Opener

The way I remember the St. Croix opener last year was a fairly nice day but if you fished the Croix a week later for MN opener it was down right miserable. It rained and blew all day. By the time we put in in the evening there were only a handful of trailers at the Bluffs. We caught walleye that evening but I still have web feet from that one. Good luck to everyone tomorrow, we’ll be there on Sunday so leave a couple swimming around. We promise to let them go when we’re done.

yep… opener is so close you can TASTE it…. Im ready… Ive got a plan!.. just like last year… launch the boat at the secret ramp, head for the secret spot a the secret time… use the secret lure,.. and return and brag about all the fish!! (or keep it a secret if I get skunked!)

Just got back from the tour, looks 3ft up off the Hudson channel point and Islands, everthing is visible except No Cans in the Channel Yet, Its not as high as what I’ve seen at this time of the year but as far as the bite it might be great with all the piling and dunes under some water that you can fish, Debris, grass, Leaves , hoping its minimal, that will indicate falling water and a great bite.
GLuck

The Spring of Aught Three, promises to be good!

Good luck to all and with any luck at all I can replace my stocking capped picture with a more summer picture!

Mr Rivereyes, I heard there are campers parked outside of your secret launching spot waiting for morning….it’s going to fill early…I bet.

Don’t over sleep!

Dont worry Ken. Myself and the guys will keep a spot open for you at the secret spot. ThumperW and myself hope to make a appearance at Osceola in the afternoon. Cant believe I have to work in the morning. Save some fish for us.

say… who let out the secret? must have been at least 60 rigs out there!…. *sheese*… well I stunk up the joint…… white bass, yes… northern.. yep…. smallies.. oh yeah.. sheepies… of course!…. eyes… 1 dinky one!.. *sigh*…. fishing for white bass I caught eyes… fishing for eyes I caught everything but…. saw some caught early trolling cranks.. I opted for vertical and failed……
saw Mike W and thumper head out though… go get em guys…

I heard the gates at the secret launch didn’t open until 7.

It sounds like the story on the St Croix opener was “lots of eyes, few that reached 15”. In the 6 hours we fished dragging cranks, we brought 20 to 25 fish to the boat. Many 14.5, 14.75. All I wanted was one for supper, which I did get tonight….but I was alone and didn’t win a quarter for the first keeper.

The first fish I caught was a WBass which came very close to taking the rod right out of my hand. Good time, didn’t get wet and the dnr didn’t leave me with any papers….what more can a guy as?

You are right about the boats ken. I dont think I have seen the landing that full before.
Trolling seemed to be the way for numbers today. It was nice that it only took a few minutes before I had the first fish in the boat. They slowed after that. I did get a couple fish on jigs today also. Had a nice 20″ eye come off at the side of the boat that hit a ringie I was pitching.
We did stop and look at a nice stringer of fish on the way in tonight. About 6 to 8, fifteen to 18 ” eyes. The guys said they had trolled them up from noon on.
A few saugers. A few eyes. All in all a good opener on the croix.

Same report from me lots of numbers but little size….Rivereyes you need a little stillakid mojo, I’m looking forward to the Stillakid, rivereyes, and me in the same boat soon to happen trip!!! I hope I don’t crash the boat from all the enthusiasm!!! Ye ha!!!!

Also Veteran guide Ed Philpot and Billy Mitchell put on a clinic from what I heard!
Here’s a report:
05/03/03 St. Croix River walleye opener went off with excellent weather and very good numbers of walleye caught. The majority of the walleye hit aggressively, but were on the small side and finding good numbers of legal walleye or large walleye was difficult for many, and very few limits were reported. Many techniques worked as trolled crankbaits, drifted jigs, and drifted Lindy rigs all produced fish. Walleye where mainly caught in 14-17 feet depth. Water levels are only two feet higher than normal summer pool levels. Water temperature was in the 56 degree range. A lone angler reported returning a large female walleye with eggs to the water, but the vast majority reported walleye and saugers with out milt or eggs.
Keep catchin’
Turk

Hey Turk!….
I cant believe your brave enuf to have both ME and the PUP frolicking in your boat at the same time!!… you ARE insured arent you?? (I mean life insurance!!) could be dangerous!! well… guess I better dig out my shock collar and muzzle for that ol pup!! and you got the pupparoni there Turk?

You two goof balls picked the right guy. I had a trip with Turk last summer and he never failed! Learnd alot on his trip and caught some nice fish to boot! Be easy on Turk I want him around (and usefull equipement!!) so I can go out with him again!!

oh I agree there fishhunter!… Ive fished with Turk a few times before!… we always have fun!….AND catch fish…. and he knows his stuff for sure…… definitly a worthwhile trip…..

I got a mojo? Is it workin’? No….really………..I got a haircut but I didn’t know that’s what you called it! ( …….boooo!)

We need to coordinate this outing mates! Last I checked……..I was all done fishing with Rivereyes for the year (gotta quit while I’m still without incident!!!) and the calendar’s a fillin’ fast!

So Turk, I gotta hand it to ya………………you’re a balsy kinda brave sort to even venture the thought of us two goofs within a mile of your boat let alone fishing out of it!!!

Tell you what…………..I’ll promise to be in good manners……..without the use of cruel and unusual tactics even…. ………if Rivereyes is willing to do “The Banana” for a minimum of 30 seconds at the launch and again for the first sheriff rig we spot!!! Can you picture it? – – >

I know he’ll do it if I get dunked in the drink but we need to save that as a last resort…………….I think

Suggestions gentlemen? What’s your calendar looking like Turk?

awwwwwwww jeeez….. I was saving the for when I successfully knock a really large walleye right off your hook with my deft use of the club.. errrrr net….. I mean…

Ahhh……….but you forget…………..I don’t net ’em! You’ll need something more clever my good man……………..more clever indeed!

Any ideas for a day on the mysterious Croix?

hmmmmm more clever huh?… ok…. so I dont use the club… (errrr net!!)…. but when I quickly turn around to put it back away…. *boom*… oooopss…. thats one wet PUP!… see if ya can noodle that there ‘eye!!!!