odd catch in the mississippi river.

[srfishin15]

alright so im fishing on saturday october 9 on the river, above the sartell dam. I got into what i thought was a snag, then the snag started pulling back.. so i get the "snag" into the boat and it was about a 15 inch EELPOUT! ive never ever caught an eelpout in open water, anybody else ever caught one in the river during open water?

[traveler]

We used to catch tons of them in the Mississippi when I was a kid, up above the Little falls dam.

[trappingaddiction]

Never heard of many/any in the Mississippi River. Any pictures?

[Adam Wolf]

I would think river water is too warm for them, I don't think they live long in warmer water, any photos? Unless it somehow swam down from a larger lake with a population??? It wasn't a bowfin was it? They look kind of similar. That's the best thing about the river though, you never know what is on the end of your line!

[goblueM]

i've heard of quite a few being shocked up in the Mississippi near the mouth of trout streams in Wisconsin, wouldn't surprise me at all

[pushbutton]

for what ever reason, there is a population of them in that part of the river...........ice season is generally when you will see them more concentrated.

[mrklean]

have heard of a few of them up around the st cloud sartell area, but make sure it wasnt a bowfin, i caught a bunch of bowfin thinking they were eelpout at first

[Ralph Wiggum]

I have caught one or two under the Sartell dam in the summer. I've heard they catch quite a few out there on the ice.

[wildsmallie]

I've caught a few in the River around Brainerd, and a friend even caught one on a rapala once

[pikestabber]

We catch them pretty regularly in the Rainy River, but I guess I cannot comment in terms of that stretch of the Miss.

[mrklean]

there really isnt much you cant catch in the river in that area

[srfishin15]

I have caught tons of eelpout on mille lacs in the winter. I took a pic with my phone but cant get it up on the computer. I am 100% sure it was an eelpout, thats why i was so suprised, ive caught a bowfin before so i knwo the difference. It just suprised me thats all.

[srfishin15]

and yeah i know guys catch them below the dam in the winter but i'd never heard anyone catching them above.

[bassmann77]

We shocked that part of the river and the stream below that (Watab?) when I was up at SCSU. So I know there is a least some population in that area.

[bobbymalone]

I took a pic with my phone but cant get it up on the computer.

try sending the pic to your email address.

[kfk]

It's not uncommon to catch them in open water in quite a few rivers in MN.

[Musky_Madness]

I was out there several weeks ago in a boat talking to a guy along Riverside Dr in Sartell and he was telling me about guys catching huge sturgeon behind the breakers by the paper mill. Anyone heard or seen that happen yet?

[pushbutton]

have caught a few in the river before, but wood not consider 4lbs very big usually am skeptical of reports like that, but sure would be fun if it was true!

[Schollmeier]

You'd be surprised where Burbot (eelpout) will live. The lower St. Croix still harbors a population, though they are rarely caught. Old reports suggest that once upon a time they were very common in Lake Pepin too.

[teal50]

When I lived just above Little Falls, eelpout were quite common late fall right until the river froze. They only bit after dark. Some were quite good sized.

[srfishin15]

this one wasn't good sized, just about 15 inches. Just very suprising i caught it.

[blakeb]

it is legal to take pictures of fish that you catch

[srfishin15]

alright, i guess my dad said he took a pic, ill find it.

[srfishin15]

cant figure out how to get thepicture on!

[srfishin15]

that enough proof for you doubters??