I was fishing the St. Croix River on Monday night – very high water, strong current. Difficult to control the boat, and water temps a little cooler than ideal yet (in middle of Minnesota). Any tips for finding walleyes in high-water and rushing current?

I’m taking my sister and brother-in-law out on Saturday back to the river. Would like to put them on fish. Thanks for your thoughts.

 

Tony

 

   Tony,  we're all in the same boat with the high water and the strong currents. I have found that fishing near shore, and sometimes with jig in the weeds has been productive. I used this on the Wisconsin at Nekoosa, and below the Petenwell Dam.

   I also have found that fishing whereever a current break is is productive IE. Bays, Swirles, little barely visible indents in the shoreline.

   Make sure you match the Jig size to the current so you can reach bottom. And forget the small bait, go with the bigger stuff like 3-4 inch rubber or live minnows. Give the fish something that they'll want to taste.

  Good luck!

 

Jim USArmy 1986-Present Life Member NAFC Member Western Fishers "There is no use in your walking five miles to fish when you can depend on being just as unsuccessful near home" -- Mark Twain

FISH a holic, nailed it, and if those jigs dont work on the day you are trying that, dont be afraid to try a floating crawler harness, with a 1/8 split shot three foot above it, and take that uncontrolabl boat right out in the fastes part of the current, and cast that rig back into shore, your boat will go faster, yet your floater will work uncontrolably with the side of the river, (let the line go free untill you know the split shot is on the bottem) reel in like you are jigging, allowing the rig to fall, and rise, let it sink, and do it again (if a jig dident work your now going higher and crazy with presentation)  Good luck my freind,  jim,

Yes, current breaks are the ticket. Also, use a heavier jig if you have to. It is very hard to fish eyes if you can't make good bottom contact.

Try a jig & shiner under a slip bobber. Concentrate on the edges of the eddies or around rocks.
Be Fishers of People. You catch, He Cleans. Life Member since 2/17/92 One of the "Illinoiz Boyz" "When the Power of Love Overcomes the Love of Power, The World Will Know Peace" - Jimi Hendrix "War without end, random murders, missing wives, child abuse and continuing corruption do not shake my faith in a Higher Power...... they unsettle my faith in mankind."