​​​​Fishing Report

Late June

Water levels recently have been as low as I have seen in mid summer for several years.  The Corp of Engineers in Red Wing MN regulate the St. Croix River Water level at Lock and Dam #3, where the Corp maintains the St. Croix at a level no lower than 675.5.
675.5 is where the river was for little over a week and it was nice to see all the sand shoreline beaches up and down most of the river.

Recent much needed rains will find the river rising a few feet which is not uncommon.  It was nice to have the water level stable for a week and this makes finding fish on an up and down water level river much easier.
Water temps are normal and warm for this time of year and the river water is a balmy 74 degrees.
There is also a water clarity decrease not from rains alone but from the algae in the water.
I am not sure why we get this algae bloom, but I 
suspect fertilizer run off from residential lawns.

In the near future small clouds of bait will shown up on your finder and this is a great aid in locating gamefish from crappie to walleye.
There was a recent smallmouth tourney on the river so if you find the bass fishing slow in the recent future I would guess that is a factor to why these home body fish might be hard to catch for a while.  I personally would like to see all bass fishing non livewell as these fish live in set areas and shouldn't be hauled miles away.
Maybe this last tourney was a catch and photo tourney. I don't know. Just adding my 2 cents on my own website.
Livebait and cranks for walleye, depths are all over the board from 13- 28.

Signed,
Charlie "Turk" Gierke

22 Year Professional Guiding experience on St. Croix and Mississippi Rivers, USCG licensed OUPV Captain
5x Beanie River Rat Tournament winner,
5x Paul Koval Walleye Classic Tournament winner
2001 World Walleye Association Championship winner,
2009 Full Throttle Big Water Series Team of the Year

“The Lord is near to all who call on him…” Psalm 145.18, There is peace in the Fathers arms."

​​​Fishing Report

June 7

June is a transition time as the water heats up and rises to summer water temperatures.  June is not the spring nor the summer, this is a time fish leave spring locations and relate to shorelines and other structures that are near shore. 

The St. Croix River has very few " offshore" structures that are common on many classic walleye lakes.
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I mention this because this makes June a bit hard to simply find good spots like small humps or islands offshore-but nearshore-like you commonly find on other lakes.

Now it is common to fish on shorelines, the trouble is shoreline fish are here and gone the next day. Thats fishing - right?

The offshore structures that do exist are getting pounded by anglers fishing everyday seven days of the week so I prefer finding new spots.

These community holes are good to fish at times, and when they are hot are a wise choice to fish even if its bumper boats.

Walleye can be found in depths from 12-20.  They will also hold deep in 19-25 feet.
Crawlers and leeches with Spinners are catching fish.  Plus Rapala Crankbaits.  

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​​​Fishing Report

Early June

Smallmouth bass action has been best.  Bronzebacks hit many many lures from soft plastics, to topwater walkers to buzzbaits!

Bass right now are still shallow and easy to catch.
Super fun fish and they are jumping upon hookset and going airborne.

Walleye keepers are coming in but a bit slower than years past for my boat. Crawlers and leeches will catch fish in 10 -20 feet.

Leland caught this very nice channel cat, first of the year on a bobber!  Its a hoot, when the float goes down and you set the hook and the fish just sits there, and then decides to fight.

The single walleye is pictured because I was amazed at how white and "northwoods" the fish looked.  It looked like it just came from Cass Lake or another Northland waters- not the river. 

The eyes do get this color late in the fall when the water clears, but early June a bit strange, though the water is clearer than ever and the clarity is 6'!

On a side note I have never seen so many anglers fishing this year. Theres a lot of people on the river fishing these days.

​​Fishing Report

Mid May Back In Biz!

The river has fallen fast since the opener two weeks ago. Whenever water falls fish move.  This is a time you have to fish a lot of spots or fish presentations that cover a lot of water.
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Top baits are crawlers followed by crankbaits.
Depths from 12- 21 have been good. The water clarity is very clear.

The bite has been a bit up and down with fish moving so much.

A tuned crankbait of the wrong color is better than a untuned crankbait of the "right" color. Everybody has a very best crankbait in their box, it runs as straight as an arrow.  it is "tuned."
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 I feel Rapala makes the best product.

Water temps dropped down to 52 from 59 and are almost back up to 59.

Looks for crappies to spawn in the 2-5 feet soon in about a week they should be shallow.

White bass where hot then the water dropped and they left.

​Fishing Report

Croixsippi is laid off due to Covid-19

Quick Repo Croix Opener

Looking forward May 2020
 
The St. Croix River opens on May 2 this year.  All of April had high water mid to late April had no showers and the water fell.  The river should be about four feet high in early May.
 
This means it will be easy fishing and being able to read the water and fish in the seams or find “just right” water flow won’t be in play.
 
Anglers can simply drift the main channel, as I would guess the river velocity should be great for that.
 
With four feet of extra water you can drift and vertical jig with a half crawler or minnow. ¼ ounce will work easy if your boat captain can drive straight and not swing the back of the boat all over the place on you.  If they do turn endlessly while you’re trying to vertical jig from the back go to a 3/8 or a ½ ounce.
 
Back boat anglers will catch more fish that way-trust me I’m paid not to turn guys around, (well I was before Covid-19, Lol!).
 
Trolling Rapala Shad Raps is always pole bender in May. Use #5 or #7, go with Chartreuse in the bright sun and Firetiger in partly cloudy and Crawdad when overcast.  Work very near the bottom.
 
Walleye fish depths are good in 15- 19 feet deep as a base starting seasonal point.
Walleye are past post spawn and in the “Good May Bite Season.”
 
Good luck,
Turk

Some April Eyes From My Files

Kurt with a real trophy, super long walleye.  Caught on a fathead minnow and #4 Gamakatsu Hook.  This time of year the boat moves very slowly as fish are absolutely sluggish by summer standards.

Here is Lowell and its one of my favotire pics tis fish came on a tough bite overall but fish like this makes for good memories.  This one was caught on a 1/4 ounce jig and minnow. Presented vertically. BTW vertical means vertical- dead vertical.  the best jig anglers do this well!

Fishing Report

​Saugers and walleyes open on Mississippi River  03. 18. 20.

March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lion, oops a lamb.  This March looks to be going out like a lion and the weather is on a lock down winter hold it seems with some milder weather here and there.
​The good news is saugers especially and walleye readily eat even in the cold 36 degree water.

Some saugers are coming up stream from Lake Pepin, but the big push or "run" hasn't happened yet and the fish are still many many in a pre pre spawn mood, and gathering before the run.
Almost on the drop of the warm weather the whole system will bust open. when warm weather shows up in about ten days. It should be very good.

In the mean time eaters once found come in easy sometimes even when its cold and Mike and Lori got their fish quickly in about 1.5 to 2 hours fishing. We fished at least six spots to hit the fish, so the bite is not hot, but there are already some good fish up in spring spots.

Jigs and minnows, jigs and plastics are working best right now. standard stuff.

Hope all are safe and Remember Fishing is THE Original Social Distancing.

​Saugers and walleyes open on Mississippi River  02. 23. 20.

Open walleye Fishing

The Mississippi River is a quality fishery and one of the BEST there is in March and April .

Saugers and walleye

River fish grow fast - the eaters are younger and not older fish making them safe and good to eat.

Thud! Jig hits

Some days a steady hand is all it takes to get a THUD! or WHAP! hit. Fun for sure.

​March 2020 Red Wing Pool 4
 
The walleye and sauger Season is OPEN on the Mississippi River below Prescott WI and on southwards down river to Iowa
 
With average to above average temperatures this Februarys, and along with a forecast of normal temps coming the spring run should be on tie where the fish staging in Pepin will make their big train ride north about Mid March.
 
March is a transition period of pre melt to post melt.  Techniques before the melt are often much deeper and more main channel than post melt when currents increase and fish are forced out of the heavy flow.
 
