too light in the mid section and the Avid 6’9” has a little stiffer tip.

Good Luck,

-J.

Thanks for the kind words, it’s nice to have a satisfied customer! In my opinion many rods will qualify “as sensitive enough for the bite” I described in my last post – St. Croix’s, Loomis, actually some cheaper Fenwicks are great too, my point was to stress light line and a light rod. I’m just trying to make it in this tough fishing business and offer another option. It’s a small and humble business looking to make it.

Keep Catchin’

Turk

I second the opinion. I have a hard time putting the Limit Creek rods down.

I have a spinning and casting model. The casting rig helped me land this beauty at Guererro last January.

Solid rods.

Good post Turk!

So many people quit fishing because of the traffic… one of the good things about the Croix is there’s good fishing out of the lane of traffic.

Say Turk? Limit Creek making a cat rod soon?

But sometimes the traffic just iritates you right off the water like it did me last night. That river has gotten so crowded. Tue night was like Saturday’s used to be! I’ll be leaning towards the off hours/days from now on.

Hey Suzuki – Good luck finding the off hours. I’ve been fishing at night and the big boat traffic has been running well into the later hours. Last night at 10:00pm I was the only boat in the area and this SOB in a big cruiser comes sailing by not 50 feet from my boat at full throttle throwing a huge wake. He went out of his way to come near me – I just cannot figure out why he did that. I know he saw my boat but he made no effort to give me some room or to throttle back to reduce his wake. I am all for any National Park Service efforts to reduce speed limits on the St Croix especially at night. The Washington County Sheriff’s Department has two boats patrolling just about every night.

It hurts to see this getting worse every year. I may not go back until its either very cold or raining. Actually I’m counting on some weekday afternoons in mid/late Sept. Hopefully it loosens up a bit by then.

C15,

Hey Comanch as a former night fisherman, I’ve been there! I remember a few times being ready to get up and jump out- swim to the nearest island! You know, there should be a mimimum boat to boat passing distance law…

Suzuki,
I hear you!
Turk

Bk,
Sounds good!

SteveO!!
Vikings over pack.

After labor day the majority of the crusiers will be done for the year, kiddies back in school!

Sorry, Ritt14 – you are going to be surprised how little things change after Labor Day. That use to be the case but the last few years the big boats have stayed around right into October. Last year we had high water during the fall right into the sturgeon season. We had a week or so of No Wake restrictions that few boats obeyed. The big boat and pleasure boat traffic was terrible during that period. The only thing that chased them in was that it gets dark a lot earlier and it gets a lot cooler at night. I would get the river back about 7 in the evening. I plan on chasing sturgeon later at night this year when the river quiets down.

Turducken,
Just hope the Green and Gold go at least 4-12 again. Two wins over the Vikes and 2 wins over da’ Bears, the REAL Green Bay rival.

I’ve been out midweek a lot lately on pool 3 and it is a ghost town down there. Obviously not the Croix but it is connected and doesn’t seem to have anywhere near the traffic.

dd

I hear you on P3. I just cant get a game going on that stretch.

Hey Suzuki!
Dustin had a good thing going on P3 in July; but it has been real hit and miss for a while. I managed 2 19″ eyes trollin on the riprap Monday. Lots of little bass and a couple of channels too. Looking forward to October!

Off the subject alittle but……… stopped in to this jimmys bait to see these limit creek 6ft 9s gave them the pick up ad wiggle test you know right off its a good rod little faster then my HMGs med lights and lighter 2. bought 2 of them couldnt help it. i know what a couple of buds are getting for Xmas. CATMANDO

Thanks for the business CATMANDO. You are speeking of the Limit Creek “Smoothie” I fish with one of those myself. I can really feel the light bites on that rod. It really helped me boat more fish this summer. Your buds are going to like their x-mas gift!

I wonder what I’m getting for x-mas?….I think I need some new buds….

Jimmy