November 16 Report 2021

November Walleye 

Jig fishing has been good for nice big walleye like this released and smaller ones too. Nice job Brent- Good hooksets for sure!

November Sauger

Always great to see Bret with another jig fish.  Big saugers go back- released.

Big "Eater" Sauger

Brent with a good one to start the day with a great hookset.  Solid 18" sauger about as big as you want to keep.

Saug Dog 20" is a giant sauger on the St. Croix River

Let the big ones go to lay thousands and thousands of eggs next spring.

Mega Sheep

Lowell with by far our biggest fish of the day, fun on a walleye rod. This is one of the biggest freshwater drums I have seen since Larry Zwart's giant sheep.  Fellow angler Larry was always good to see on the water and talking to him at Beanies.  Its been at least three years since I have seen Larry...

Mega Sturgeon 42#

Dick expertly landed this huge sturgeon it weighed 42#.  I weigh the fish with the net, while the fish is in the net, this is a safe way to way.
Friend Walker shown here and Jerry who took the pic, both told Dick in a joking manner as men often do, "if you don't land this, we will deny you ever had it on!"
Fun fun fun.

November 8 Report 2021

Lucky Man Ralph

Ralph set up a trip with me for his family and wanted to take out his son in law, and daughter for his birthday present.  Ralph's blessing for them turned into his own as he got this 27" walleye and also landed a 53" sturgeon.  Everybody cheered Ralph on!

Catch and Release

Here the birthday boy shows his best walleye caught on a fathead minnow and then released. Super fun trip Mom- Nancy started it off with an 18" keeper right away for their soon to be big box of fish to take home. 

Matt has a big day 26.5"

Matt fishing with his Dad on a very nice weather and very busy with fishing boats Saturday got this 26.5" The weather was perfect and the fish cooperated!

Trophy Walleye 28.5"

Matt got this hard fighting trophy too!  What a day.  I thought this was a catfish right away, but we have been getting good sized walleye lately and I had my fingers crossed. Nice catch Matt- They both were elated.  Released  to fight and spawn another day. 

Jig and Minnow

Jig and Minnow are from what I can tell one of an anglers favorite way to catch fish, and luckily especially this year walleyes are hitting them.  This may be one of the better jig fishing falls.  Drew and Dad Tom,  this was a tougher trip but we fished hard.  The numbers were there - just not real size for the 6 hour trip.

Big Walleyes

The Fall is the best time to tangle with big walleyes.

Early November Report 2021

Fall Colors - Big Fish

The St. Croix is truly an eater fishery where most days the walleye in the 15-17" range is the realistic goal for group fishing.  However in the fall the big ones bite better and show up in the nets and do it at a time the Autumn colors are in glory. "Walleye" Wayne with  i'd guess a 22" wallie -released voluntarily.

Walleye Waynes Side Kick

Dave on every trip wakes up or starts to fish in the second half of every trip.  Here Dave does it again and  lands a 27" to show us all up! 

Crappies - Spot Jumping

If you "spot jump" the crappies right now can appear  we put back this 13-14"er to lay a thousand eggs next spring. Spot jump means fish and move i.e. cover water.

24" Catch and Release

Cold weather = Big fish of many species.  Not shown but Ralph got a 53" sturgeon on a fathead!  

28.5" Trophy Walleye

It is ALL relavite a trophy fish in one body of water is not a trophy in another.  It is not apples to apples.  From my view what I've seen over the last 23 years on the river - a St. Croix truthful measure 28.5" is a trophy.  Nice one Dave (first time on the river)!

What's Working? What isn't!

Look at this walleye Jim got on a jig n minnow (gas station fathead).  I love seeing a customer set the hook on a jig!  To me it is a thing of beauty, the hook set not Jim..
Here is what is working from my work and boats i know and see:
Jigging Raps
Trolled Rapala's
Plastics
Minnows

Each of these have many aspects or variations to them but as a whole for sure these presentation groupings are working.

If your seriously into lure color about a year ago on my tip page I go into great detail about color.

October 25 Report

Cool Weather Fish Bite

The cool weather soon turns cold and the cold water creates many fun ways to fish for anglers. On any day this time of year at least four techniques will work,  staying flexible is a key to success.