In early March the venerable jig and minnow is a great bet to catch sauger and walleye from 18 to 34 feet deep.  Walleye must be a minimum of 15” to keep. Saugers have no size restriction.  Often anglers follow their conscience and release the clearly shown full of eggs females to spawn. Jig sizes in the ¼, 5/16, and 3/8 are often all you will need.  Instead of a minnow a smaller plastic worm will often produce great and better results than minnows. Ringworms, flukes, and twitch tails in natural colors are proven producers.
 
When the water rises everything changes. Fish shallower in 8 to 18 feet.  Often trollers working a three-way rig and original Rapalas cover ground to find fish in the main channel here its 20 to 24 fow.  Also this is when the casters like to work plastics and blade baits to shallow holding walleye.  Pool four is a very dynamic fishery in March it’s a fun and challenging fishery to test your skills on.
 
You won’t be alone.  There are normally one or two hugely busy weekends, where anglers are getting their boat out to make sure everything is operational and too enjoy the bite.  The scene settles down and becomes more fishable after this.
 
Everts Resort  (www.evertsfishingresort.com) located in Hager City, WI is always a valuable resource in bite conditions and river tackle with well kept launches that stay open despite below freezing temps.

Signed,
Charlie "Turk" Gierke

22 Year Professional Guiding experience on St. Croix and Mississippi Rivers, USCG licensed OUPV Captain
5x Beanie River Rat Tournament winner,
5x Paul Koval Walleye Classic tournament winner
2001 World Walleye Association Championship winner,
2009 Full Throttle Big Water Series Team of the Year

“The Lord is near to all who call on him…” Psalm 145.18, There is peace in the Fathers arms."

Saugers and walleyes on a strong bite before ice up 11. 17. 19.

Lets keep this sport alive - take someone fishing!

I have said it once and I will say it again. 

"All it takes is to get a kid with the passion for fishing to land one good fish and they can and often will see themselves as an accomplished angler!"

Its been a great year for seeing old friends and meeting new ones. I am honored and privileged to guide you my customers! 

Thank-you!

Signed,
Charlie “Turk” Gierke

Saugers, walleyes, and white bass on an up and down bite.  11. 01. 19.

Saugers and walleyes are hitting various presentations bite up from great to slow.

In the fall the water cools as one would expect, often it is how fast or slow the waters cools that can determine a lot of the fishes overall activity or level of how stable the bite is.

A bite's stability means, the bite (either being good, poor, or somewhere in between) and its propensity to stay that way.  In other words how long a bite stays the way it is, good or slower.

I sometimes say the bite is a little crazy where you don't know what to expect, just as if you were going to have a conversation with the "Mad Hatter," where you would not know if it was going to be a sane or an off the wall discussion until it started.

When the conditions change as fast as they are now with the water temps falling as fast as they are, it is the only way I can get my head around the current ups and downs I am seeing in what is my most favorite time of the year to fish.

As an example of what I'm talking about on my last two trips, one was a three man limit in a short amount of time to a trip where its hard to find walleye bigger than 14"s.  (the limit on the river is 6 keepers!)

That's why they call it fishing!  

I have had good luck with jigs and minnows recently, traditionally I have pounded the fish with Rapala Shad Raps and Original Minnows trolled near the bottom and taken very good walleye and saugers this way.



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The problem is  (if you want to call it a problem ) that clients love to fish jig n plastics in the cold water as the strikes are often extremely pronounced.

"THUD!"   
or
"WHAP!"  and that is fun.

So then I troll less and wish for clients to experience this plastic bite as it takes not a lot of time to be proficient with them.

Depths from 20 to 30 feet have been a solid depth range. The river is falling and clearing where the water color looks like its normal root beer color again and doesn't seem to be carrying the sediment load as last week.

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Saugers, walleyes, and white bass on a nice bite.  10. 18. 19.

Saugers and walleyes are hitting various presentations.

Anglers are catching walleye and sauger and white bass on crankbaits, jigs, jigging raps, minnows and plastics designed for walleye.  Plus some anglers get them on blade baits this time of year.
Each day is a little different so even though the above lures are working it doesn't mean they all work all day long, versatility is important.

Cooling waters have turned the keeper sized fish more active as of late and coming to the nets.
The last cold front that came through created a shad die off and now your lures look a lot better to the fish as they don't have an endless shad smorgasbord.

Fish have been in reasonable depths to catch them as well and not too deep or shallow, a good depth range has been from 13 to 26 feet.

This is a good time of year to expand presentation offerings as fish are receptive, its the old adage if they aren't hitting what your doing change it up.  
As a tip I never hit the water with out bait, or the idea to troll Rapala's or a presentation in between.

Wacky weather delays fall bite, saugers, walleyes, cats, and white bass starting up.  10. 06. 19.

Gwen lands a 21" smallmouth bass! GIANT !!! on a swim jig.

Bob with a 18" saug dog, and Tony in the back ground, Ron was there too. They call their friend group F.A.R.T. Fishing And Recreation Team. Yes we had fun.

Lori with a spinner rig channel cat. Pole bending action. Well done Lori.

Nathan with a PB 27" walleye. This is a whole family sur name PB family best, as his father informed me.

A little fish fry of saug dogs and eyes.

Ed with white bass on hair jig. WHACK, the rod tip just pops and then set the hook.

10.06.19 Lots of action with smaller eyes and saugers, some keepers, white bass, and others keeping clients interest.

Jigs, plastics, Rapala Shad raps, jigging raps, bottom fishing, casting rigs, plus more techniques are all what I have been doing to catch fish.  Clients have enjoyed jigging the raps best and plastics fishing I would guess from their smiles.  Trolling always plays a part when I need to search ground.

A lot of guiding helps put fish in the boat as time on the water helps you find the fish the next day fast! BUT when the water comes up 3 feet in three days thats when a system keeps you on fish.  I have thought about fishing for the greater part of my adult life and as a result developed a system. If you have followed my website you'll know its called "Piece it Together Like a Pro! found on Turk's Column page.
Its systems that keep you in place when the water rises - a strong foundation if you will.
​Knowing what to do based based the conditions is not a guarantee of limits, but it darn sure helps you not waste time on where they are not.

The reason I bring my class up here is that, I've talked to guys that are struggling now because admittedly they really don't know how the conditions move fish.
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I need to note that minnows have also been putting fish in the boat and depths from 10 - 20 feet deep have been holding fish of many species.
River level is 683.5
Water temps 54

Walleye still in late summer dog days, more saugers though, crappie active - weather dependent, and white bass starting up.  09. 22. 19.

Slabs!!

Sauger. Seeing more saugers lately.

Mark is clearly one who likes big crappies...

Mike with a keeper sauger caught on a jigging rap. Son Dan in the back.

White bass have starting to turn up. Evan white a nice one.

After fighting this sturgeon during a walleye fishing trip, Jim gasped, " I'm good on sturgeon for a while!" Mark was there for emotional support.

River walleye are hard to find (keepers that is), saugers - ok, other fish providing pole bending  09. 22. 19.

Up in the title line I wrote "weather dependent" for crappies.  Come to think about it its been all weather dependent lately.  These last eight to ten days of HEAT and no clouds has been bad fishing.  The overcast skies have been better.  This is not always the case mind you.
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We have been pounding on walleye! little ones - lol!  

The extended forcast in about eight days looks like the fall will arrive.  Everything will change soon and the bite will turn on. Not just for walleye but sturgeon as well.

I have been doing a lot of jigging rapala fishing with clients we have also been doing some snap jigging with minnows. Many techniques will work to catch fish right now, the little ones are very aggressive though as mentioned and keepers are tough to find.
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​Other rigs that are historically good is the fathead minnow and a silver spinner blade trolled on the bottom.  Trolling cranks of course as well.

Best walleye depths have been from 17 to 27 fow.

Baitfish are still extremely abundant and once the weather cools many of the shad will die off.  This is a good time to fish and is one of the reasons anglers do so much better then.

Crappie can be easy to catch when you find them when the weather is a bit overcast, and this is right now and not dependent on the actual cool of fall to arrive.
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For bait this is when minnows are better, crawlers aren't a no go, as the water temps are still 66 to 68 degrees, but minnows are a must have for me.

