I can't compete with the gas prices to go up to the Pond or Alexandria every weekend. I am very interested in trying for smallies on the St Croix. This is me reaching out for some advice, thank you in advance.

I caught a 22.5 inch Smallmouth on the Croix using a Leech.

Definate piggy, did you weigh that baby?
Tunrevir~

I couldnt keep them of my line lasy friday.Used leaches. trolled raps and I used fat heads. I was fishing for walleye there in shallow

Tunrevir,

I did not weigh her. Frankly, I was in shock. Do I mount this once in a lifetime or put her back - I grabbed a tape measure & immediately put her back. It was at the I-94 Bridge area in 17'. It still stunns me thinking about it...

plastics work good for me out there. especially had good luck with the new berkley chigger craws. tubes work also and I caught my biggest 20.5" on a blue senko. nightcrawlers are always good. pitch to structure early in the year and then they go deeper. lots of fish but they have a slow growth rate for some reason on the 'Croix. 20" fish are fairly rare in my opinion but they are there. if you throw a crawler on and drag it around enough you never know what you will get out there. that's the beauty of the riv

let me start off by saying its prolly one of my favorite things to do when it comes to fishing I have caught many 18-20 inch fish ripping cranks over shelfs that lead to deap water once it warms up a but and get up twards the kinny and you never know you might even hook into a nice northren or muskie they seem to love the little crank baits i throw.

Guy in my boat caust a 17" long 12" around smalling fishing for walleyes on the opener. They are there for sure.

Thanks to all on the feedback. A 22 inch smallie is an absolute giant! To keep this thread going I have a Ranger 619 to drop in and was woundering if the Osceola area is to shallow to fish with that boat. Also, is this a good starting place when targeting smallies? Thanks again!

I've never really targetted smallies on the St. Croix but I've caught my share while walleye fishing. Most the time while jigging with fathead minnows or soft plastics. My personal best is probably a 21".

that seems like a big boat for that area. maybe not now that the water is high. don't know, haven't been up that far. there are tons of spots between stillsville and hudosn

If you're determined to fish that area, you could get by. However, you need to know the river pretty well, go slowly, and not be too attached to your prop staying in pristine condition.

yeah you can do it just go slow trimmed up before you go flying around and if you do wreck a prop(sorry for the plug)my buddy that i fish tournaments with has his own prop company called River Side props from the hastings area but anyway enough of that its very doable i get up aboud those parts alot with my 18 foot boat

I think even with the high water that you will be limited to how far you can go with your Ranger. It is a great spot to look for smallies, but the whole river from St. Croix Flowage all the way to Prescott is great. I would look farther downstream.

give the afton area a try there are some nice grassy flats on the mn side