Anyone have suggestions on which stretch of the St. Croix would offer the best fishing this Fall late September?

Thanks All!

M

I have been fishing the Namekagon and upper St. Croix for years so that is what I know. Fishing your way down stream and camping along the way is a blast. Great smallmouth starting at whispering pines landing on the Namekagon. Good Walleye holes start about 10 miles downstream. The Musky fishing picks up too! There is some really good fishing from ten miles upstream of the confluence of the St. Croix/Namekagon to ten or fifteen miles downstream. With the recent rains the water levels should go up a little which will help with the upper stretches of both.

SinglePortage: "I have been fishing the Namekagon and upper St. Croix for years so that is what I know."

Nice of you to share your experience. Do you, (or anyone else here) have shuttle recommendations for us that go solo? I'd have to park my car at the destination and get a shuttle back up to the start, or visa versa, or something anyway. Probably won't make the trip this year, but would make a nice trip next spring when the season starts.

We are planning on going from Trego on the Nam to St Croix and then into the Mississippi to Possibly Taylor Falls. 7 to 8 days. Anyone have any insight on this streatch would be appreciated. Our permit into BWCAW is 9/4 but appears doubtful it will be open.

redbird: "We are planning on going from Trego on the Nam to St Croix and then into the Mississippi to Possibly Taylor Falls..."

Ummm, Taylors Falls is well up the St. Croix from the Mississippi. The St. Croix dumps into the Mississippi at Hastings, a good 50 miles south of Taylors Falls.

For info on the St. Croix go here: St. Croix National Scenic River

Below Stillwater you will have to deal with speed boats and large boats in the cabin cruiser category.

My error, yes, we will not make the Mississippi but my concern is water levels on these two rivers. I see the low levels posted but haven't been able to get ahold of St Croix VC.

GeneH: "

SinglePortage: "I have been fishing the Namekagon and upper St. Croix for years so that is what I know."

Nice of you to share your experience. Do you, (or anyone else here) have shuttle recommendations for us that go solo? I'd have to park my car at the destination and get a shuttle back up to the start, or visa versa, or something anyway. Probably won't make the trip this year, but would make a nice trip next spring when the season starts.


"

Last year we did the entire Namekagon due to low water in Maine. Our shuttle ended up being a Boy Scout Troop leader who shuttled our vehicle from the start to the finish. I didn't arrange the shuttle service but do remember the troop was well rewarded.

FISHONFISHOFF

The maps in the link jhb provided has .pdf maps you can print at home.

butthead

redbird: "My error, yes, we will not make the Mississippi but my concern is water levels on these two rivers. I see the low levels posted but haven't been able to get ahold of St Croix VC. "

The NPS link has links to the St. Croix river level from the USGS.
St. Croix River Conditions

Note that good portions of the river are fairly shallow at this time of year. For example today the flow at St. Croix Falls is 2170 cfs. While this is well above what it was 3 or 4 days ago, it is still very low. You may be able to float from St. Croix Falls to Osceola, but you will be digging sand with your paddle along the way. I paddle this section frequently and a double blade paddle is quite a bit more useful then a traditional paddle at this time.

Also the section for a few miles above the dam at St. Croix Falls is a generally deeper reservoir but you will encounter more speed boats and some larger boats, but most likely not the cabin cruiser class like in Stillwater.

What does "St Croix VC" mean?

Thanks for the info.
St Croix VC is St Croix Visitor Center.