 Walleye elusive, sturgeon starting up, white bass starting up, and smallies provide an opportunistic bite.  09. 09. 19.

Sarah - super gal sky diver - and her dad John, wanted some big fish. St. Croix Sturgeon

Jeff got his gals Hannah and Emma on the water and we got bass, buffalo, a sturgeon, plus small walleyes and had some fun!

a keeper walleye - been hard to find lately... probably going to be a nuts fall bite.

Skipper Dave with a nice white bass he snapped up on a jigging rap!

Dave with a stout smallmouth bass scrappy fight.

A triple play on the bass, before I could unhook the each fish another one came in for a triple play.

Tim - claimed he wasn't an avid angler but looked like one. fun trip with the Dave M. crew.

For even more fishing info, tips, and reports, plus tackle, Please follow Croixsippi on Instagram at Croixsippi.fishing

River walleye, sauger hard to find, other fish providing pole bending  09. 09. 19.

One way to describe the fishing opportunities on the St. Croix River in general is similar to how certain plant species flower at different times of the year.  Dandelions for instance flower in June and early May and then go away, right now Goldenrod is flowering, but doesn't flower any earlier.
Much like these two plants that flower on the river certain fish species "flower" if you will and bite better at other times.
The blessing that is the river is that there are so many different types of fish to get after that if your goal is to catch fish and bend the pole then you look for what is flowering.  I'm going to catch grief for this flower analogy I know...
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For instance I saw my fishing pal Dan Quinn Rapala Field Promotions Manager out with his son going for.... Buffalo, yep they were targeting a fish that is active now and BIG!.  Did you know you can catch a Buffalo on a jig?  They will bite lures.

As a guide I have had to fish for "other fish" than walleyes time after time for people to enjoy themselves.
So with all that said, I think the walleye bite will pick up soon right around the corner, saugers will show up as well.
Sturgeon are a good bet right now.
As well as night fishing for flatheads on calm nights.
White bass have come to the nets recently and that always a good sign to get them deep and not on the surface.
Smallmouth are always available and with the right weather they can provide very good action.
I am finding many types of fish eating minnows now and a crawler bite is not as good as it was.  
Lately shallow has been better than deep water but the shad are deep so its a tough call.  depths from 8 - 28 have been good.  

The river has so many different spots that depth alone doesn't mean much, so 14' deep in the Kinni channel is completely different than 14' on a shoreline drop off.   I am trying to explain fish being in different spots. Now 14' has been good if the wind is blowing, so its all about putting the pieces together.

 There are times of year I can say this is a better depth but right now I can't.  That's also because they have been hard to find! lol.

Walleye anglers trolling just crankbaits, all day, will do better as a whole, but there are a lot of slow boring times between bites. If your total goal is a number, I'd say troll Rapalas.

Jig and minnows do well too on these places you troll up a fish, and this is a standard approach guys have done for years is to troll and then jig.  
Jigging Raps, Blade Baits, Plastics, and Spoons all are in play now as well.  This is the time to have fun in Fall and try what you think works.
Colors?? I like dark on dark days and light on bright days, works for me.
See you on the water.

River walleye, sauger, and crappie coming in.  08. 26. 19.

Omari with a trophy river walleye. It was his first fish ever!

Crappie time! Crappies are a bonus catch when going for walleye.

Evie and Eli with a slab crappie, a bonus catch.

Gizzard Shad, the baitfish that dominates the forage base on the Mississippi and St. Croix River. Image courtesy of A. Otto.

Steven with a smallmouth

Lance with our biggest and last fish of the day. the bite can be tough this time of year.

River walleye, sauger, and crappie coming in.  08. 26. 19.

Anglers fishing the dog days of summer and early September can find a tough bite for limits of walleye and sauger.  Large fish can be caught this time of year especially when using larger lures to trigger a strike, but as far as finding active groups of fish that are biting on livebait and hitting for an extended period has been a challenge and is a challenge most years. 
Popular walleye and sauger techniques include spinners, slow death hooks, and trolling crankbaits.  

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This is also the time of year soft plastics worked aggressively can catch fish!  The plastics bite will continue to become more of a fish catcher as time goes by in the fall.
​Some of the early and late season presentations involving bait on Lindy Rigs is not as good as the gamefish are actively chasing the gizzard shad (please refer to the picture above).  The shad is a high fat meal and its the fat from these fish that accumulates in the bellys of a late season walleye or sauger and seen upon cleaning these delicious gamefish for a meal.

Smallmouth are deep and so are the white bass.  The catfish have not been as active in the day with the lower flows now that the river has fallen.
This is also  the time of year muskies will increase their activity.
The fish are not so much in a set depth as near the baitfish as last week I caught a white bass in 29 feet and two days later caught one in 13 feet of water. The walleye are just like this too.  With the lower water walleyes are shallower in the low light of morning and like lake walleyes will leave if there is no cover. Lake walleyes will stay shallow near weedbeds but on the river in low flow they don't have much cover.

River catfish, walleye and sauger, and bass coming in.  Some Muskie sightings. 08. 16. 19.

Cats, bass, some walleye and sauger  action, muskies moving some.  08.16.19

We are getting walleye and saugers on livebait rigs, spinners for walleye, and Rapala crankbaits.

​The last week its been fishing as in you've got to fish for them and stay on your toes as the bite is a challenge anyway and the bait is moving as well.

Simply showing up to your "spots" and getting fish isn't happening.
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Two slight cold fronts moved fish to spots where they were not located previously and we got a couple saugers as a result - that is the fun in fishing especially when its a challenge.  these spots were inside corner like spots and a tight breakline near offshore shad.

 

​I preach hear on this site to mix up the species for fun especially right now in the dog days.  So in that true flavor of mixing it up we had a half day walleye trip and a half day muskie trip.  We boated some northern pike as a result and had a single fish Muskellunge follow to the boat twice.  That was on a firetiger Suick.

I also saw a muskie porpoise, I have also seen bass get eaten by some large muskies lately so the activity is decent.  The river has nice ski's in it for sure.

Your favorite fish the freshwater drum is on the chew!  
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676.2 is the river and that is a low as its  been all year.  Water temps have fallen to 74 degrees from 77 last week.

For even more fishing info, tips, and reports, plus tackle, Please follow Croixsippi on Instagram at Croixsippi.fishing

River flatheads and channel catfish, walleye and sauger, and bass coming in. 08. 06. 19.

First walleye a good one for Texan Luke. C & R.

Matt with a nice box fish from the St. Croix.

Cats, bass, and some walleye and sauger supplying action.  08.06.19

Early August is a time that the predominant baitfish on the rivers St. Croix and Mississippi pop, the shad explode in numbers and this baitfish is now the name of the game.

Great you say, find the bait find the fish. True but there is so much bait its a challenge.  However if you get things right and can find where the fish are on the bait you can have some great catching.  The issue is those little varmints, the shad, move!

The scenario is never the fish are shut down and on lock jaw. No their metabolisms are peaked out right now and they feed again and again, so you need to be near bait to get into good action for all fish types.

Brothers Matt and Brett on a fishing trip. Smallmouth released.

Leland with a 39.5" flathead catfish. Released.

Matt with a nice box fish from the St. Croix. Sauger.

The catfish have spread out now, but they are active and ready to hit when you are on them, but again they are spread out and harder for this guide to find this week.  

Believe it when I say that cats are like any other fish and prefrontal conditions finds them on a good chew.  I think that an interesting tidbit. Fish are fish.
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Micaiah with a largemouth bass on a paddletail grub. C & R.

Micaiah with a smallmouth bass. C & R.

Walleye and sauger is the name of the game for most anglers and last week at the end of the week was a good flurry of activity.  It might have been that new moon phase, hard to say.

The eyes and saug dogs are biting but their windows of activity for my offerings of cranks and livebait rigs are open and then then poof nothing. Thats fishing in August, great sunny weather, blue skies and heat.  FYI - The fishing is always best in the cold water times of year.

