St Croix report

Spent a few hours on the st. croix yesterday, primarily down stream of the 94 bridge and down to the Afton area. Lots of fish marked 25-35 feet, could not find any takers from the walleye/sauger family. Worked leadcore and a variety of cranks at different depths and speeds.

Eventually gave up, moved shallow, and found a decent smallie bite in 8-10 fow.

I’ll probably wait ’til October to come back.

Of interest — talked to some MN DNR folks out there. They were chasing a tagged big head carp that they had tracked to the area. They had 3 jon boats and an insanely large net spread out between them, covering almost the entire area of structure straight out from Troy Park on the WI side, just SE from the bridge. I wanted to stay out of their way so no idea if they found their fish.

Dnr were busy in Prescott yesterday too

LOVE those acoustic transmitters!

Not only for tracking big head but for following other fish (flatheads and sturgeon) to find out where they are going throughout the year. Spawning habitat ect. Well worth the money spent!

I also spent yesterday on the croix, had good luck in the 20-25 ftw with a jigging rap on the white bass. Did manage 2 eyes about 14” and one sauger at 15”. Did get a couple small perch on spinners with crawlers with silver blade. Boat traffic got a little busy after 4 oh well.

Thanks Craig.

Yea, keeper ‘eyes seem hard to come by over the last 1-2 weeks for sure

Any recent updates after this last weekend?

12-20 feet next to deep water. 3/8 oz jig yellow and orange with fathead. Late afternoon to sunset. Anywhere on the Croix from stilly to Prescott. Good luck!

“Stilly”-that’s cute

Was out today caught 2 15” smb on #7 flicker shad. Several short eyes and lost what looked to be 17” at the boat. Also got a carp on a shiver minnow, that was a good fight. Most fish came on lead core. Does any one know what the smaller fish is?

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Ps water temp still at 70

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Craig Thompson wrote:

Was out today caught 2 15” smb on #7 flicker shad. Several short eyes and lost what looked to be 17” at the boat. Also got a carp on a shiver minnow, that was a good fight. Most fish came on lead core. Does any one know what the smaller fish is?

Just how small is that fish, and how did you catch it? It’s hard to tell with no frame of reference for size, but it looks like a darter of some kind with the perchy stripes, but darters are tiny. Fantail?

Craig Thompson wrote:

Was out today caught 2 15” smb on #7 flicker shad. Several short eyes and lost what looked to be 17” at the boat. Also got a carp on a shiver minnow, that was a good fight. Most fish came on lead core. Does any one know what the smaller fish is?

It looks like some type of logperch.

Craig Thompson wrote:

Was out today caught 2 15” smb on #7 flicker shad. Several short eyes and lost what looked to be 17” at the boat. Also got a carp on a shiver minnow, that was a good fight. Most fish came on lead core. Does any one know what the smaller fish is?

Logperch, I had a smallmouth cough one up at Bayport last year

It was about 4 to 5” long snagged it with shiver minnow

I never heard of a logperch before, but the Wisconsin state hook and line record is:
Logperch – 0 lbs. 0.32 oz. – 4.0″ – 08/16/2018 – Mississippi River – Crawford
No entry for Live Release record.

You might of had the new state record! Wonder if you can get a replica made.
https://dnr.wi.gov/topic/fishing/recordfish/hookline.html

Have a couple days off work this week was wondering if the high water has improved the walleye/sauger bite on the Croix. Hoping to get out there on Wednesday.

was out on Sunday morning, launched in Hudson… Seemed like the fish were scattered, lots of marks along a well-known drop-off but only caught sheepies and a big flathead cat. Tried another spot – got a few small eyes and sheepies…

Similar here Sunday. Got 4 short eyes, one decent sauger. Also got a bonus 5lb catfish and 18” smallmouth. Trolling cranks between Bayport and south.

How was Hudson for launching? I thought It closed at 81′?

the water was quite a ways up the launch, into the parking lot. Be prepared to get a bit wet if you launch there… all 4 tires in the water, up to the running board of my F150…

Craig Thompson wrote:

Also got a carp on a shiver minnow…

That’s a buffalo (smallmouth buffalo, I think), not a carp.

Screwed up yesterday morning by not checking water height and sure enough the Hudson boat landing was closed. Where does everyone put in? I like Hudson due to the fact it’s close to home and I’ve never had an issue launching my boat.

If the launch is closed, do they post that anywhere online? I guess if it’s closed, probably have to go over to Beanie’s??

went to the HudsonWI.gov website and they posted, today, that the launch is closed again. “Water level is expected to crest on Saturday or Sunday, Oct 5 & 6, and remain high.”…

Looks like I’ll be searching for alternative boat launches…

Beanies should be back down to $10/launch now that it’s october

phoyem wrote:

Beanies should be back down to $10/launch now that it’s october

$10 to launch a boat? Sounds like highway robbery

Tom Albrecht wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>phoyem wrote:</div>
Beanies should be back down to $10/launch now that it’s october

$10 to launch a boat? Sounds like highway robbery

Ha!

$20 before Oct.1

Looks like NO WAKE will be in effect this weekend

canoebasser wrote:

Looks like NO WAKE will be in effect this weekend

yup… looks like the prediction is water level hits 683′ in Stillwater early tomorrow and stays over 683 for at least a week!