St. Croix River Walleye and Sauger

07-11-10 St. Croix River walleye and sauger are biting even in July. The bites come in waves lately and when they are going it is a solid bite, and when slow it is slow. However nice chunky walleye and sauger are the reward for the slow phases, these fish are in the 16 to 19 inch range plus large walleyes from 22 to 28 inches. As the bite has been up and down what the fish want also changes from day to day. For instance last week on Wednesday the walleye and saug dogs wanted livebait, then the next they wanted Rapala shad raps regular and RS, and would not touch bait. Our best fish of the week hit a crawler, and the other nice ones we have caught were from rigging crawlers and some on spinners (do not forget that option).

For rigging we have used five foot leaders. Productive crankbait colors are hot steel, crawdad, bleeding hot olive, and firetiger. More about the bite, you can sit on a spot and not even a sheephead or sunfish will hit then the light switches, and you have about a half hour to catch them, then another lull starts again. As the water is still high we have been getting eyes and saugers from 9 to 20 feet of water.

In the last week alone I have heard of two instances were the skis have clamped down on an angler caught fish and taken the hooked for a fish for a ride. I have seen numerous muskie porpoising (breaching) lately and know of two spots that are holding fish though I have not been able to hook any gray ghosts yet. In regards to muskie hitting the hooked fish, I have been told that one of these skis was a flat out GIANT fish, and this friend of mine is not much of a tale teller.

The river water level is reported to drop all week and been two feet lower by next weekend. There has been very little surface action for white bass. Have fun out there! Turk