You have to work for them now -

[SteveD]

Well I broke my long string of skunks - not a big fish but at least I had something trying to pull me out of the boat. I usually stay off the St Croix on Saturday nights because the big boat traffic can get crazy but the weather conditions were perfect for fishing last night so I went out late. I didn't have hooks in the water until 2115. River is just about lowest I have seen it at 675.1' and the water temp was 76 degrees.

I started watching the Twins game at home but when they got behind early I figured it was time to give it up and go fishing. I ended up jumping up and down in the boat in the bottom of the ninth when the Twins put on a good rally but they lost a tough one 8-7 - sure was a great finish though..

The big boats were a pain in the buttocks until 2200 and then I pretty much had the river to myself. I had a couple of bullhead rods out with a couple of acrobatic bullheads raising a fuss in one of my favorite holes. It didn't take long after the boat traffic settled down. At 2230 I had a long screaming clicker run and all I had to do was engage the reel and hold on. He slammed the circle hooks home on his own. I thought it was a big fish, he was all over the place. He turned out to be a rather small fish with a chip on his shoulder. He put up such a struggle I decided to take his picture. He measured out at 35" X 23" about a 22 lb fish by the Flathead Weight Conversion Chart.

I stayed out until 0100 but nothing else after that. Beautiful St Croix night: Clear, dead calm water, 1/2 a moon giving enough light to see well, cool enough to make me break out the comfortable jacket. The kind of weather you dream about in February.

I've got a bait tank full of fresh bullheads. I'll be out again tonight I hope.

[Gordie]

congrats Steve and thanks for the water report and nice fish BTW

[DTro]

yeah it sure was a nice one out there last night! Good looking fish there.

Hanson caught one the same length last night, but there was an obvious void in it's belly almost as if it dropped a load of eggs recently.

We could use a little rain, as the water is getting really low over here as well. My favorite creek chub spot is almost at a stand still and the chubs aren't liking it and it only took one night of my boat on the water and I'm already tired of hitting stuff.

[Lowblazah]

Hanson caught one the same length last night

wha...wha what?? hanson was catfishing?