St Croix Smallies

I live ten minutes from the St Croix river and have always wanted to fish it for smallies. It’s such a great fishery but I’ve always been hesitant to take the boat out there. Earlier this summer I finally sucked it up and got out there. Took a little while to figure out as my usual River smallmouth techniques weren’t getting the job done. Ended up finding some takers on some riprap by the old lift bridge on of all things a Texas rigged craw trailer.

What’s everyone’s favorite way to target St Croix footballs? Hope the levels go up so I can get back out there for the fall bite!

St croix smallies are a blast. I fish up river from there. Water has been very tough to navigate in my boat right now. This is the least I’ve been on it in a season for a long time. Might have to navigate further south but at that point I go to mille lacs. Hope for some late season rain .

Bearcat89 wrote:

St croix smallies are a blast. I fish up river from there. Water has been very tough to navigate in my boat right now. This is the least I’ve been on it in a season for a long time. Might have to navigate further south but at that point I go to mille lacs. Hope for some late season rain .

I had a buddy that fished from Hudson down to P3 and said it wasn’t bad last weekend. I really hope we do get rain so we can fish it this month and November. It can get pretty good.

I just half ran through your video. Did you throw tubes? If not you missed the best opportunity

Bearcat89 wrote:

I just half ran through your video. Did you throw tubes? If not you missed the best opportunity

While I was editing the video I was thinking the same thing. Not sure why I didn’t honestly.

mahtofire14 wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Bearcat89 wrote:</div>
I just half ran through your video. Did you throw tubes? If not you missed the best opportunity

While I was editing the video I was thinking the same thing. Not sure why I didn’t honestly.

Those rip rap shore lines are awesome for me throwing tubes. Honestly my biggest st croix eye came out that way in October 2 years ago.

That makes sense. My biggest out of the Croix came across from the boomsite on a ledge. 3 1/2 lber on a lipless crank. Really want to get out there a bunch this fall but man I’d like to see the levels come up.

mahtofire14 wrote:

That makes sense. My biggest out of the Croix came across from the boomsite on a ledge. 3 1/2 lber on a lipless crank. Really want to get out there a bunch this fall but man I’d like to see the levels come up.

I’m afraid to say but I think we will get pounded with that nasty snow and it’ll reset the river for next season. I can even launch franconia area. Haven’t been able to for a while.

Certainly wouldn’t shock me. Would make ice fishing a bear but the lakes and rivers sure need it.

Meant to say can’t launch there. If you ever need a guy to go with shoot me a text or pm

For sure Bearcat!