Jig N' Minnow

Catching fish on jigs is one of anglers very favorite way to hook and fight fish.  I try to put clients on a jig bite whenever possible.

Trolling Eye

Most days are different on the river and being able to find fish each new day can be a challenge.  Trolling Rapala's helps fisherman cover ground and fish where the fish are today.

Crappie Bite Has Up Ticked A Bit

As you likely know crappies are big on the river, you can get big ones up to 14".  I think they very colorful from the river and they are most definitely thick fish.  I am still having a hard time getting three/ four or more from the same spot, but I am seeing them on more spots now.  Slabs are suckers for minnows.

Just Add Coffee

Gabe and I had a trip were the bite was HOT!  They just went bananas!  We put this >20" go and he easily limited out.  We hooked and netted fish three different presentation ways, it sure was fun!  The next day the bite was normal which if I had to cast a wide ranging net and label the bite I'd call it - good.

Another Sign Of Fall

Hooking big white bass along with the cooling water, colorful trees are signs of fall every year on the river.  WHAP! is how they hit.

October 11 2021 Report

Flathead!

Earl out with the family, kept talking about wanting to get " The Big One!" Well he did. I was up in the front of the boat steering and gearing up for the next spot and then heard a yell - whoa - Whoa- WHOA!! He was on... a good good fight, the fish surfaced, everyone cheered as it was seen for the first time, and after another run, and lift up we got this beast!

20" Eye Released

Matt got this fish early in the day on a Jigging Rap, it was just over 20" and released. The mornings have been good bites, then it slows and picks up, and slows.  The bite is up and down during the same day.

20.5" Sauger Released

Matt got this one on a jig and plastic.  This sauger being over 20" is the biggest of the year for us this season on the St. Croix.
St. Croix saugers dwarf the Lake of the Woods saugers, but Pool 4 Sippi saugers make Croix saugers look small! Its all relative as to what is a big fish.  A Croix trophy walleye is a run of the mill fish on Lake Erie, Lake Winnipeg, or Oahe as example.

Sturgeon Love Minnows

We mixed it up on a trip this week for walleye and bottom fished slowly with minnows, but still moving, and this 47" sturgeon came and slammed the rod.  9 minute fight on 8 pound line Rick did a great job fighting this fish on the Limit Creek rod.

Jigging' Rap Cat!

Second fish of the day was this trophy walleye that turned into a channel cat.  LOL! I thought we had a big eye right away.  Thank the Lord for the river - always fun fishing.

This Cat was a Tiger

Every now and then a channel cat will simply freak out and rage like a caged animal.  This was such a fish, Mark said this was "the biggest and toughest fish he's caught in freshwater."  Pretty cool.  Good job landing it. 

Late September Report 2021

River Walleye 

We are starting to see the bigger walleye that are typical of autumn. On this trip Bob and his buddy Mason got a big mess of eyes. We released this big one. >20" please release. 

River Flathead Catfish

We are starting to see these big flatheads that are typical of autumn.  On this trip John pictured with a 25 pounder and Troy both got big cats like this! 

Nice Eaters

The river is kicking out nice eaters like this,  Dan (above) saved the day at the end and put them in the boat.  Campbell-his son didn't catch the most- this time! lol.

" Ram" Sized Freshwater Drum

Freshwater Drum are nicknamed " sheepsheads." When the sheep get this big I call them " Rams!"  Yes this fish fought big time - gave Craig a run or three.

Largemouth Bass 

Mike with a nice and rare largemouth bass on the river.  Most bass we catch on the river are smallmouth bass.  I suspect though this year with the high weed growth that there will be a big largemouth year class and Perch.  We will see in two years, but I think I'm right.

Eaters

Walleye is still the main goal for most of my clients. People are always happy to boat a keeper even if they practice catch and release.

Signed,
Charlie "Turk" Gierke

23 Year Professional Guiding on St. Croix and Mississippi Rivers
​USCG licensed OUPV Captain
5 Time 1st Place - Beanie River Rat Tournament
5 Time 1st Place - Koval Walleye Classic Tournament
1st Place - 2001 World Walleye Association Championship
Team Of The Year - 2009 Full Throttle Big Water Series 

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

Mid September Report 2021

Good walleye fishing on the river, walleye always bring a smile to folks. Ron did a good job on this light biter! Fought him well.

