Lake Saint Croix
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Species
WalleyeSeason
Fall (Current)
Lake Saint Croix Overview
SLOWWind (mph)FAST
01020406080100
Top Techniques Reported for Walleye + Fall
- Vertical Jigging Mid Depth (10-19')2
- Live Bait Rigs1
- Trolling Deep (20'+)1
- Vertical Jigging Deep (20'+)1
- Vertical Jigging Shallow (0-9')1
Total Fishing Reports
76
Top Species Reported for Fall
Smallmouth Bass6 Reports- Walleye6 Reports
Sturgeon6 Reports
White Bass1 Report
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Recent and Trending Baits
Fishing Reports
76 Reports on Lake Saint CroixSort by
Species
Smallmouth BassSeason
Fall
Technique
Wacky Rigs
Structure
Ledges
Forage
Minnows
Water Temperature
58°
Species
WalleyeSeason
Fall
Technique
Vertical Jigging 10-19'
Structure
Ledges
Forage
Shad
Water Temperature
57°
Water temperatures are quickly dropping and this is the time of the year when the jigging rap bite starts to pick up on the Croix. We had some spotty success but gizzard shad were popping at the surface everywhere and lit up the electronics. We caught 4 plump walleye from 17-20 inches. About 2 hours later, they regurgitated a dozen or so half digested shad. So fishing could be challenging the remainder of the fall since predators in the system have all the food they could possibly want. Therefore, reaction baits like jigging raps might be your best bet for hooking into a few before ice up. And oh, one last bit of advice for fishing jigging raps. Use a medium action rod with a stiff enough tip to handle a heavy jigging rap, but not too stiff that it pulls the bait out of the mouth when you rip up. Or use a longer mono/fluorocarbon leader on a stiff tipped rod. Something that absorbs shock but still give you a decent hook set.
Species
WalleyeSeason
Fall
Technique
Vertical Jigging 20'+
Structure
Ledges
Forage
Shad
The days and nights are getting cooler and we're heading into fall pattern for walleyes. This time of year, they strap on the feedbag to fatten up before winter. The big challenge to contend with on the St. Croix is the massive numbers of shad that light up your electronics all over the river. Predators in this river are well fed! Still, the walleye will still chase after your bait, but you'll need to be in the right place at the right time. The bite the last couple of days has been slow, but 2 3/4 jigging raps on steep ledges in 25-30 FOW seems to be the hottest bait (for me, the fish didn't care for trolled cranks or live bait rigs). I marked a ton of walleye-sized arches on these ledges (of course in the proximity of shad "bait-balls") but was only able to pick up one here or there on the jigging rap. Of course, on the river, you really have no idea what kind of fish you are marking. Drum (Sheepshead) and walleye seem to mix freely, so don't be discouraged if you seem to be catching mostly drum. Stick with it, weed through the drum, and you may be rewarded with some nice walleye! Another thing to consider is that the walleye bite can change quickly and techniques or areas that did not produce fish one day, can produce the next.
Top Fishing Techniques
for Walleye + FallChoose from techniques based on Lake Saint Croix fishing reports.
