St Croix Smallies

I am trying to plan a trip with a friend to fish the upper St Croix in August. We met a guy this spring while steelhead fishing in Michigan who was from Danbury WI. Naturally, after preliminary chromer talk, we discussed smallmouth fishing on the St Croix, where he lives.

He was quite enthusiastic about smallie fishing up there (I live in St Louis MO).

Basically, I would like some info on places to go. With a canoe if possible. I realize this is a wide open question, but, I need to start somewhere. We are experienced anglers, and are not asking for secrets. Just a consensus (right) area where there should be productive fishing. Spin or baitcasting generally. Flyfishing always an option.

Hiring a guide is no problem, in fact, is desirable for a day or two.

Anyway. A few days in August (or September). Want to make them count.

(Yes, I get it. Weather, river levels, color, fronts, etc etc. Normal conditions, abnormal …)

I don’t think you can go wrong on any stretch upriver from Taylor’s falls. August would be the time I would go mainly because I like top water fishing for smallies. There are plenty of canoe and camping outfitters on the Upper St Croix. Wildwood and Parduns would be near the stretch I would look into. Further upriver also holds plenty of nice fish too.

http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/watertrails/outfitters.html#stcroix

I am drawing a blank on some of the other guides up there but John is one of the guys I have ran into on the Croix
http://www.headwatersflyfishing.com/contactus.asp

Here’s the guide to checkout – Bob Bickford:
http://www.stcroixvalleyadventures.com/about-st-croix-valley-adventures.php

Another good guy on that part of the river is Ike Miller:

http://chasingfinsguideservice.com/

It’s a beautiful river, you’re going to enjoy the trip!

SR

So how did you do chasing Steelhead in MI?

Call Larry Dahlberg. Yes THE Larry Dahlberg. Those are his home waters. If you are lucky he will take you.

My favorite part of the river for smallies up there is from the beginning of the Ice Age Trail to Wild Mountain. I don’t know why that short stretch of river is so productive, but you can easily have a 50 fish day in four or five hours. You will probably catch around 20 pike along with those 50 smallies.

October can be epic on the upper croix too!!

The Kettle River in St Croix State Park is dynamite,too. It’s just east of Hinkley.