Neal almost got a keeper as big as his Dad Ron. Neal did have the hot hand for most fish caught. This crew caught three species they never had encountered before: white bass (kept two to eat), mooneye, and redhorse.

Catfish are a very willing specie to take your bait, either a traditional way with worms, minnows, cut bait on the bottom from an anchored position or while trolling for walleye just like this one Dawson caught. This young man was thrilled to tangle with this cat, and did a great job fishing!

Walleye on the river are a fish that inhabit a wide range of depths this fish came from 25+ feet of water. Lots of walleye we have caught this season have been in the teens for depth. Its very common to find fish on the river both deep and shallow. Ryan with a good one, these guys drove from Michigan to meet up with their Dad from California to do Minnesota fishing.

One reason fish like walleye are in a wide range of depths (as shallow as 8') is the high fat forage minnow - the shad, but there are shiners too. Shad roam and move all day long and change depths often. I see the shiners much shallower and often close to shore. This is how I explain this wide range of depths. But I will also say that a species of fish are never ever ALL in the same depth. There is never no one spot or depth.

Early September 2021 Report

Keely wanted Cats

We got some nice channel cats on our trip, Keely and his relative Carpenter and Wife Kim came up from Illinois for a cat trip.

Kim got a good one too

Kim holds up a pink crankbait that was stuck on the side of this catfishes mouth when she reeled it in. in other words It busted off some other anglers line!  Kim brought him in. :)

Another Nice Cat for Keely

This cat hit on the drift as we covered water for cats.  drifting is a good way to get cats as well as other fish.

Greg with a nice keeper

Rigging eyes with bait has been working, as well as trolling spinner rigs.

A big end of summer Haul - Campbell and dad Dan

Fun trip at the end of summer!  Rigging bait again is working.

Tate with the big one - But Dads happy

A bunch of different  types of fish have been hitting, kids love that!

August 2021 River Fishing Report

Walleyes 

The river has a way of producing walleye even when the lakes are very hard to fish in the daytime.  One of the best things about river fishing is you don't need to do it during the night to catch.  Brandon with his best walleyes of the trip!

Hockey Camp Fishing

Cowen and Truit were down with there family to attend a hockey camp, Dad treated the boys to a fishing charter with me.  It was a very fun trip with a nice day, laughs, and pole bending.

More Bass

Truit got this one and I held it, his brother jumped in the pic.  River bass can make your arm sore, as Truit can attest to that! But we got him!

Dog Days Walleye

Truit with a walleye

Dads Get Them Too

Dad caught his fair share! Jeremy with a good fighting smallmouth bass in the warm water.

Another River Fish That Can Make Your Arm Sore

Here is another fish that made Truit's arm sore!  He got him in the boat!! Nice fighting drum.

August 2021 Fishing Report

River Eyes Fight Good

This walleye hit the line and took off the other way and made some runs that required some good fighting skills on Jim's end. Nice job Jim.

Livebait - Crawlers, Minnows, Leeches

Livebait often equals a mixed bag of fishes coming to the nets.  Channel cats are the king fighters of freshwater.  Good catch Steve.

Tough Fighters- Don't want to come in!

A very close second to the channel cat is the Bronze back!  Smallies in the Croix this year are chunky and strong.  With improved clarity to aid in their prey capture success smallmouth bass are thicker in physical terms than ever in my estimation.  Please release these gamefish. Well done Steve.

August Eyes

Clients are catch these fish still and talking home eaters. Now the saugers help fill in the numbers for the fish fry.

Small 14-15" Saugers

We are starting to get good numbers of these smaller saugers.  Any size can be taken legally, I like to make them be at least 14", large ones hit too, but these cousins to the walleye rarely get 19-20" on the Croix.  Pool 4 is the sauger center of the universe with numbers and size.  

You Never Know!

You never know what you'll get!  Here is Pete with a GIANT river redhorse.  Biggest I've seen ever,  they are normally 1-2 pounds maybe some are about 3 pounds.  This one was a good 6 -7 pounds.  A vary rare catch.  Ate what else... a crawler.

