Lake Saint Croix
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Lake Saint Croix Fishing Reports
Stay up to date with the latest fishing reports from Lake Saint Croix. Reports are submitted by local anglers, fishing guides, and our team of fishing experts.
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WalleyeTechniqueVertical Jigging Shallow (0-9')SeasonFallStructureLedgesDays are numbered with ice up coming, but with water temps at 46, we still have maybe a week left of open water fishing. And this is THE time to be out on the water. Still, the bite on the Croix continues to be tough with the bumper shad crop this year. Predators are well fed and aren't showing much interest in baits (live or artificial). Nevertheless, I muscled 5 walleye on 2 3/4in jigging raps long casted on the top of ledges in 8-10 FOW. They had tiny heads and plump strong bodies indicating they were young and well fed! 3 of the 5 came from an active pod I spied on my Lowrance Active Target. I got lucky and decided to record my retrieve through a pod and I happened to hook up with one. Check it out - https://youtu.be/EXOWRcfdnCw. The Active Target was an invaluable tool to search for fish and I didn't waste time casting where I couldn't see fish. I think I have one more outing in me, then it's time to put the boat into storage. Boo Hoo!
- SpeciesWalleyeTechniqueVertical Jigging Mid Depth (10-19')SeasonFallStructureLedges
This has been one of the biggest booms in gizzard shad in the Croix that I have ever witnessed. Consequently, predators have all the food they want and their bellies have been full all summer/fall. Fishing has been very tough. Yesterday was no exception. Despite finding fish staged in their normal fall spots on ledges, they were unresponsive to techniques that typically entice them to bite this time of year: deep trolling cranks, dragging small suckers, jigging raps. However gizzard shad are now balling up and not moving around as much due to falling water temperatures. The hope is is that as water temps continue to fall that the walleye bite will eventually turn on.
- SpeciesWalleyeTechniqueVertical Jigging Mid Depth (10-19')SeasonWinterStructureLedges
The days of open water are numbered and these are the best times to be walleye fishing! Walleye are feeding like crazy and hitting big jigging raps (caught several on big Hyper Rattle too). Trolling Flicker Shads and Minnows bouncing off bottom on ledges was working too. The average size of the fish this time of year is modestly big and the average size fish we caught was 19in. You can catch white bass all day in 22-27 FOW using smaller jigging raps.
- SpeciesWalleyeTechniqueVertical Jigging Shallow (0-9')SeasonFallStructureSubmerged Vegetation
Mother nature is giving us an extended open water season. For that, I am thankful. Walleye fishing on the St. Croix is hot! Walleye are fattening up and feeding heavily. 2 3/4" or 3 1/2 jigging raps are really all you need. This time out, I found the Walleye staged in shallow water 7.5 to 9 ft on top of ledges dropping down to 30 FOW. Long casts were necessary and along with hard snapping retrieves. The fish would pin the jigging rap on the bottom and there would be no mistake you had a fish on! Bring an assortment of jigging raps and colors because you never know what's going to be hot. Actually, the hottest color was a Charteuse jigging rap that Omnia doesn't carry presently but I was fishing alone and didn't have a side by side comparison I kept my limit of 4 15-17" fish but I am always mindful of limits, keeping smaller sized fish, and the importance of conservation so our beloved fisheries can keep producing for other anglers and future generations!
- SpeciesWalleyeTechniqueVertical Jigging Deep (20'+)SeasonWinterStructureLedges
The unseasonably warm weather this November has given anglers an extended open water season! Water temps are in the 40's meaning that its time for fish to put on some extra fat for winter! This time of year, I almost exclusively use jigging raps or glide baits. We had steady action in the AM catching some walleye but mostly nice-sized white bass in depths 22-24 ft on ledges. We searched for fish on the electronics and didn't waste time where we weren't marking fish. But marking a buttload of fish wasn't a guarantee either. You have no idea what those marks are half the time and I actually caught a rare Quillback that I thought was a school of walleye or white bass. After a slow afternoon, we switched up to trolling with lead core and flicker shad crank baits and picked up a few fish before switching back to jigging raps later in the afternoon. About 3pm, just about the time I had to get off the water, we started banging the fish (typical right?). We caught several 16-18in walleye one right after another making long casts with the jigging rap and a Hyper Rattle on a 15ft flat. Get out as often as you can before the party is over and we wait for ice!
- Species
Smallmouth BassTechniqueWacky RigsSeasonFallStructureLedgesWe started out trolling for walleye. I got one with a Berkeley Citrus Flicker Shad. That was a tough bite, so we switched to smallmouth. I caught 3 smallies on a 5 inch wacky rigged pumpkin, black flake Senko. I caught a big pike on the Senko, too. The pike had a lamprey stuck to its back. I removed the lamprey and returned the pike to the water.
Derek HerBronze AmbassadorSpeciesWalleyeTechniqueVertical Jigging Mid Depth (10-19')SeasonFallStructureBaitfishThe shad are schooling up in huge numbers, but isolated smaller schools seem to be key. Livescope was essential in finding these isolated schools, as predator fish, white bass and walleye, were always close by. 15-20 feet of water was also key in finding isolated baitfish, as anything shallower had the giant schools of bait. Water temps were in the mid-50’s. Afternoon going towards the evening, a reaction bait 10 feet above the bottom got many fish to come up and strike. As the sun got lower, a paddle tail crawled slowly on the bottom took over as the dominant technique.
- SpeciesWalleyeTechniqueLive Bait RigsSeasonFallStructurePoints
Large chubs produced some nice eyes around catfish bar! 25-28’.
