I’ve always liked dead-sticking on the Croix since the regs allow 2 lines. Our last few smallie trips have left crawdad parts coughed up on the floor from the fish we landed. So last night we used rattling jigs tipped with crawdad shaped plastic just sitting in the rod holder. Setup is easy just let out enough line to occasionally bounce bottom while you cast the shoreline with another presentation. Sure, you pick up a few snags but the results are worth it. Remember to keep your drag set light so they don’t snap your line.
If you want to increase your odds of catching more fish try dead-sticking with live bait. A fathead on a jig will take multiple species on the river. It always amazes me how close fish are to the boat. Give it a try!
Good Luck,
Ferny.