Early August 2021 Fishing

Walleyes Still Being Caught

As August is here and July fades away, the summer fishing is still finding nice walleyes to catch.  Here is Dave with a pair of nice eyes his crew got recent trip.

The Gals Get The Fish

Here is Molly with the best eyes of their trip, from last Monday, both she and husband Steve talked about how fun it is to have a Monday off.  They got some nice fish- lots of different species too.  

Previous Saturday Bite

Carrie and Steve got a big walleye haul on a busy Saturday morning on the river.  We were bait fishing on light line and had some good fighting bass, drum, and redhorse! Nice fishing guys.

Slab Crappie

Crappies are hard to pattern on the river, but if you can get into them they can be of a memorable size.  They will hit of course minnows, but also small plastics, crawlers, and leeches.

Big Bag Good Fishing

Yer and Lao brought home 10 eyes and two white bass, it was a good day of fishing from these fine fishermen.  

Smallmouth Bass

Smallies are always a big part of mixed bag fishing for - "fish."  They of course can be targeted and pursued with lures this one was fooled by a Fluke. Micaiah landed a mystery fish specie that had hit a few times during the week.  These mystery fish ripped off line from the spinning reel like a King Mackeral does.... He managed to land it -it was a common carp.  a rare catch for my guide boat on the river actually.  :)

End of July 2021 Report

Summer Fun 

July is just about to end, and i'm happy to report that we have been getting nice fish.  Here is Aubrey with some St. Croix River eyes lifted from the trips big box of eyes, she had the hot hand! 

They Only Can Love It - If they get a Chance

The fishing  "bug" is THE virus parents are more than happy a kid gets.  Video games and screen time is tolerable but it doesn't really sit well in Dad and Moms stomach, but when a child is on a bank or shore or boat fishing - its a feeling that is priceless. Can I get an Amen!

18" walleye on topwater! U Never Know

In many ways you never know what you'll get on the river... My mid weeks half day crew luckily had six keepers eyes in few hours, and a fat channel cat in the box, I thought I would mention maybe a change up for bass as they had their fish fry.  Got at thumbs up!
We rolled up on the spot, i got out the rod set up for Austin (above), I said,  "this is a popper, have you ever used these?" He said " A Popper!?... Now we are going back to my ROOTS!!!" Priceless.
​ 

You Never Know!

When the big river dogs hit, you need to be on your game to land them.  Ian and Dad with his "Best Fish," of his life.  Fisher people love fish and enjoy a fight! Nice job Ian.

Florida Crew

Got a last minute call and got this crew in.  I heard tons of great Florida fishing stories of prized Florida Redfish ( Reds are a genetic cousin to our freshwater drum...? ) Keith the guy w black beard put on a clinic! Oh this gang told a precautionary tale. Their favorite child hood river in Florida became polluted and worthless for fish, because of an absent regulatory system regarding septic tank inspections! Fish don't survive in pollution.

Mix It Up! Crappies

Most days we can throw a few or more of these in the box! Mitchell had it going!  

Fishing Report Late July 2021

Mid July Cool Down

Mid July found a brief respite from the heat in the 90s and this break of cooler summer and no wind made the mornings just plain great to be on the water. Ethan with a nice 19" walleye that he wrestled in!

Wind A Plus For Walleye

Here is Martin with his trips best walleye.  We had a great day in July catching a lot of walleye and bass with keepers and throw back fish.

Clouds A Plus - For Smallmouth

The over cast skies help us catch fish - bass, walleye, crappie - they all bite better with clouds.  This Smallmouth just about touched 20" and was " the last cast fish."  Nice last cast. :)

Keepers Even On A July Saturday With Boats Everywhere

Here are the Van Alstines with there 10 keeper walleye bag mid July Saturday morning.

Cats Need Some Flow

I always do better for cats with some good flow, with the water being so low and the flow slow - the cats have been tough to get.  Here's tori with a little flathead that she liked getting.  We caught more turtles than cats on their trip! :)

Walleye- Customers Main Target Specie

July has just started to get tougher to catch white tips, but last Sunday we boxed five keeper walleye plus 15 throw back walleye, 10 smallmouth, drum, sunfish, red horse sucker, and a nice flathead in the morning half day.