Bass.  I've not talked much about bass for a while as I haven't seen them.  We had a slow catfish morning and at 1 pm I asked the crew if they wanted to get bass.  Micaiah and Leland were all on board.   Luckily I found some great activity of bait and bass and the guys caught a lot of bass on plastics and medium light rods, pole bending - serious pole bending.

Good luck, let me know how you do feel free to email me at fish@croixsippi.com

River Flatheads and Channel  Catfish active, walleye and sauger slowing down. 07. 30. 19.

Father and son fishing what can be better? A double! Elijah just got his on and Tom reeled up to clear the lines to avoid tangling, as Tom reeled up his hit.

Gorgeous day on the water. Elijah with a small flathead that started out big...

5# channel cat looking for crappies! Bobber fishing, LOL!

44" Flathead catfish that was a battle for Josh as big as the fish is! Josh (r) needed his brother Elijah's help for the picture. Now that's a fish.

7# Channel cat caught on cut bait.

10# Channel cat caught on a 5/0 circle hook.

Cats active and supplying action.  07.30.19

Follow Croixsippi on Instagram at Croixsippi.fishing

Walleyes have slowed down but saugers are biting fair to decent.  Everyday is different and we can still get the eyes and saugers and then on the other hand it can be tough - that's just the way it is this time of year.  Livebait rigs, spinners, and crankbaits are top presentations this time of year.
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​Channel catfish and flathead catfish on the other hand when the see your bait will not be shy and strike with wild abandon.

I rig up and set the rods in the holder and wait.  Time goes by, sometimes soon, sometimes later, and then you see the unmistakeable action of something trying to bust the dang rod into two as it is thrashing around on the bottom.

If its a big one it is a battle you will never forget, as stated just that way by Josh, the young man above holding the 44" flathead. Josh is on the right. He said " I will never forget that fish."

Truth be told here these are hard to get fish in the daytime especially, and many are sized like the ones in the pictures above and not 44" and heavy.

​Though one of the channel cats was a ten pounder and thats a big channel.

Smallmouth bass have slowed down, and white bass are etherial and just appear and disappear.

Muskellunge is a fish I am looking forward to getting after soon.  I think we can boat some of the grey ghosts of the river.  They are a fish I find in predictable locations, the key is to get them to bite or being there when THEY want to bite.
I have seen their red fins porpoise and that gives them away. I see them chasing hooked bass and walleye. They are a majestic fish.  You will not get the action of numbers like catfishin' or even the same fight of a big flathead but they are a prize and hard to get.

The rivers here are a true blessing and loaded with great fish.

River walleye and sauger action slowing, catfish active still. 07. 24. 19.

Mudcat caught on a 5/0 double action hook. Paula lands two nice cats this day!

Paula with a keeper eye 18" caught on a minnow and #4 octopus hook.

Rob with 19"eye caught jigging. Lots of presentations working.

​Fishing Report 07.24.19

Walleye and saugers coming in on many presentations and baits from Rapala crankbaits to live bait rigs, and spinners and slow death hooks, plus jigging lures. The walleye bite has slowed as summer peaks, but saugers are coming in, but not hitting all day, but for shorter spurts. 
Both channel cats and flathead catfish have been active and should remain so into and through summer.
Muskie will also be a specie to target starting right now. 
Crappies can be targeted too. White bass have been elusive and appear on the surface and soon disappear.
I prefer to target fish as they are most receptive seasonally.  The river is a great place for anglers wishing to catch many different species.

Russ with a keeper eye. Caught on a crawler.

We are getting lots of short fish but keepers too. This is a half day box of walleye.

River walleye and sauger action, catfish active too. 07. 18. 19.

Lori and Tom caught lots of walleye on Tom's birthday trip! I wonder which fish is bigger?

Greg with a keeper walleye caught on a leech.

Lori landed this nice channel cat. Great trip with these two.

Fishing Report 07.18.19

Made ​Cats on the bite, and fighting tough this summer.  Walleye and saugers biting too - many short but keepers are coming in.
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Lori with a mid July river eye walleye.

Lori (again) nice sauger 17"

It's summer time with catfish fun ! 07.15.19

This channel cat that resembles a beluga whale was a monster of a fighter. Trophy fish.

Even this "small" flathead was tough.

Flatheads are bulldogs and are hard to move and make massive head shakes. Grace did a great job with this fish.

CATS FIGHT! CATS ARE BIG!

Mid July 2019.
There is nothing in freshwater that fights like a channel cat. 

A 10 pound channel cat anywhere is a big cat, and the Mississippi and St. Croix Rivers are home to big cats.

This is what happens you set up on a spot and put the rods in the holders, and now you wait. Luckily these daytime fish are feeding and don't play games and strike and slam the poles in such a way you think a jetski snagged your line and is hauling tail away.  Its chill and then serious fish fighting action.

Walleye.
So I  got walleye trips booked coming up this week, and  feel we should be able to box some eater eyes. I haven't forgotten about marble eyes.

This channel cat pictured here went on a 50 yard run! That's fun.

The one I am showing was 10 -11 pounds and to me a ten pound channel cat is a very good cat.

Walleyes still to be had on lots of presentations - Mixed bag now - seeing cats. 07.11.19

Wayne with a St Croix Walleye July 2019

Bassmaster Mike with a walleye July 2019

Dave holds some of the eater eyes. July 2019

Personal best for Charley! 07/2019

A flawless smallmouth not even a chink in its armor.

28.5" walleye! July 2019

Grace with a St Croix walleye July 2019

07-11-19

Once again the river water levels rise and once again we are near the no wake river wide level. However this time the gauge is topping off at 682.8! That is nice to say the least.
Once the river gets to be 683.0 it is an automatic NO WAKE river wide so the simple fact that it is .2 under makes me chuckle, and be happy us boater caught a break this time.
Speaking of catching things I have found that the river is holding some nice sized walleye in it this year.  I often surmise that the longer the water stays high the better the fishing is on the St Croix. As I do believe many river walleye in the St Croix will travel back to the Mississippi in the low water levels.

I have several anglers that are friends of mine that fish the river, and some of these people have taken my fishing class that I held last winter in Cabela's Woodbury and these anglers are focusing on the conditions and all fishing different presentations that are catching fish!! So what does that say?  From a slow livebait rig to fast trolled crankbaits - these fisherman are putting walleyes in the boat and releasing walleye over 20" voluntarily.
Plus I should mention spinners are catching walleye, spinners work because they cover ground.
The bulk of my clients want walleye so thats what I end up talking about and fishing for as you have to give people what they want.
I would like to say that the catfish, the channel cats in particular are starting to show up and bite and this is one of the signs of true summer, this "true summer" coincides with the bloom of the tiger lilies - which is happening right now.

I fish in the day and therefore target channel cats and cutbait works very well for them.  You would be surprised how big a chunk of bait a cat will eat.  Cats also do not mess around they devour a bait and a 10 pound channel will SLAM the pole!
White bass pods are not hitting on the surface on any regular intervals like they used to but still are present and if you are in the right place at the right time they will blow up the water hunting shad. It gets your heart pumping!
Smallmouth bass are still biting and even though the water is high I am finding bass deep.  Smallies are often deeper than the bass guys think and love deep structure. They are also up near the flooded trees right now so deep and shallow you say? Yep thats fishing on the river.  Never are all the fish in the same spot at the same time.
For bass its hard to not use a tube bait they are so easy and sink on the fall.  Many guys like to slow retrieve swim baits and use as a search lure and catch fish that way. 
Enjoy summer have fun and try some of the multi species the river has to offer.

It's Summertime! Walleyes to be had on lots of presentations - Smallies still bite. 07.03.19

Troy with super walleye. These fish are fighting hard! C & R.

Gary with a 28" trophy eye. Catch and Release.

St. Croix walleye

Brian up from Chicago with a 28.5" walleye. C & R.

Crawler caught walleye

Smallies are fighting well! C & R.

Walleyes have been a target species and we have been having luck catching some big ones and keepers.  Livebait and crankbaits are working in depths from 8 to 26 feet.  Many fish are deeper than a month ago for sure but its the river and some spring spots will hold fish as the conditions change.

