Newbie Tips….

This will be my first year fishing the Croix. I actually have a pontoon that I will be keeping on the river north of Stillwater. I have been on the river many times “pleasure boating” with others. But this will be my first time seriously fishing it. So there are 2 times I will be out there. 1. When me and some of my friends go out fishing hard for Walleye and Smallmouth. 2. I will be out with my 2 young boys looking for anything that can bend a pole.

Any tips for a first timer out there fishing the river?

i don’t know much about that river, but welcome to the site

I can’t tell you how much I learned just by reading posts on this site. My advice is take some time every night and go through old posts – you’ll find tons of information on general locations (very little about exact spots), presentations, techniques, etc.

if your looking for pole benders, i would try for flatheads at night up toward the high bridge in about a 25 foot hole. I don’t know much about walleyes but south of the 94 bridge and a little north. Also around the Prescott area. If you have questions about the river, we have a lot of information at Jimmy’s Bait and Tackle on 95 south before it turns into 36. Talk to Mike

If your looking for pole benders for the kids to get into a couple of good bets are white bass fishing and soaking crawlers and live bait on the bottom for what ever swims by.

Look for white bass around opener, may and into june. You will see them feeding on the surface around ends of islands and channels going into the back waters. When they are hitting the surface they are in feed mode and just about anything casted out and retrieved close to the surface will get hit.

Another great way to get the kids into some fish is just soaking bait on the bottom and catching what comes by. Crawlers and minnows work well for this. There is not a fish that swims in the river that wont eat a crawler. For a presentation try jigs or a slip sinker and a hook. Sometimes a small bead added to the hook will help attract fish. You will be surprised at what you can catch with this simple approach. As far as location just about anywhere works. there are fish everywhere in the croix. If you dont like what you are catching in one area try a different spot. As you put time in doing this you will start to learn what fish like what areas. Good starting points may be current breaks and small channels going into the back waters.

Hope this helps. Check back often as opener on the croix is coming up and this forum should become a lot more active.

If you want walleyes try long line trolling shallow running crank baits on the shallow portions of the river north of still water. Shad raps and rattle traps are good bets.

Right around St. Croix opener the bite is usually pretty good drifting the stretch by where the Kinni dumps in. You will have plenty of company there but the male walleye usually cooperate! Jig and crawler or jig and minnow works and you have a good chance of getting the occasional sturgeon. They are out of season but still fun to catch and they are in the same area as the walleyes.

Wow….. What a site. Thanks all for the replies. I am going to enjoy this year going out and trying with the family. I know the opener for Walleye is the 28th of April. If I am out there drowning worms for anything on the bottom before that, will I have problems with the DNR? Do you basically just tell the officer you are fishing for Carp or Cats?

By the way, I am in no way asking for the “spots” from anyone. I am going to enjoy learning from reading, and then getting out there to find my own spots….

You shouldnt have any problems fishing before the opener. Rough fish, pan fish, white bass are still all fair game. You most likely wont be the only one out there.

If you are pontoon fishing, I strongly recommend having two anchors so once you find your spot you can stay there and not sway. Toon fishing for me is anchor fishing unless you have a drift that is working, a drift on a flat that is where specific locations and boat control aren’t so important.
I’d also target cats vs. eyes and smallmouth as cats go hand in hand with anchor fishing (and believe it or not are good eating). Not to say you can’t catch eyes while anchoring, but you normally have to have a soild hunch that the eyes are there in the first place to anchor up properly and then be in the right place to make the right cast.
Good luck – have fun!
Turk

Thanks Turk for the tips. I have never tried cat fishing before. I have fished for Sturgeon before on the Rainy River, what a blast. Any tips for a first timer trying cat fishin?

I am curious how the pontoon will handle on the river. On lakes in the past, I have not had too much trouble trolling or casting for bass.

As a new member I agree mkoehn… this is a great site. The advice I can give regarding fishing for cats with a pontoon is that it is much easier with two anchors, one tied to each of the back corners of the boat. You may need two for holding and fishing off the front is much more comfortable and easier to land fish. I’ve spent most of my life boating the areas around marine with a pontoon and last year started fishing it more regularly, now I’m hooked. I think you’ll find the pontoon fairly easy to handle, hold over structure and fish out of. there are days I would trade it for a jon boat when the wind and current combos don’t cooperate. Good luck with the cats, they’re a lot of fun.