Fishing Report Early July 2021

July has two seasons

Early July finds walleyes and bass still on a good bite like this one Dave caught on the St. Croix.  Forage is now becoming prevalent, and these schools of bait as they grow causes gamefish to locate much differently than in June.

Smallies still on a decent bite then later in July, they locate deep

Early to mid July finds smallmouth like this one that Jeff got in June mixed in on walleye spots. Then as July moves closer to August walleye and bass mixed in together start to not be found in the same places.

Crappies Start to fill in

The river has a way of having certain species show up when of species slow down.  Crappies are such a fish.  Once crappies start to show on the hook, its a sign the height of summer is here.

Nice crappies 

Crappies are hitting lightly like a walleye and have some very nice fillets as well. Here is Wyatt with a nice slab, he was out with his grandpa "Doc."

Walleyes still can be had in July

Wyatt got this one recently - nice keeper croix  eye.

Overcast weather has helped!

With record water clear clarity on the St. Croix overcast is a plus for keepers like these caught in late June.

Fishing Report Late June 2021

Grace with 25" walleye, Catch and release. Over 20" let them go.

St. Croix Walleye

Big walleyes take a while to grow, over 20" walleyes go back to be caught another day.

Arlene caught the most on her crews trip. Here is a "big" eater fish from their box.

Live bait rigging works

Livebait rigging crawlers and leeches across the walleye world works, and on the river it certainly does too!

Theo caught fish all morning out with his dad and his pal. Here he holds two of the best eaters solid 18.5" ers.

Light bite

Even the good sized fish are coming on light and just barely picking up the bait.  Its a super fun bite when they strike!, but also fun when subtle and its a slow take like the bite has been.

Grandpa Mark gets the biggest on the half day afternoon trip, They brought home a nice box of keepers.

Grandpa gets the biggest!

Fish have been working very similar areas but as July is near, they will move.  Look for crankbaits to start to shine as they do in the height of summer.

Thein crew on a busy sunshine saturday morning trip on the St. Croix

Sunshine on Croix-  its going to be busy with boats

Bodies of water that get pounded by boats create a scenario where the fish eat as they need to and ignore the noise of traffic.  Condtions like light and wind play a bigger role in "catching" than does boat noise.

Thein crew box close up

Great eaters

River walleyes are thick fillets and go a long way to feed folks on the fry.

Signed,
Charlie "Turk" Gierke

23 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 Mid/Late June 2021

Chris w a 24" June walleye

Heat Wave Walleye

Heat and more heat have lifted water temps to historic levels for June.  Walleyes are still biting though.

Chris w another nice eye

Hot Water Wide Range in Depths

It is still early in the Summer its June and the hatch of young of the year fish- the forage they are shallow.  So despite the hot water fish are all over the place from shallow to deep. 10- 25 feet deep is the range we have been getting keeper fish from.

10 keepers for the family on a busy St. Croix Saturday

Saturday Means Busy But You Can get em'

The Croix gets as busy as billed on a hot weather sunshine Saturday! Lots of waves and big boats.  Here is a stringer of Kate, Lin, Mark, and Kim (aka Slayer) during such a busy Saturday. I always say if the fish are biting the big boats won't bother the fish. Though they might bother you. :)

Kim w 20" Smallmouth Bass

Big Bass For Eye Anglers

Bonus bass for walleye anglers - like this one keep the rods bent and the drags singing.  Oh darn another smallmouth!  

12 keeper walleye on a mid June heat wave half day

Last Mondays Box

Week days are busy with anglers fishing up and down the river, maybe not the big boats but anglers are out. Here is a Kuenster Crews Box from last monday half day trip. Livebait on rigs took these fish.

Cade w his first "keeper" eye! Proud momnent for Dad. They brought home a nice big box of keepers

St. Croix Scenery

If you are looking for solitude you can find areas of the river that do in fact have a lot less anglers, the St. Croix River does have places you can explore and stretch your legs.  A lot of the times most anglers bunch up together. 

Fishing Report Early /Mid June

Walleyes

Walleyes like this pic from late May are still being caught, the hot May bite is over but June is still a great time to fish for walleye and sauger.  My boat has been catching fish in the depths mostly from 14- 22 feet.

