August 31, 2011
School is almost back in session, where does the time go…
Currently the walleye and sauger bite is good, especially for this time of year. Most seasons the first part of September and late August can be slow. However this year with the water dropping from an entire summer season high water mark the bait fish are responding to structure instead of suspending in 50 feet of water.
We have also had a consecutive string of cooling nights, that always starts things in the right direction for anglers hoping for a Fall season bite. Hope it goes straight on through to the Fall, as we have been getting from 8 to 12 keeper eyes and saugers for a week straight, and again for this time of year those numbers of keepers are exceptional. In fact last Thursday we caught over 100 fish in the Ron and Dianna Beiswenger full day trip (true 50 were white bass, but no sheeps, none…). I also hooked myself that day way past the barb in the middle finger of my right hand, Ron and I popped that out. (learn the string removal method it works very well).
Trolling Rapalas (shad raps, jointed, and minnow raps)and rigging crawlers are still putting walleye in the boat, depths have been from 16 to 24 fow. I am seeing lots of bait on some locations. White bass have completely picked up, but they are still sub surface. We have been giving eyes line for about ten seconds upon a detected bite.
Water temps are around 74 in the morning and heating up to 77 each day. The river is slowly dropping and is at 676.6 in Stillwater, MN. As there have been no recent rains grass is minimal and water clean and carrying no sediment.
The weather has been off the charts gorgeous, lots of boaters also are hitting the St. Croix, I am seeing the motor noise do little to stop any active bite. Keep Catchin’
Nice fish Turk!
Funny you mention hooking yourself. I did that too last week. Right down to the bone in the tip of my finger. But I’ve been flattening the barb on my catfish hooks and it came out faster than it went in! LOL!
Glad to see you’re on fish!
Nice fish
Thanks for the report Turk! The walleye bite has been unbelievable on the Croix this year. Up until we got skunked last weekend,some buddies and I were getting limits of eyes casting cranks from shore. Bright colored Jr. Thundersticks outproduced any other bait by a long shot. On a few trips it was the only bait to catch fish. Most of the fish caught were in less than 10 fow.
Jesse? Do you hear what Crank Yanker said?
Are you fishing with Jesse tonight?
Not sure if that question was for me or not? If so, the answer is no. Just curious what gave you that impression? Jesse and I don’t know each other.
Nice Report Turk!! Was that Meyers with a Walleye? OMG i have been fishing with this guy for years and he typically slams the sheephead!! But a walleye?… Now thats odd!! ….. LOL