Eagles

Well its that time of the year to start checking in on the eagles nests. I see there is a few setting on eggs right now. That less that is what the comments are saying.

Son in law was at the Davenport – Rock Island dam and counted near 130 eagles fishing below the dam. -10 -20 below 0 is the first and last big open water below the dam. Couple years ago a eagle dropped a fish about 10 yards from my pickup in the parking lot. Another one swopped in, grabbed the fish and flew off. He was attacked by other eagles and he dropped the fish in the river and the fight was on.

They seem to congregate on the lower St Croix river late ice to ice out. We may still be a handful of weeks out up here.

From the bridge in Wabasha, MN upriver to the foot of Lake Pepin it’s pretty common to see dozens of different eagles from now through Late April. Once the ice starts going out on the backwaters and the lake itself, the eagles spread a bit more but are still easy to see fishing. My PB perch was 15 1/8″ prespawn near the foot of Lake Pepin. At the same time I caught that, I watched an eagle pluck one that was clearly larger.

I may be a bit biased, but for people who are into seeing eagles and the signs of spring…take a drive on the stretch from Wabasha to Lake City. Just be sure to support a couple local restaurants or businesses along the way.

They’re thick at Red Wings Colville Park. Island Campground and the Harbor Bar has a good number too. The more ice the tighter to the areas of open water. There’s been a few chewing on road kill along 35 in the valley as well.

Num Num.