White bass? Yep. Can be very good. Look for them around opener. When they show up depends a lot on water temps. Look at slack water areas, current breaks, openings to the back waters. Also watch for them surface feeding. Use light spinning gear with surface lures. 4#test line, Small jigs and twister tails, floating cranks baits, in line spinner lures, small spoons. As the end of may and june roll around the bite will turn more towards very early morning and late evening. Hard to find during the middle of the day. With any luck I hope to do a few reports on this bite this spring.
Crappies? Yep. There are crappies up that way also. Try looking for them in the wood or rock walls of the cliffs in slack water areas. They seem to hold real tight to this type of structures so your lures need to be right in there. There not as abundant as the white bass this time of year but are still around. Size can be decent also.
Shore spots? There is state parks on both side of the river just below st croix falls. About a 1/4 mile south of HWY 8 on the mn side there is a boat landing in Franconia. There is some shore fishing there. The park at Osceola has a ton of shore fishing spots and a fishing dock. Have caught my fair share of crappies and white bass there.
thanks alot appreciate the advice very much. Haven’t decided if I would use the boat or go from shore. Is there allot of rocks to look out for? hate to lose a prop.
Higher water in the spring shouldn’t be a problem. It is leisure speed over there which means you need to watch your wake. No full speed travel. Middle to late summer it gets to be pretty skinny water but you can still get around with a smaller boat.
I would bet if you went over and shore fished you would be bringing the boat the next time. Its to nice of water to not get out and travel around on it. The 4 places I mentioned all have landings at them also. Osceola is the nicest with 2 ramps. Franconia is gravel but still very good to launch at. Rock island cliffs is just a stones throw up river from there.
When is opener this year? It will be fun to get back up that way.
Quote:
Franconia is gravel but still very good to launch at. Rock island cliffs is just a stones throw up river from there.
I read somewhere that the residents petitioned to have that launch closed due to all the crap that was going on there. I thought it went through also?
May 2nd is the opener. I have a camper I keep up no the Chippewa Flowage so I will be there that weekend.
Quote:
Quote:
Franconia is gravel but still very good to launch at. Rock island cliffs is just a stones throw up river from there.
I read somewhere that the residents petitioned to have that launch closed due to all the crap that was going on there. I thought it went through also?
Havent heard that. We used it late last summer. Sure hope they didnt close it.
I agree! I love that ramp with the no wake zone everywhere it takes forever to get anywhere.
I teach Sunday School @ St. Francis Xavier and I drove down to the landing about 4 weeks ago. No signs changed…
We have had good luck with the white bass in the spring. The spots get hit pretty hard. If you go shore fishing the best spots are taken early and the family’s bring the kids and look to be trying to catch a limit for the whole clan 
We have are best luck for Crappies in the Fall. Can’t seem to find them in the spring. I have tried to find spawning areas with no luck. But have only tried a few times…
Have fun the scenery is always great even when the fishing is slow!
Tom
I just realized I am thinking of another launch on the croix that I frequent. Copas landing.
does anybody know if the river at taylor falls is open yet?
Yes it is.
man i was fishing the falls area this weekend, no fish to be found. i wonder why?
You must be logged in to reply to this topic.