Yesterday caught fish in a place I thought was over until next spring, so you never know unless you try. In hindsight the conditions made sense, hopefully they are there today for my trip coming up...

The river is a fantastic fishery with big bass and walleye, sturgeon, cats, muskie.  Its always a fun feeling knowing where you angle that quality fish reside.
​As mentioned lots of presentations are working right now.  The water is 72 to 74 degrees on the surface and lures used to provoke a strike and livebait used to get a bite are both working.
It has been a good week for big walleye hopefully it keeps up.  My last weeks report was about multi species and that didn't happen, that will happen, but for now its been a walleye higher percentage of the fish being on the end of the line.

​Signed,
Charlie “Turk” Gierke

21 Year Professional Guiding experience on St. Croix and Mississippi Rivers, USCG licensed OUPV Captain
5x Beanie River Rat Tournament winner,
5x Paul Koval Walleye Classic tournament winner
2001 World Walleye Association Championship winner,
2009 Full Throttle Big Water Series Team of the Year

“The Lord is near to all who call on him…” Psalm 145.18, call on him!  “Jesus is Lord”

It's Summertime! Walleyes to be had on lots of presentations - Smallies still bite. 06.27.19

David with a trophy river walleye!!

Micaiah catches another one!

Micaiah fishing with Dad - Double Bass trouble!

Last Tuesday morning was the ultimate summer weather! Kevin with a box fish

Dallas goes "Big" on this bass.

Dallas with a keeper eye. We worked hard for every keeper.

It is officially summertime both the weather and the calendar agree. I am pretty sure the sweatshirt and jacket pictures on this site will  be a thing of the past.
Summer is a time where what most clients want - walleye- can still be had, the catches can be good and fishing can also be slow.
The eyes simply move a lot more on a regular basis and become less  predictable.
However there are many species in the river and in July a few years ago we reached my boat record of 17 species.  Not 17 fish but we caught 17 different species.  And by the way 10 species is easy in July.
So we catch fish just not - walleye.  Also saugers start to show up.
Saugers are a fun fish and on the St. Croix or the Mississippi River there is no size restriction. 

 I make a sauger be 14" to keep, meaning I put the sauger on the " Judge" (my ancient fish ruler) and if they are at least 14" they are eligible to keep. Commonly I can find the 14 - 17" saug dogs as I like to call them and add a few eyes in the mix and the box of keepers can be 7- 11 total.  3 man limits of all walleye is hard to do this time of year.
The  catfish start to get active now that the water temperatures on the surface is 72. Cats will become aggressive.  Crappies are also another fish that can be in the mix in to add to the box.  My customer above Dallas, says he has a killer fish cake recipe and kept a drum to use the meat in the fish cake.  Hudson's Jake Klabon uses drum this way too - it's good food..
So if you can only deal with an eye on your line - you're a purist - don't book me this time of year because the river gets active with "fish."
Lots of presentations are working. Lindy rigs, spinners, and crankbaits. The water is clear I go more natural for color choices.

Freshwater drum spawn over walleyes now found - Smallies still bite. 06.17.19

Sam with his first keeper eye. Caught fishing with his Dad.

19"-20" Smallmouth Ken hit this early in the trip.

Drew and Megan half day trip boxed one limit.

Right place right time on the river and its very good.

19.5" walleye

Good hooks set by Kevin.

One thing that has occured to me lately and that is reinforced by looking at the pictures is that the weather is all over the board.  Look at Ken in the upper right corning holding a 19.5" river walleye.  He is all bundled up last week we had times it was cold.  Yesterday morning the air temp was 45 as read on my trucks temperature gauge.
If you fish a lot you know that the weather is a huge factor in success and can be your best friend or your worst enemy.  In June I like stable weather in July and August I like unstable weather.
If you hunt or fish you've got to pay attention to the weather it adds to the uniqueness of each day - each day is different.
​

So I have seen spurts of big activity lately and then periods of a slow bite in the same day.  How you use this to your advantage is another matter, I am simply talking about what I am seeing and that is big activity and low activity based on the air.  Why that matters underwater is a mystery to me but it does! 
So the freshwater drum, sheephead, or $&!)heads as some people call them are done spawning and hopefully done terrorizing us anglers, when they go banana's like they did last week what fish could possibly get to your bait before them?  They can't.  The walleye get out competed then.
​So that natural river cycle is over, and yes the drum are a native specie they are meant to be in the rivers.

If you look up the middle photo shows a very heavy bag of keeper walleye.  This was during one of those spurts and the fish came into the boat like crazy.  Right place right time I guess, plus my customers where smacking the eyes pretty good.
I am having a good time entertaining guests on livebait still and the crawler and leech in 8 to 20 feet of water has been what my guide boat has been doing.
The river is slowly dropping and I am so thankful to be able to open up the boat and get my motor back into normal operation.  Big horsepower motors aren't meant to be run slow for six straight weeks.
The river looks to continue to drop and will be four to five feet high by next weekend.
​​

Signed,
Charlie “Turk” Gierke

21 Year Professional Guiding experience on St. Croix and Mississippi Rivers, USCG licensed OUPV Captain
5x Beanie River Rat Tournament winner,
5x Paul Koval Walleye Classic tournament winner
2001 World Walleye Association Championship winner,
2009 Full Throttle Big Water Series Team of the Year

“The Lord is near to all who call on him…” Psalm 145.18, call on him!  “Jesus is Lord”

Freshwater drum hard to get away from, Smallies bite, and walleye too. 06.10.19

Smallies bring smiles.

Ben with a 20.5" Smallmouth Bass.

Smallies bring smiles to overgrown kids too.

Walleye bag of keepers 06-06-19. 17 - 18" average.

Netting his brothers fish. Netting fish ads excitement.

Freshwater drum caught on a blue hair jig - no bait.

The river is rarely the same body of water twice.  High water, low water, high flow, low flow, sun, clouds, wind, rain, heat, cold, time of year its always a different place to fish.

In less than a week, one fish predominately pictured on this site, the walleye, has given center stage  to bass and freshwater drum (sheephead).

​The river changes.  Fish species take over and bite so strong nothing else can get to the bait. For example some times the white bass really bite strong and nothing else can beat them to the hook.

A welcome change for us boaters on the St. Croix is that any day and maybe tomorrow the no wake river wide restriction will be lifted.

I have seen many kayakers that are smiling ear to ear with the no wake in place but I imagine that the waves will be piling up and rocking the river soon.

​

Bass are hitting tubes and plastic worms, you also can't avoid them while baitfishing.  If you catch a smallie that is throat hooked cut the line and don't rip out the hook the fish will die.

Walleye are being caught on livebait and cranks.  The water is falling so look for fish to be deeper as the summer progresses. Coming up 10 - 20 feet deep is a range where many walleye will be.

​Popular crank colors are firetiger, chartreuse, purpledescent, craw, also the Rapala classic black top white belly is a real sneaky bait.

River Fun. Sheephead go nuts! Walleye still. Smallies active. 06.04.19

This first week of June is a period of transition and often can be tough to find eyes as they go on a journey to there summer spots.

In addition to this us river anglers are blessed (somewhat serious comment) to catch a fish that is beyond willing to bite right now and that's the freshwater drum.  AKA sheephead or $h!&head as many guys endearingly call them.

When the sheeps go nuts the other fish can't get to the bait.  This is a situation much like watching the small sunfish race to the bait as the big older sunnies watch the littles ones hook themselves.

As you can see above in the pictures we've had some good success lots of walleye though the big bags and limits of 12 plus keepers is getting harder there are still lots of good walleye fillets to be found in the guide boat.

Smallmouth have been especially fun to catch right now and are very willing to bite.

Depths from 11 to 14 have been good and places with flow around 22 feet have been good as well. Still using livebait, I just bought 500 crawlers.
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You've got to know never do all the fish do the same thing at once, there are always segments and groups of fish that do different things.  Its the best percentages that I fish and look for success.

I have been having fun working the current seams down on Pool Three, looking forward to really getting into big ones after the water comes down from the trees down there.