Rigs and Rapala's - and Cast Too

When the conditions are right, casting can be very effective.  This tub of a walleye was caught on a cast.  More traditional ways of catching walleye with bait, leeches, crawlers, and minnows on rigs and jigs work right now of course.  Plus trolling crankbaits.  I mention casting because there always seems like a few ways will work.  

Smallmouth Bass

The St. Croix has a good population of smallmouth, and some can get to this tanker size, but not as many as you'd like.  These big ones are a blast to catch and Ms. Lynn did a great job doing just that.  Its nice to know trophy fish swim in the waters you fish.

Bass love lures

In my opinion the fun of smallmouth fishing - beyond the jumps and drag pulling in the 70 degree water - is seeing just what these critters will hit.  Some days they are very choosey and on other they will hit topwaters with aggression.

Be quick to adjust your drag

Smallmouth are more of a walleye in my opinion than a large mouth bass in the way that they hit better the lighter the line test you use.  The upside to using light line is more bites, the down size is that if your drag is too tight and tub like this bass will snap your line if the drag isn't loosened pronto.  But too loose a drag in the beginning prior to hook set won't or a times won't drive hooks home on the set. Drags aren't a one time set thing in my opinion. Set tight -loosen to fight.

Smallies hit: Suspended/Top, On the bottom, and a Variation or in between

The areas an angler targets to catch goes one level higher than the structure and/ or cover, I like to conceptualize these three areas:
suspended/top ,
on bottom,
​variable or suspended in between,

fish do move, but if you can be in their face on their level I believe that you will get bit more often - not an absolute, but more often, than making a fish come to investigate and move to you.

Fishing Report Mid/Late May

May is a great time to fish

The nightcrawler bite has been strong this year.

Father and son fishin'

Great times on the river with this gang! Walleyes over 20" they go back.

Big hauls can happen

Nightcrawlers brought these walleyes up for harvest.

Haul him in!

Fishing is fun for all! Nice quiet morning with a good keeper box.

Hooked with livebait

I like crawlers at 50 degrees plus, and leeches at 60 degrees plus. leeches are now working for me.

Good catching

Another father and son trip, this young man had the touch.

Fishing Report Early /Mid May

Eaters

Early in the year, walleye, as long as they stay in the spawning grounds can be found quick and often are in traditionally productive areas. livewell box pic from most recent trip.

Friends N' Fishing

Its always nice to be on the water with friends, catching is a bonus.

One day

When I find them one day, I make note of the conditions in order to Hopefully, do it again the next outing.

The next day- Did the conditions change?

When you spend time on the water, and find some fish, and the conditions don't change from one day to the next, there a good chance you can repeat your catching. We had great luck "the next day."

Crawlers catch fish

The bite has been very light, and the fish touchy, when we are crawlers fishing we had tons and tons of drops.  The fish would come back though a second time.  Very fun. Nice one Travis.

Not a walleye or a sauger, a Saugeye!

Adam got this saugeye, the way I can tell its a saugeye is the rows of dots on the tail, plus the side of the body coloring is has a bronze coloring.  I make sure saugeyes are 15" to keep, this one was 16" - it got boxed.

Fishing Report late April

Mississippi River Walleye

A lot of the hits from the bigger fish will absolutely slam the jig.  This one made Jeff's day.  Nice one!

Giant Saugers

Bret with a jig and minnow sauger, a heck of a fight in nine feet of water!  fun

Big fish in places with little ones!

Here is another fish that slammed the jig and plastic.  Rob got this one, and I was proud to take out three generations on this half day trip. This fish hit first pass threw when earlier there were nothing but little ones.

Jig and plastic on the cast

A few trips have been tough after the warm up and cold front. Norb got this one out with his son.  Jig and plastic on the cast with a smooth steady "swimbait style" retrieve. No snapping in a cold front when, that spooks fish a lot.

Jigs must be sharp

Jig and a minnow calls for an even sharper hook than with plastics as the bites are lighter. Always check hooks, I keep two hook files on my dash.

Cold front

We had a long cold front after the 70 degree stuff, cold fronts find fish negative and relating to deeper water and cover.
One cold front key is to fish later in the day.

