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St. Croix River & Mississippi Pools 1–4 · Stillwater, MN

By appointment (612) 219-6165

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Book a trip (612) 219-6165

By appointment · Stillwater, MN

Know your target

Five fish worth the drive

The St. Croix and the Mississippi pools hold a lot more than most people realise. Here is what we go after, when each one is at its best, and where they sit.

Timing

What’s biting, month by month

There is no bad month out here, only different fish. This is roughly how the year runs — though water conditions move things around, so it is always worth asking.

Scroll the table sideways to see the full year

When each species is at its best, by month. Prime means the strongest window. Ice season means available through the ice. Everything else is still possible — ask about your dates.
Species January February March April May June July August September October November December
Sturgeon January: Ice season February: Ice season March: Ice season April: Prime May: Prime June: Prime July: Possible, ask August: Possible, ask September: Prime October: Prime November: Prime December: Ice season
Walleye January: Possible, ask February: Possible, ask March: Possible, ask April: Prime May: Prime June: Prime July: Possible, ask August: Possible, ask September: Prime October: Prime November: Prime December: Possible, ask
Smallmouth Bass January: Possible, ask February: Possible, ask March: Possible, ask April: Possible, ask May: Possible, ask June: Prime July: Prime August: Prime September: Prime October: Possible, ask November: Possible, ask December: Possible, ask
Crappie January: Ice season February: Ice season March: Ice season April: Prime May: Prime June: Possible, ask July: Possible, ask August: Possible, ask September: Possible, ask October: Possible, ask November: Ice season December: Ice season
Catfish January: Possible, ask February: Possible, ask March: Possible, ask April: Possible, ask May: Possible, ask June: Prime July: Prime August: Prime September: Prime October: Possible, ask November: Possible, ask December: Possible, ask
  • Prime window
  • Through the ice
  • Still possible — ask

A blank month does not mean the fish are gone. It means it is not the window Jamison would pick if you asked him for the best shot at that species. Tell him your dates and he will tell you what is realistic.

Lake sturgeon held boatside before release on the St. Croix River

Lake Sturgeon

The river monster

Armored, prehistoric and strong enough to pull the boat around for a while. The St. Croix holds a genuinely healthy population, and hooking one is the best fight available on this water by a wide margin.

This is patient fishing — heavy rods, bait on the bottom, and a lot of watching rod tips while the river goes by. Then the tip buries and everything changes.

Best months
April to June, September to November, plus hard water
Where they hold
Deep holes and current seams
Keep policy
Catch and release, always, no exceptions
Tackle
Heavy rods, bottom rigs, cut bait
Walleye caught on a guided Minnesota river fishing trip

Walleye

The one everybody wants

Minnesota’s fish, and the reason most people book a trip in the first place. River walleye move with the water, so knowing which pool and which break is working this week is the entire game.

That is where thirty years of local knowledge actually earns its keep. The spot that produced last April may be dead this April if the water came up.

Best months
April to June and September to November
Where they hold
Wing dams, breaks and tailwater
Keep policy
Under 23″ per regulations, larger fish released
Tackle
Jigs, live bait rigs, crankbaits
Smallmouth bass fishing along the St. Croix River bluffs

Smallmouth Bass

Pound for pound, the scrapper

The St. Croix is quietly one of the better smallmouth rivers in the upper Midwest and hardly anybody talks about it. Rock, current and clear water — they hit hard and they jump.

The best trip on the calendar for anyone who would rather cast all day than sit and watch a rod holder.

Best months
June through September
Where they hold
Rock shelves and current breaks
Keep policy
Mostly released
Tackle
Soft plastics, topwater, small crankbaits
Crappie caught on the St. Croix River

Crappie

The kid pleaser

When you want bites rather than waiting, this is the trip. Slab crappie stack up in the backwaters in spring and under the ice in winter.

They are also the single best fish going for getting a young angler hooked for life — steady action, no heavy gear, and they taste good.

Best months
April to May, and December to March through the ice
Where they hold
Backwaters, brush and under the ice
Keep policy
Yes, within state limits
Tackle
Small jigs, minnows, light line
Channel catfish caught on the Mississippi River near Stillwater

Channel & Flathead Catfish

Summer nights, heavy rods

Warm water turns the cats on, and the Mississippi pools hold some genuinely big ones. Simple fishing, serious pull, and a good excuse to be on the river when the sun goes down.

An underrated trip. Nobody expects a flathead to fight like that the first time.

Best months
June through September
Where they hold
Holes, timber and current edges
Keep policy
Yes, within state limits
Tackle
Heavy rods, cut and live bait

Licenses and limits

Everyone fishing needs a valid Minnesota or Wisconsin license, depending on the water — it is not included in the trip, and Jamison will tell you which one you need for your date. All state seasons, limits and size restrictions apply. On top of that, every sturgeon goes back without exception, and walleye over 23 inches are released. Regulations change, so check the current rules with the Minnesota or Wisconsin DNR before your trip.

By appointment

Know what you want? Let’s go get it.

Tell Jamison the species and the dates. He will tell you straight whether they line up, and what does.

Book a trip (612) 219-6165