The St. Croix is still on river wide lock down no wake.
​Maybe the boats 21' and under should be exempt???

Lots of walleye still. Smallies active. 05.27.19

Daughter and Mom fishing! Pretty cool.

Super great time with repeat client Dave releases this 22" walleye. He was out with his son Vince. Father and son duo, cool fishing. Their take home bag is pictured on the right.

Kim pictured right, hooted and cheered when all her fish fought! " ITS A fighter!" She said. Fun to hear.

Had a great trip with Lin and her husband Mark, and daughter Kate with their friend Kim too.  Lots of fun, caught many smallmouth bass and white bass.  Lin left above and Kim even doubled up for smallies! Kate and Lin with a keeper, and Lin with a throw back 21.5"  See you guys again!  Fathead minnows best bait.

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T.

Lin with a catch and release walleye. > 20" let them go and breed. Lin told me about the black spotted bass from last weeks post. I'll see if she can send some info on that.

We have had some really big take home bags this May. The eyes are 18" average. the meat from a river 18" - its a lot of meat, and thats great! This is why we can let the over 20s go. There is a difference between a sportsman and a game hog in my opinion.

May is the time to be on the water! 05.20.19

The Kracken! We fought the Kracken...

All on the Frankosky Fam trip had a ball! Pat, Brent,  Jeff, and of course the ring leader Steve shown above with a nice walleye 22" released.
This trip had everything with the boys bringing home a cooler of 11 keepers! and some throw back fish too.  Brent had a clam close on his weight, there were random pieces of big leaf lettuce flowing downstream from who knows where? and why!!? 
Then Buffalo (yes the fish, they exist, google it) kept slamming into the bottom of the boat and after I pulled the boat to trailer home I could see why... they where laying eggs on my boat and breeding.  Umm I'm flattered but sorry not my type.
We also had on a dozen buffalo and they tested tackle, rods, line, skill, and knots!  We landed 2.
This was good cross training because Pat would need it...
All the buffalo hoopla died down and it was a normal walleye bite... Pat sets the hook and immediately 50 yards of line screamed off of the reel,  I yelled, "reel up we've got to chase this thing!"  Pat had it solid and it was the biggest and best battle I've been apart of on the river.  This was one of the biggest fish in the river and it took us one way and the other for a 1/4 mile and 50 minutes with numerous under the boat maneuvers from starboard to port - mind you one brief rub on the boat and the 6lb mono is cut.  50 minutes in the high water current is a BATTLE! Then that was it... the hook was thrown the Kracken won. 
The reason I know it was so big was we never tired the thing out, it did whatever it wanted, and it had a metabolism big enough to not tire and that is only one from a BIG fish.  A Sturgeon/Kracken hybrid it was I have no doubt.

For Good Luck bring Mom!

Devin's boss rewarded him with a gift certificate for my guide services for obviously a job well done.  When we chatted on the phone, about the trip, I told him we would do a lot of baitfishing for walleye with rigs and jigs, maybe some heavy rigs in the middle channel areas but I would like to do casting techniques.  He said that sounded fun, then he asked " Can I bring my Mom along?"  What could I say? Not only did that sound like a nice thing to do it sounded like Good Luck!  Turned out it was!
Devin and his Mother Holly in the picture with his first walleye!  I said sweet a personal best.
Turns out personal bests would be the theme.

Personal Best

Holly needed some extra coaching but turned into a fish catching machine!!  It was "set the hook!" related, as you can see she did just fine.  She was tickled to best Devin here!

Personal Best 2

Look at this thick and chunky 27" walleye!  Holly caught this one with about 20 minutes to go in the full day trip.  She declared "Champ!" Who says fish only bite in the morning?

Personal Best 2

Fun fun day.  Devin new PB - 22" walleye catch and release.  We also caught a ton of white bass.  These two brought home two limits we released five over 20." Devin is a foodie when it comes to meats and smoking and BBQ. He was pumped when I told him white bass are great many ways, especially smoked. Sounds like I'm getting some to try.

Black Spot Bass!!??

Thousands of smallmouth bass, I have caught with customers, and never ever have I seen one with markings like this!!  I will send it over to the WI DNR Filed Biologists and hear what they say...Between 18-19"  Smallies are closed btw!

Spring has sprung and the water is going to warming up fast 05. 15. 19.

Lowell with a good one! Caught on the cast He made a great hookset. I got word later from Lowell's pal Gary told me that from the keepers stomach came out sunfish. YOY young of the year fish are a key to the gamefish diet after the spawn.

Gary with a good walleye, he got him right in the upper lip! Gary and Lowell are a fishing machine!

Lowell with another throw backer. Gary and Lowell had a very nice box of fish to take home too!

I was a part of a crew of boats recently and guide a good group of anglers, We limited out in 3 hours and they had 18 in the box - most saugers! Here is Peter with a gorgeous fish. We fished a cold front and made a key move to catch these fish in the front.

Here is Mark from the big group outing. Mark really enjoyed the river and made many comments on the ecosystem and all the creatures from land to water. Nice to see guys enjoy nature.

Here is Gary unhooking a walleye. I took a picture of this because the size of the fish and the health of these fish was something I thought people would want to see. Great resource rivers have great fish. Plus Falcons, Osprey, and Eagles to view.

The earth is warming up and soon the water will too. This year the daffodils are blooming the same time as the dandelions.  Not sure but I think that's rare, how the spring gets sprung matters a lot for the bite.  For instance it's a must to know if your in a cold front.   The weather and conditions matter! For fish we have not seen much white bass, though Dan from the Dave and Dan trip (they are on the home page with a stringer) caught a hog white bass.  Some smallies, no cats, a few crappies...  On the Peter and Mark trip we did catch a ton of saugers.  Mostly walleye - oh darn...

Enjoy spring will you can its only here a short time.

​​Signed,
Charlie “Turk” Gierke

21 Year Professional Guiding experience on St. Croix and Mississippi Rivers, USCG licensed OUPV Captain
5x Beanie River Rat Tournament winner,
5x Paul Koval Walleye Classic tournament winner
2001 World Walleye Association Championship winner,
2009 Full Throttle Big Water Series Team of the Year

“The Lord is near to all who call on him…” Psalm 145.18, call on him!  “Jesus is Lord”

It changes fast - from no wind and sun to cold air and wind 05.06.19

The St. Croix River and The Mississippi River are great places to fish with both eater size and trophy fish as well. Here is Kevin with a 28" trophy. He caught it on the cast and felt the bite and SET THE HOOK!!! Then it was a battle that resulted in a personal best.

Kevin with a healthy 21" walleye cauhgt and returned back to the river to grow and get bigger.

I've always been and always be a "meat hunter." I like fishing with and guiding for guys that want to take some home. I especially like it when guys are on the same page as to what to keep and what to release as me. There are eaters and throw backers and it seems like that magic 20" mark is it. Here is Kevin with a chunky 18" sauger it goes in the box. If you want to release them all I'm cool with that too - its just nice to see guys happy with take home fish and my guys were happy today!!

Here is my client from today - Adam he owns Midnight Motorcycle in Hastings MN. Midnight Motorcycle is a full service bike, ATV & snowmobile service center. I have no doubt he will treat you right. Tell him you saw him on Croixsippi.com!

It was a pretty fun trip today with Adam and Kevin, they wanted to fish and were happy to see different techniques and approaches needed to work through some of the conditions that had changed in just two days! 
​
It took a while to get on the fish today as the conditions had totally changed from Saturday but I started to figure it out and we were getting bites and having fun so we just kept plugging away and the pattern emerged.

Adam started it of with a 18" walleye and things started to coming together. Then Kevin got one for the box too and I pretty much made my mind up right then and there as to the technique and boat approach style we would do the rest of the day.



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Saturday one technique that went so well was crankbaits and that was clearly not a good game option today (based on the conditions) so I did't even try it.

One of the biggest presentation changes was how the fish simply wouldn't take the bait well and we need lots of patience to get the hooks in the mouth.