Fishing Report late March

Mississippi River Walleye

Dave caught on a blue/white jig head and a high contrasting body plastic.

Mississippi River is Sauger Capitol

Wayne got this giant sauger on a  green and white jig and minnow
​

March is good fishing

John " the over grown leprechaun," got this eye on an orange jig and minnow

Minnows for a neutral to negative bite

I like minnows because when the bite is neutral or negative minnows will get more bites.  Sippi eater shown.

Healthy fish! Good eating

After years of fish frys, which i love. I came up with a cream sauce bake recipe that is really good. Email me if interested.

Sauger - Stick bait

Saugers and walleyes chomp! on stickbait crankbaits.  I chose a rattled bait on this day to make noise and be heard to help trigger a bite.

​

First Ice Time Mid December

There are dozens of anglers already on the ice in the Bayport, Minnesota  area of the St. Croix River, these anglers have walked on.  It appeared from a distance that there are also a couple ATV's on the ice as well.

​Anglers fish the Bayport area primarily for Crappies.  The area has no general weed line that covers the bank like many lakes have.

There is also a lack of sunken islands and mid lake reefs.  Therefore this section of the river that freezes over is deep basin fishing in the mid 30s for depth.

Jigging Spoons with minnow head will catch saugers and crappies. Bobber fishing for crappies with whole minnows is most popular.

If you don't know the river stay and fish with someone who does, it is a moving body of water.
​

Transition From Late Fall Season To Winter Season

​After Thanksgiving

This time of year the river gets very quiet even in 2020 when I feel its safe to say the river has taken two times as many anglers as any year before.

Deer hunting and the cold keep anglers off of the river traditionally this time of year, plus other fun hunts like pheasant and duck.

​The bite will wind down as the northland transitions into winter and skim ice will start to form thicker.

Yesterday morning as the sun topped the Wisconsin side bluff I saw a thin veneer of ice floating on Lake St. Croix.

Geese that had not been approached yet this morning took flight as my boat neared within a half a mile.  I would imagine these are not the Canadian honkers that laze around a golf course in the Twin Cities but are the ones coming down from parts unknown.  

I also saw a Bald Eagle swim to shore by flapping its wings in oar stroked like form.  I stayed away but watched as it eventually dragged a nice fish to shore.

Fishing can be good this time of year and the part that is nice is the size of fish does increase.
Though they can be hard to find.

I did though catch fish away from of anglers yesterday in a short time and put two nice saugers in the boat. 

Another fun factor to the bite is the lures that work are wide ranging.  Blade baits, Jig N Raps, Jig and plastic, Jig and minnow, stickbaits, and even Buckshot Rattle Spoons!


​

October - Leaves Off The Trees

The Calendar Says October The Weather Says Winter!

It is very interesting as not only are no two days ever the same it seems from year to year no two seasons are ever the same.

Cold weather has touched down on the border waters area of Wisconsin/Minnesota as a cold front has hit.  If you looked out the window and thought about fishing you would get the idea to bring your Clam ice shack and not the Alumacraft boat!

We are far from ice though on the border waters as my guide trip yesterday found waters from 52- to 55 degrees still!

I always prefer a slow cooling steady temperature profile where days after day it cools but warms in the day, but last I checked I can't create the weather patterns. I can fish either with them or against them.

The extended forecast shows the temperatures staying cold and this will drive the water cold fast.

Right now it could easily still be a trolling bite but during a cold front I go slow and steady to help catch fish as they don't seem aggressive in this non stable weather pattern.

The longer a cold front lasts and stays "on" the more the fish get used to it and eventually the weather for a fishes activities becomes stable again for intents and purposes and they can get more aggressive than when the cold front is "on."

In other words they just get used to it over time and get less finicky.

Jigs and minnows this week have been best, plastics are getting fish as well. Each day is different you get a new hand every day your on the water.  I have found the more I can adjust and play the factors that exist the more fish we get.

​

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."

  September Fishing Report

Summer Fades

 The Tiger Lilies of summer have all fallen, fading their green leaves begin to yellow, brown and slump over and hang near the soil.  Few leaves from stressed trees have fallen, but color changes have not began yet.

