First St Croix Channel Cats of the Season

[SteveD]

The St Croix was beautiful last night. Weather was clear, cool with a waning almost full moon and the winds were calm and the water flat as glass and a balmy 60 degrees. The river is at 679.2' (normal pool elevation is 675') which puts it almost back within its banks finally and the cats are back in their normal haunts. I hate high water!!

Mixed bag last night. I had hooks in the water with the start of the Twins game. The game sucked but the fish were biting so that made up for it. Anyway -

1952 - Had a hit and a miss,

2046 - another swing and a miss,

2102 - finally had a fish on. Felt like a nice fish - Darn, a 21" walleye - pesky critters. I got him on cut bullhead - Go Figure.

2133 - picked up a nice chunky 22" channel - first cat of the St Croix season. Back he went - I didn't bother with a KOTC picture, its going to take much bigger fish than that to place in the top 5.

2147 - Missed another run

2200 - port line is moving upstream, what's with that. Set the hook and boated about a 20" turtle that was hooked in the leg. I did manage to get him off the hook without much trouble. First turtle of the season and I know its not my last.

2230 - Finally got myself a KOTC entry fish. 30" X 18.5" channel cat. Smiled pretty for the camera and back he went.

2300 - I packed it in - Twins game was over and we managed to lose to Sidney Ponson, it was ugly. At least I got a KOTC entry on the books.

Picked up the channels on cut bullhead. I had a live bullhead out for flats most of the night but the only thing on that was the turtle.

[Lowblazah]

thats a bruiser...nice fish Steve.

[Wookiee]

Nice Channel.

[Shack]

Nice fish dude! Man I can not wait to see what you pull out the Croix this year. Thanks for sharing.

[mplspug]

Caught in the 3 season porch I see. That cat needs to go to Jenny Craig; She's a beaut.

[snatcher20]

SteveD- Are you using your drifting technics you wrote about a few weeks ago or are you anchoring on spots right now? I have not been able to pattern the cats on the croix with all that water.

Along with the fishing boat, I have a 30' cruiser slipped at Windmill. I'm looking forward to drifting the humps out in Lake St. Croix this summer in the comforts of the cruiser.

[SteveD]

SteveD- Are you using your drifting technics you wrote about a few weeks ago or are you anchoring on spots right now? I have not been able to pattern the cats on the croix with all that water.

Along with the fishing boat, I have a 30' cruiser slipped at Windmill. I'm looking forward to drifting the humps out in Lake St. Croix this summer in the comforts of the cruiser.

I've been fishing upstream of Stillwater. I'm slipped out of Boomsite Marina north of Stillwater and I've got some anchor spots upriver I normally fish during high water. With the high water I can't get under the bridge unless I'm there when they open the bridge.

I've been wanting to get downriver to drift - I've heard a number of reports of walleye guys picking up flatheads trolling so that is the big indicator that it is time to drift. I may hit the Stillwater / Bayport big water this next week and try some drifting there.

I've got a friend with a cruiser that slips at Windmill and last year he had some luck drifting the humps. Send me an e-mail and I can hook you two up and you can share information and maybe we can all get together and do some drifting on the big lake. I'd like to get a few people together that would drift so that we could share information and help each other find and stay on fish. Here is my e-mail: [email protected]

[DTro]

Thanks for the report Steve and nice fish!

[hanson]

Nice Fish Steve!!

[xdreamhonda]

nice fish man....never fished for cats on a boat yet..only shorefishing...hopefully get to do that soon...

[aanderud]

Great report. They don't come more detailed than that. Nice fat fish, plus a turtle. Might have to change your name to "Softshell Steve DeMars"

[harvey lee]

Nice fish and report.