This is a time of year the minnows work and so do nightcrawlers.  Depending on the day one is better than the other. In my opinion its is not leech time.  Don't forget or maybe I should say that the water temps are 50 degrees.  This is a time that original Rapalas can and do work! We got fish in 8 to 24 feet deep.


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St. Croix  River Opens for Walleye and Sauger May 4

The Saint Croix River unlike the Mississippi actually closes to gamefish and has an "opener."  Opening day this year in 2019 is the 4th of May for walleye and sauger fishing, plus northern pike.  As mentioned the Mississippi River is a year round continuous season south of Prescott WI.  This is how I have been able to guide many trips in the Red Wing area in February, March, and April over the years.

The  Croix is really two different rivers you have the upper and the lower.  The upper is from Stillwater, MN to the north is much shallower and faster moving than the lower.  The difference in this whole upper and lower is the depth of water and the lower is much deeper.  In fact the lower has a spot over 90 feet deep and another 70 feet deep.

The upper is covered with islands and side channels along with the main channel.

This year on opener the water is very high and almost 10 feet high.  Most public and private launches are closed and the river has an entire river wide - slow no wake - everywhere.  It seems like more and more its getting harder and harder for anglers to be on the water as most launches are built to access boats for normal pool level of 675.5 feet above sea level.  Take the Hudson City Launch, for more than I would guess a third of the boating season its closed every year.

There used to be a small almost secret launch that I and a few others would use in high water, then almost out of nowhere a sign pops up, "for canoes and motorless boats only."  

I am expecting good fishing, the conditions should be excellent when you understand high water fishing, but getting to where I want to be might be another matter.  I've got lots of options on where to launch as the river is 30 miles long on the lower end, though the no wake will keep the fishing areas smaller.  The water is almost 50 degrees and this is pretty normal for this time of year. 

As always I will have my bait rods ready to go and have a slug of crankbaits ready to fish as well.  I use my 8 horsepower to troll and its a fun way to cover water and catch a few walters.  Baitfishing is highly interactive and I do both mostly for fun, and isn't that what it's about?

04. 30.19 The Spawn is all wrapped up. The males though don't know the party is over!

As long as I've asked around, I have always heard that the highwater is good for spawning. I image this is true especially when the water stays high until hatching occurs.  So it looks like we will have an excellent year class of 2019.  If you were like me you noticed last year that the Croix was full to the gills with small eyes it looks like great fishing to come in the future!

Isn't it nice the eyes are natural reproduction.  I believe the only fish the MN and WI DNR stock are Muskellunge.

Quality Fish

The Mississippi River is known for nice big fish plus good eaters too.  Nice fish Billy!!

Healthy Fish

Spend time on the river and the size and thick nature of the white tips is viewed easily.  I have learned to really appreciate the fishery.  Pre spawn 2019 late April.

When its good it is as good as anywhere

Fun fishing when the big ones are around, especially when they are where they are supposed to be.  Some days the fish actually get and read the memo!  Then there are days for instance the water is so cloudy with silt that they can't read the memo let alone hit your offering.

 River Conditions Are "Just Right" 04.17.19

Dave with a real nice pre spawn walleye from the Mississippi River. This fish struck hard on a jig and soft plastic tail. Head shook about eight times in the current and Dave's fishing pole was bouncing as it wouldn't budge for a while.

It was going pretty darn good for a while we had many 20" plus fish and some of these larger ones as well. Dave is an avid angler and he talked about something that river fish have a lot more fight than your non river fish. I would agree. These fish did not want to move much and it helped greatly in fighting these fish to not put too much pressure on the fish until they started to come up. Even with practice fish can come off, I missed a nice one that I either " horsed" or wasn't hooked great..Nice fish Dave!!

Wayne with the first bite and catch of the day! The condiitons were "just right" and we were fishing where the fish were and it was a great day had by all present in the boat.

Made for Adventurers

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Right Place right time! 

When your are fishing in the right  place, where the fish are many techniques work.  I advise people to do techniques that you are best at.  I have many techniques I fish based on mainly water temperature and water clarity.  Over the years, I have developed a system on fishing the conditions and letting the conditions dictate my techniques.  Many times we have good success and sometimes its just a hard bite to figure out - thats fishing. 
Yesterday was one where my past experiences matched up with conditions that I understood to put me in the right places.  
PLUS It never hurts when the fish are SNAPPING too! :)
​
A few of the bites were of the kind that if you took them too soon you'd end up with a big - WHIFF! - hookset.  The fish to the right needed about three seconds and thats and eternity when jig fishing.  Three seconds is nothing when Lindy Rigging.  It is a situation where so many jig bites are the THUD or WHACK variety that man you just hammer them right away, so thats why I say it feels like an eternity.

Dave with the last fish of the day! For the majority of the day we were able to fish by ourselves and not do the bumper boats. Nothing against fellow fisherman, but having a spot to yourself is a bonus that any angler understands. This fish was from a community hole though mixed in with a few eaters and a couple shorts it was a fun little spot to end the day on.

Caught on a fathead minnow. April 16, 2019.

​Signed,
Charlie “Turk” Gierke

21 Year Professional Guiding experience on St. Croix and Mississippi Rivers, USCG licensed OUPV Captain
5x Beanie River Rat Tournament winner,
5x Paul Koval Walleye Classic tournament winner
2001 World Walleye Association Championship winner,
2009 Full Throttle Big Water Series Team of the Year

“The Lord is near to all who call on him…” Psalm 145.18, call on him!  “Jesus is Lord”

Here today gone tomorrow - and not the fish! 04.09.19

I have been dying to get out and find fishable water to start doing business again. I arranged a trip with my friend to scout. Jeff landed the first three fish of the day in a perfect high-water spot that I fish in these conditions 14.5" walleye, another fish short eye, and then a keeper sauger between 18 to 19". A perfect start. He got this healthy mama eye soon after.

Here is another jig fish that smoked the plastic bait. If you've read this site this time of year for any number of years you know that cold water IS soft plastic time. Especially when the bite is on. Great baits and fun to fish - anything with a tail will work - the colors are gawdy too that walleyes like!. I love bait, I do, but using plastics are pretty cool.

Saugers on the river. Nothing like saugers a fun fish, a tasty fish, and they are prevalent. The Mississippi River is premier sauger water. Out of this ice chilly 36 degree water you can't tell the difference between an eye and a saug dog.

Its been a tough season to fish especially when launches are closed

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So right now it is a extremely hard time to get on the water on the Mississippi River.  I drove to a few launches to find fishable water today. The launches were closed, and closed, and not doable with my boat almost 20'... but I found a less used launch, launched had a ball caught the fish above and smaller ones too.  Figured finally I can get my folks wanting to fish on the water..then I get a call on the water.  To make a long story short, I  was informed that the launch was closing.  I got a call from the Sheriff saying the launch is closing soon and I need to move my truck.  I told Jeff and he thought I was joking.  So right now after this high high dirty cold water finally drops and water start to warm, I can't get the boat on the water.  
In fishing it is truly here today and gone tomorrow, and not only the fish BUT the LAUNCH. lol. all true.

Just when you think you've found a great eater spot... "WHAPPP!" the rod tip pops - then its hair trigger hook set and the jig drives the well bit hook home. This fish was a beast of a fighter especially with the flow. Jeff and I saw this was a walleye very early in the battle, but if I wouldn't have seen it I would have swore it was a northern pike. I loosened my drag up and tightened it two whole cycles to land it. Very fun. Released of course. I didn't have to release it btw but why would you not? Let'm go to grow.

Another chow down fish that will be released later this evening in Crisco Bay.

04.03.2109
River Level Dropping

Thanks to very low moisture for the last two weeks the river levels are finally dropping.  I should be able to get the boat out next week and scout out Pool Four, and hopefully find fish!  I have fished these high levels before over the last 20 years, and I can tell you a couple to a few feet lower helps greatly in finding fish. 
If you look on the graph, you can see the high spot is 682.87 feat above sea level.  In the middle of winter the measurement is 668.0'.  This high mark is nearly 15 feet high.  This is very high water folks.  Big logs come down stream and properties are flooded. This is a good time to garage fish and get your gear ship shape.  