Underwater the fish begin to feel the effects of the shortening days and the cooling of the water from air temps.

Cooling waters start to begin to confine the depth ranges that the shad will be in.

Shad are such a delicate fish that in the fall a fast plummeting water temp will actually cause many of their kind to quiver and die.

Deeper waters are where there is a lot more stability from the fast cooling top water.

This fact that the shad go deeper in the fall and the fact walleye, saugers, cats, bass, sturgeon you name it start to be caught deeper as well.

September is a time when season #9 "Hot Summer" begins to end as the water temps reach 69 and lower.  

Right about now the shad are at peak levels and start to grow beyond consumable size for many game fish and they also start to drop in population number from being eaten for ten weeks.  The cupboard does start to become bare.

There is no doubt there is an inverse relationship between good catching and baitfish populations.  The higher the population the harder the catching.

The next season to arrive is season #10 the "Cool Fall."  Crankbaits, jig and minnow, Lindy Rigs and crawlers and minnows have traditionally done best for anglers and I expect these presentations to catch fish again coming up in the "Cool Fall."

​In the last two weeks the river had become much more less fished and fishing pressure has been light.

Pics:  This is still a time of year a wide range of fish species will be caught and the size ranges are all over the board.  Big numbers of keeper walleyes have been hard to achieve, and this is traditionally just the way it is. 

Late July Early August Fishing Report

Late July Early August Fishing Report

Mid summer fishing conditions prevail on the St. Croix River where a couple keepers per spot is good. Fishing requires anglers to cover a lot of ground. 

​There are also many fish marks on the sonar but not as many fish willing to bite as during the late spring and early summer.

Walleyes are not on lock jaw but are hard to come by in terms of keepers, many smaller walleye are very willing to bite.

Mid summer is a period where on the St. Croix plan on FISHING vs. catching.  There are times of the year catching is much more to be expected.

Saugers will hit, and crappie and cats too. It is not a bite where you wont catch fish. It is a bite where limits of fish are hard to come by.

​Large fish are in the system, so the fish are there for sure.
​
White bass pods can be seen from time to time and will hit a spinner or twister tail.

Crawler fishing is a fun way to catch many species including gar and drum and perch and sunfish.

If you like to fish and try new stuff this is the time of year to hone your skills.

Smallmouth are available as well on Senkos, tubes, and finesse worms.

Walleye from 9 to 22+ feet deep.  How? Rapala's, livebait rigs, Jigging Raps, and spinners.

​​​​Fishing Report

Mid July

River water conditions on the St. Croix are now good and clearing after a huge rain event seven days ago that found 8 and 9 inches of rain flooding Western Wisconsin.  These rains churned up the Willow River and the Kinnickinnic River to such a degree that the outflows into the St. Croix had water clarity reduced to less than one foot for large expanses of the river.

At the confluence of the Kinni and the Croix there were a dozen full sized trees washed down into the Croix, and here the water clarity was 2"!

2" clarity means if you drop a white jig down 3"it is now NOT visible.  Very unusual stuff.

BTW I feel there is no good reason to fish in that dirty water.  I advise you to get out of that mess.
​
The water temps are 80 degree and this is a temp normally in late July/ early August not July 10.  

​Fish need to eat and eating they are, they are chasing shiners and shad and feasting.

Thursday we caught 45-50 walleyes in one trip alone.. but only one was legal sized! lol.  The guys on board had fun setting hooks though!

I was fortune with white bass surface blow ups where the clients took advantage of this fun bite.  Lots going on now.  Crappies we had some good crappie catching recently as well.

A good client of mine Micaiah is pictured above with a 25 pound flathead that hit a gold bladed Cowgirl Muskie bait!  Don't mess with the Cats, they fight back!

We have seen some good smallie action and happy to get the kids on fish this way. Kids of ALL ages. :)

Walleyes in 18 to 28 feet and crawlers are working for my boat.
​
Have fun fishing!  Turk

​​​​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.
​
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.  

​
​

​​​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.
​
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."
​
 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.

​

​

​

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

Saugers and walleyes are hitting various presentations.

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.

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.

​

 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.

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.  

​
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.

Quality Walleye!