Well that was fun.

[DTro]

Finally got out and spent some quality time in "The Shuttle" tonight with PapaGrump.

Unbelievable action.

9 fish in 5 hours, not to mention the 4 or 5 we missed + 1 breakoff. Non-stop from the get go.

We could have potentially caught 15 fish tonight!

Biggest one of the night was 27lbs so no huge ones, but a lot of fun and a beautiful night on the river.

Thanks Brian!

[SteveD]

Just got in, glad to hear somebody is catching fish. We got one small (5 lb if we are lucky) flat and that was it. Even my good channel spots were dead. It was an absolutely beautiful night though - even with no fish it was a nice night to be on the water.

The St Croix is out of its banks. How are you guys doing on the Minnesota and Mississippi with water levels?

[DTro]

The water levels are high, and in some cases, spilling out of the banks. Looks like worst is over and it has stabilized.

The high water has limited the number of spots to fish, which makes it easier to decide where to go. I would prefer it just a tad lower, but I'm really diggin this high water prespawn bite.

With the flow the way it is, bait placement is crucial and in some cases a foot or two makes the difference. At one point I had gone longer than 15 minutes without a run so I looked at the angle of my line and it was just a bit off. I tossed it back out in the "right spot" and was rewarded with a nice 15lber about a minute later.

Put your bait in the right spot and hold on!

[SteveD]

I'm heading out again tonight and I'm going to play around with bait placement on a few spots. I'm going to do some pitching baits into the cover on a couple of spots and see if I can entice something into hitting it.

[Shack]

Hit Pool 2 again last night. Very nice night, but the fishing was slow.

The Miss. has raised a little since the weekend, but not much. Seen some of the first barge action for the first time this year (all up stream). Saw some tubers behind a boat (2 on the same boat) , Watched someone trolling out behind a cruiser at about 10-15 mph and seen the first bikini wearing gal on the deck of another cruiser also . Summer is here.

Had 2 fish on last night and got some great footage of reel’ in the first one and then it getting off a yard or two from shore. I would have saved it, but there was a couple swear words said and some sounds from my self that where not too manly. We erased this footage.

[Tyler Holm]

Unbelievable action.

9 fish in 5 hours, not to mention the 4 or 5 we missed + 1 breakoff. Non-stop from the get go.

We could have potentially caught 15 fish tonight!

Unbelievable is right. Structure? Slack water? Eddy? Inlet? Bullheads?

[harvey lee]

Congrats on a great night of fishing. When one gets action like that, who cares about size.

[DTro]

Same pattern that’s held all spring. Creek+Baitfish+Current Seam/Break=Fish

Right now the hardest part is finding a creek that isn’t out of the banks. There are a few though. I really think the biggest thing right now is finding any current break and where that current is pushing the bait to in relation to that break. Just because you find a break doesn’t necessarily mean you’ve found the fish.

I think Ed mentioned it in another post, and it needs repeating. Some of the smallest areas can be the biggest producers. The bait like everything else is trying to find some recluse from the rushing water. Find the bait, find the fish.

Also, we caught a nice one on cutbait (PapaGrump trying to better his KOTC Channel standings).

[DTro]

Congrats on a great night of fishing. When one gets action like that, who cares about size.

Thanks, I think that was the first time I ever personally caught 7 Flats in 5 hours.

[Shack]

I am sorry Dtro, congrates also!

You have been having on heck of a spring.

[hanson]

Just because you find a break doesn’t necessarily mean you’ve found the fish.

Ain't that the truth.

There are many minor adjustments that need to be made to catch fish right now.

Finding one of these "likely areas", tossing the anchor out haphazardly, and lobbing a bait back will not do it.

You have to study the current, visualize what might be happening with the bottom structure, position the boat properly, and then get your bait to stay put in the "right" spot. Flatheads use each of these areas slightly different for feeding, you have to catch a few to figure out where the sweet spot is in the spot. Alot of time, straight down over the back of the boat is the best spot. 6 ounces of weight has even been tricky getting a bait to stay where you want it.

There has been past argument about "feeding areas", these good areas are absolutely, without a doubt, drive-through fast food restaurants for flatheads right now.

Obviously not all spots are created equal. You have to learn the topography of the spot (take good mental notes during low water), and learn how the fish use them at these different water levels. Or spend a little time hovering with the depthfinder to learn where the big break is at, if there is a trough, the depth of the surrounding area, if there is a mid-depth flat, if there is any wood or snags on the bottom.

If the water starts coming down, the game is going to change real quick like. It also looks like it might coincide with the spawn as well which could be pretty interesting.

[AceintheHole]

I assume the spawn has started but is not in full swing yet. How long does it normally last.

[hanson]

I assume the spawn has started but is not in full swing yet. How long does it normally last.

I don't think its started yet. When it does, you will know. Its hard to catch a fish. Seams like there is a 3 week period starting early July where you just can't catch them. When you do start to catch them again, they will be all scarred up.

I'm hoping the spawn starts a little later this year considering everything has been "late" this year. If I'm not mistaken, water temps are still at 66 degrees. The water temp has been between 64-66 degrees for nearly a month now. Its just not warming up.

[Shack]

I would say no for the most of the rivers up this way. Channels might be starting to form, but flats I would think to much is not going in the right direction for them to spawn. They and could be in the next week or two.

Anyone seen any sperm yet?

I have been looking in back water flooded area's with some depth and small minnows on shore line (micro). If you find them, the food chain is not far behind.

[wastewaterguru]

Not a bad spot since I got 3 in 40 minutes there on Monday night...with two of them less than 5 minutes apart!!!

You have to love when the bites are coming fast enough that I didn't even sit down that whole time.

[AceintheHole]

So if were lucky it might be over by the Get together or aleast at the tail end of it. I think 4wandingeye's and myself are going to have a good night on thursday. Have a positive outlook and good things will happen.

[Larry FlatCaster]

Water temps are around 67 possibly higher right now... The spawn has not started. The Fish are gorging in preparation,

I for-see that when the water temps hit 70-72 the spawn will start and I would guess it will be much like the prespawn bite. All fish pretty much spawning at once...With everything running late this year, It seems the majority of fish are............how shall we say.... in sync. All biting at the same time with large numbers being caught.

Now the key is the water temps hitting the mark.. The later it goes more in sync the fish get. I wouldn't be surprised to see the quantities being caught drop off the chart almost completely, for a brief period and small ones being caught.

Will the spawn be done by KOTC> depends... I will guess that it might... Especially if the water warms quickly in the near future.

[DTro]

I’m thinking that the channels are just getting into the swing of things as far as the spawn goes. The last two I’ve seen (Sat and Tues nights) have had very dark coloring and bulbous protrusions on their head.

[wastewaterguru]

Did you just say "bulbous protrusion"........

[harvey lee]

I think I have those Darren, is that bad?

[DTro]

I think I have those Darren, is that bad?

Actually I think both you AND Hanson have those.

But that's for another day

[mplspug]

Did you just say "bulbous protrusion"........

[ec30_06]

The male channels are starting to make nests, but the egg dropping should happen soon.