welcome to the croix forum

I would like to extend an open invitation to each and every one to feel free and ask any questions they might have. Turk and I will try to the best of our knowledge answer any you may have and will keep everybody up to date on where the fish are biting or in some cases where they are not!!! LOL I hope everyone is as excited as I am about the upcoming open water season and since this is fast approaching I thought it would be interesting to see what each and everyones best or worst story about the opener on the croix is …so lets hear all the goods!!!

I have usally done well during the opener. The only problem is finding a place to park at the launch which for us is the one just outside of Stillwater near the boom site. We usally get there around 4:30 and still have a hard time finding a spot. After you battle the crowds for a bit we usally search for new spots where there aren’t so many boats. We usally have three boats in our party so we can cover many sections of the river. So far it seems that north of stillwater does better than down south. Can’t wait for the upcoming season. I am going to give lead line a try this season.

north of stillwater is a good bet… anywhere up river is not too bad… but the lower the water the shorter the fish stay up there…… hard to say what will actually happen this spring.. but right now it dont look like much high water will be coming down…. so the upper croix might not be as good as the area from the swing bridge on south…… but who knows? any place can be good if you locate em….. and use the right tactic to extract em….

I moved to Hudson 3 years ago. Fished from the shore mostly. There are some really good places to fish from the bank. The first opener I lived here, it was about 42 degrees and there was a strong Noutheast wind. I walked and fished the whole shoreline out to the swingbridge. No Luck.

Walked all the way back and decided to make 1 more cast with a jointed firetiger Rapala. Pitched and it ballooned up into the wind and landed beyond some current. Couple of cranks through the current when BAM! Something hit hard and started peeling drag! After about a 2.5 to 3 minute battle, I landed a beautiful greenish/gold 26″ walleye. My first ‘Croix beauty. My biggest so far also.

Love the St. Croix River!

Ya Hey – Bill, I’m going to enjoy reading this post. I guided for a summer out of St. Croix Falls (1971) (It was a college summer job) and have some great memories of camping, Small Mouth, and Muskie on that river !! I get back there to fish when ever I can, and still feel it’s one of best natural Rivers go’n !! Don’t take it for granted and enjoy your circumstances there. I’Il always think about my decision about move’n south to live and raise a family.

Gofish

Kensyl Reading——–EFN ProStaff

Ol’ Miss Guide Service

Kreading,

Smallie fishing on the Croix is simply AWESOME! If anyone has any doubts, the fish in my picture……..(the one without the cap!)………….is a Croix smallie! They DOOOOO get big in there!

Ya Hey- kid2 Know what your talk’n about and where your come’n from !! Love that “tannek” (I can’t spell it) BROWN

water.

Ya know over in Washburn Co. Wisc. there’s a lake I fish and have lobbied the DNR to stock more eye and muskie. They tell me the lake is to “tannec” for them to spawn. I alwas mention and think of the Croix. There’s no trouble there !!

Gofish

Kensyl Reading———EFN ProStaff

This is just what I am looking for. The river fishing has taken me out of my relm. I am a Bass(S & L) & Pike/Muskie fisherman that has recently moved to Hudson. I have a great deal of fishing experience and knowledge with lake fishing. But the patterns for the Smallies on the Croix has me a little baffled. I tried my pattern & structure fishing that I use with great success on the Mississippi near DT. and Airport (St. Paul). But no luck? The fish do not seem to be schooled? Not holding to any formulated pattern… Whats up?

Thank you,

BigBass~

Spring seems to be the easiest time to target smallies. Find almost any rip rap. I’ve had success from shore and on a boat

throwing jigs tipped with leeches, twister tails, slip bobbers and Rat’l traps.

I caught two over 18′ from shore last years using slip bobbers and leeches. Once they move off the rip rap I don’t know where the heck they go. I’ve heard of them being caught all year round down by the Kinni Narrows.