Mid March 2019

Quality fish in the river 

The Mississippi River is a quality fishery in March and April.

Live bait - fathead minnows work in these conditions

When the water is cold live bait - fathead minnows are a very good choice to catch walleye and sauger

Pre spawn walleye

One benefit of fishing the very early spring is the big heavy walleye fight well.  make sure to let the egg laden fish go.

The river conditions right now on the Mississippi River are as you likely know, high and rising water. I personally have no trouble with high water for fishing in fact I like it.  The main issue is the water temperatures are cold 33 degree cold.  All the snow melted water flowing from the streams is ice cold and that is the inputs into the river.  There are times that rain and a warmer earth provide warmer inputs.

Right now that is not the case.  The conditions of the rising water brings dirty water and that is a challenge as well.  The bite is not the best right now.  Good fishing will still come but it will take a little time.

John with a 19.5″ walleye from the St. Croix River. There is something so magical about pulling these prizes up the fishing hole. especially when you have landed a bunch of smaller ones then you set the hook and yell “it’s a big one!”

John with an 18″ sauger caught on a jigging rap. Jigging raps are a very versatile lure.

February 24,  2019

Lots of Action with smaller walleye and saugers

​and getting some keepers as well to keep things interesting.  Active jigging techniques have been drawing in fish and catching them.  Many times of the year saugers mix with the walleye and the ice season is one of them on the river.

The St. Croix is a very good fishery and the only fish that is stocked is by the MNDNR is the Muskellunge.  Natural reproduction keeps walleye population high. 

I will be guiding starting very soon on the open water. I am  (like you) waiting for the sun and warmer weather to arrive. Really  looking forward to getting out in the boat again!

Signed,
Charlie “Turk” Gierke

• 21 Year Professional Guiding experience on St. Croix and Mississippi Rivers, USCG licensed OUPV Captain
• 5x Beanie River Rat Tournament winner,
  5x Paul Koval Walleye Classic tournament winner
• 2001 World Walleye Association Championship winner,
  2009 Full Throttle Big Water Series Team of the Year

“The Lord is near to all who call on him…” Psalm 145.18, call on him!  “Jesus is Lord”

John with a dandy walleye. This fish hit with a thump! John gets so excited and kept yelling “He slammed it! its a big one… it’s a PIGGG! ” You’ve got to love that kind of enthusiasm – at least i do, so I ran over to the hole and helped pull this one out of the hole. I lost a big one earlier so helping each other get the fish out is a good move.

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February 11, 2019

Not a lot new to mention from the last report on this site.  Especially since Pool 4 is not warm enough to fish from a guiding stand point for me. The St. Croix crappie bite remains steady as it goes from last report.

The 2018 year class is HUGE for both walleye and sauger,

if you do any ice fishing right now in good walleye spots you will certainly tangle with these little gremlins.  Some of the walleye are close to 8″ and some about 5″, it is fascinating to me that there can be such a growth difference.

In the picture above I added the clear plastic container filled with fish heads that are frozen ahead of time and cut off with a razor blade.  I then just open up this ” tin” of minnow heads so the fish can have a chew. This works as good as live heads as far as I can  tell. Plus it is a lot less weight than carrying around a container of water.

I like to ice fish many holes and hop around a lot and not having minnow water is nice to not consider or drag around in the shelter and get everything wet.
The rear drag reel has the knob to adjust the drag under the reel. This makes the actual drag loosening possible.  I will debate anyone that says the top drag is better.  In saltwater sure or salmon fishing where they spool you – ok you’re probably right.  Not in freshwater with the fish we see.  The reason the rear drag went away about 20 years ago is the word got out it “wasn’t as strong” so then the top drag was sold to a degree it is 97% of the offered products being a top drag spinning reel.

Walleye won’t fry your drag or a pike either.  Plus you don’t want the line to stretch on hook set especially stretchy mono. So set the drag to not give and set the hook firm! If its a good one turn the rear knob five clicks counter clock wise and let the fish run. Highly doable this way.

Here is a bigger sauger from before the snow. Look closely at the reel it is a rear drag.

Having some success on the few trips I’ve had personally on the St. Croix River for ice fishing. 16″ sauger came up fast from the first group of holes I drilled and crushed the lure.

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January 11, 2019

Crappie anglers on the Saint Croix River fishing in the Bayport area

are reporting decent results. The anglers are not getting them fast and furious but at a steady pace.

Crappie minnows below bobbers are doing a lot of the catching. Anglers are getting some smaller sized walleye actively jigging, but the by product of the jigging is bringing in crappie to the deadstick bobber rods.

Walleye are near the shoreline breaks and the crappie are more likely to be spread across the basin, you can get crappies and white bass close to shore though too.  As mentioned here before on the WI side you  can have three lines and that helps the catch, but reduces mobility.

Depths in 32 to 36 is the basin and there are holes in the 40s. Max depth is 45′ and 42′ is deep on the Croix.

Pool Four Red Wing during this warmer weather walleye and sauger have been slow and anglers are not reporting much at all for the bite.  In less than a month, there is historically a warm stretch in February, I have found a decent walleye bite on Pool Four during this time. This will be the next stretch of my guiding coming up in February. Looking forward to it!
Signed, Charlie Gierke

20 Year Professional Guiding experience on St. Croix and Mississippi Rivers, USCG licensed OUPV Captain

5x Beanie River Rat Tournament winner,
5x Paul Koval Walleye Classic tournament winner

2001 World Walleye Association Championship winner,
2009 Full Throttle Big Water Series Team of the Year

“The Lord is near to all who call on him…” Psalm 145.18, call on him!  “Jesus is Lord”

December 22, 2018

Quality Walleye!

The St. Croix late–December had a week of near 40-degree weather

that eroded some of the ice that had formed. Driving on the ice has been delayed based on this warm weather.

The St. Croix sees most anglers fishing for crappies in the Bayport area. Here it is a deepwater basin bite. Fish can suspended easily 12 feet off of the bottom and can be hard to decipher at times from the abundant shad baitfish. The crappies roam the entire area.

Deadstick minnows is often best versus active jigging. Fishing the bottom accounts for most fish despite the nature of crappie to suspend.
The crappie bite can be quality size though many anglers struggle with numbers of these fish. Though white bass come in handy for good sport and table fair. January especially when it gets cold with clear blue skies finds a tough bite on the river, low pressure with clouds is better for action. Morning also seem good compared to midday. Night anglers report some good catches too.

On the WI side of this Minnesota border water some anglers do well with a three hole set up drilled cross current they vertical jig the middle hole and bobber watch the others.

NOTE – even when trucks drive on the frozen river there are always three open water areas that must be known.

Pool 4 of the Mississippi River, this is openwater boat fishing for walleye and sauger all winter!

During winter much of the fishing is vertical jigging and the water is clear and depths in 22 to 28 produce with both jig and minnow and jig and plastic. Use a smaller plastic in the height of winter. Boat fishing is weather dependent and temps far below zero do not allow fishing.

For vertical jigging I use mono 6-pound test and medium light Limit Creek Rods.

Believe it or not cranks also do well on three way set ups. The crankbait of choice here are small floating Rapalas. Troll slowwww in the deeper troughs.

This bite is weather related and it is best accomplished when you have a warming trend in winter. Because of the clear water overcast days are better.

Of the fish you catch 95% will be a walleye or a sauger this time of year, all the other species really slow down. When the bite is on it is very good fishing.

Walleye need to be 15” minimum and saugers have no size restriction to keep.

I launch at Everts Resort http://www.evertsfishingresort.com, Everts is a walleye oasis, providing water for your boat to launch all year

December 2, 2018

Wayne's group

The St. Croix is all frozen over folks. Here are some picks from my last outing.  The season ended well with Wayne’s group.

You are correct to believe that is a BIG fish. Any fish needing two men to hold for the photot is big! Dave, on the left, caught it, his pal Wayne is doing the heavy lifting.. This was one of the biggest Flathead Catfish that I’ve seen!!

Here’s Wayne with a very nice late Fall walleye from the river.