Report

05/10/08 The water temperatures have raised with some nice spring weather, dandelions have popped up, and the walleye are getting on a solid chew, the St. Croix River walleye bite is good. Walleyes are still dealing with some serious current on the river, and this heavy flow predictably locates a good number of walleye in lower flow areas. White tips have been holding in various depths, and in the last two days, both of my guide trips have found fish from 8 to 20 feet deep. Actually these trips were quite successful and we hauled in two limits of walleye on both trips, with many more short walleye mixed in. Every third of fourth year on the river, the St. Croix produces huge year classes of fish and these fish dominate the bite when they have three years under their belt. These fish are normally measured out at 14.5 to 15.25 inches and the game of catching tons of short fish begins. It looks like 2008 might be one of those years. So you can expect mixed in with legal sized walleye, lots of these 14” range, fine looking fish, but until they are more than 15” they got to go back.
Water clarity is still a heavy tannin stain with little sediment; a very beautiful color actually. Plus the debris is limited too, as compared to how much junk can be coming down stream.
Right now fish have been caught on jig and minnow, Lindy rigs, three way rigs, split shots rigs, and trolling crankbaits. Rigs on crawlers, leeches, and minnows. The crankbait fishing has been interesting for my boat, we have trolled for walldads when the livebait was slow, and some lures that were absolutely hot, and then in just two hours time and still true running, could not get bit. Most days a good crankbait with produce all day long, but it pays to keep trying for what they want. The colors for cranks were ridiculous in attempts to pattern and showed not a rhyme or reason.
This season has opened with a slow no wake ban on boat traffic for the last eight days, and I will say, at first it was a pain. Then I learned to enjoy the quiet, it also forced me to fish harder in the areas I had to work with, kept some people away (the solitude is nice, nothing against people). Good luck – Give a wave.
St. Croix River elevation 682.74 feet above sea level at Stillwater, Minnesota.