Spring Cats and what are we going to do about it?

[Wiskers]

Well fellas it is almost time to start preparing for the spring thaw and to start dreaming of them kitties tugging on your lines and evading your every efforts.

So do we have all our gear ready?

What new gear is out there that we need to know about?

How is the ice and thaw going to affect our last summer’s holes?

How about what is that spring water rush going to do to our sacred structure we have been working all summer?

It's time to start picking each other’s brains and time to chat it up and set up new meetings of new members and rekindle old fishing buddies.

Lets see if we can get this thread burning to help thaw that darn ice off the rivers....!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[hanson]

 Originally Posted By: Wiskers

How about what is that spring water rush going to do to our sacred structure we have been working all summer?

I had two of my favorite log jams/snags totally washed out last spring by the high water. What were two pretty good spots the year before were totally gone.

Guess the dynamics of the river system are what makes it fun. It'll be a totally new river for the most part once we get out on the river and start exploring. Some features will remain in the same but other cuts, eddies, snags, and logjams will surely change.

Saw you made the Incredible Rusty! See you guys up there.

[hanso612]

I would love to hear more about a spring pattern for flatheads. I've never hit a consistant pattern. I love your point about shifting rivers as well. Islands walk downstream.

On the St.Croix, a spring pattern targeting channel cats that has paid off for me, is to set up with cutbait in pinchdown areas next to/going into oxbow lakes. I fish the river side on the upstream bank and get my bait in the channel going into the backwater. Day or night.

The lake for which Stillwater is named just off the landing north of Stillwater, has a great pinch down heading out to the river and is a example of the areas I am talking about.

This is the time of year giant catfish wash ashore as well. Look for them in willow thickets on flooded shoreline. The thickets work like a strainer. More than once I was convinced that what I saw from a distance was a body. The bloated belly and bung hole look a lot like a beerbelly and belly button. Hans

[hanso612]

Just a shot to remind us of nights to come. Hans

[Fisherman For a Lifetime]

My biggest and achieveable goal this year is to hit the 'croix for cats. Mainly between Arcola & the Kinnickinnic.

About how far up the river do Flatheads reside?

Thanks...

[hanso612]

I have much better luck fishing the upper Croix all the way to Taylors Falls. It is easier to pick a pattern and fish same or like structure on the backwaters than it is for me to hit the big water south of Stillwater. I know there are some giants south of Hudson and the crew out of Beanies has stories to prove it, but there is just too much water for me. You just need the right rig to get over the sandbars.

The big pool south of the dam gives up a big one now and then.

Fish Tuesday night if you can. With all the recreational boaters I think the Cats lay low over the weekend and get mighty hungry by Tuesday night. Just a theory, but at least you will have the river to yourself.

[Fisherman For a Lifetime]

My boat may be too big to go up the croix (see tagline). It's not too big though, just not a small one.

Can I launch north of Arcola and still navigate carefully North and about how far on average?

Thanks...

[SteveD]

 Originally Posted By: Fisherman For a Lifetime

My boat may be too big to go up the croix (see tagline). It's not too big though, just not a small one.

Can I launch north of Arcola and still navigate carefully North and about how far on average?

Thanks...

For those of you not familar with the St Croix here are a couple of links which may help you:

St Croix Boating Rules

National Park Service St Croix Boating Information

One thing you should be aware of is that there is an upstream travel restriction just north of Stillwater. Due to the possible spread of zebra mussels into the upper reaches of the St Croix, the National Park Service has restricted most boat traffic originating downstream from passing the check-point at the Arcola Railroad Bridge - mile 28.6. You can't launch at Stillwater and go upstream past the railroad bridge but you can go upstream and launch and then come downstream.

Your question: Can I launch north of Arcola and still navigate carefully North and about how far on average?

There are a few launch sites north of Arcola: Somerset Landing; William O'Brien State Park; Osceola; Franconia; Interstate Park.

I've launched my 17' Alumacraft with a 70 Yamaha and run all those stretches. It is usually OK during the spring high water period. I always change to my river prop which is an old beatup prop that I don't worry about dinging. Some stretches have a little more water than others and can be carefully run most of the year. During the summer low flow period some stretches get very shallow and you may have trouble with your rig.

[Fisherman For a Lifetime]

Hey thanks SteveD.

I fish the 'Croix a lot & launch at the Boomsite or the Marina in Bayport. Most of my fishin' is between Bayport & the Kinni.

I go up to the checkpoint on occasion also.

I just wasn't sure about putting in & running my boat north & how far.

Do Flatheads reside up to Taylors Falls or about how far north?

[SteveD]

 Originally Posted By: Fisherman For a Lifetime

Do Flatheads reside up to Taylors Falls or about how far north?

There are flatheads all the way up to the dam at Taylor Falls. I know that there are channel cats above the dam but I don't think there are flats above the dam.

[Wiskers]

I had around 61 degrees here the other day... wow.. I just had to run down to the river and do some scouting on the ice conditions. Well it was sure doing a lot of cracking and water was running over the ice in many places. Wont be long now. There is a large tree jam just east of Franklin that blocks the whole river, sure hope that one moves and piles them all up in a corner.. mmmmmmmmmm... kitty soup.....

This was my last kitty before freeze up. 32#