Rising river question

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Rising river question

Postby lucky stick » Mon Jun 30, 2014 8:17 pm

Hey Larry.

I'm at my cabin on the Chippewa river about 8 miles down from the Winter dam on the Flowage. They just let a ton of water out at the dam and the water came up about 2 feet in about 6 hours.

The question is: would you spend time on the river or go to some of the area lakes with more stable conditions.

Also did your family have a hand in creating the dam on the Flowage?
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Re: Rising river question

Postby dahlberg » Mon Jun 30, 2014 11:19 pm

Yes in regards to the dam.
I would not bag it unless the water gets real dirty. Fish the top ends(upstream) of all the "normal" places where the water is a bit more slack.
good luck,
L
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Re: Rising river question

Postby lucky stick » Tue Jul 01, 2014 9:38 pm

Hey Larry and thanks for the reply.

Had a rainy day today and headed to Hayward. Checked out the freshwater fishing hall of fame for my first time. I made sure to find your well deserved frame. The hall of fame is a pretty neat place, especially if you like motors, rod, reels, and lures. There sure is no limit in lure design or ideas.

I just need to ask you your take on Louie Spray's world record Muskie. The guy was no doubt a great stick, but the stuff I have read suggest the sizes of his three fish may have been fabricated. He Did do wonders for his tavern and the city of Hayward though.

The river seems to have leveled of for now. Back when you were guiding high water conditions on the St Croix and you needed to put clients on smallies would you concentrate mostly on the heads of the known slack water? Did you spend time fishing the banks? Rock banks or grass? How about the know boulder fields mid river? Small feeder creeks?

I have been coming up to the cabin for 10 years and fish a lot when I'm here. When the water gets/is high I usually experience a pretty tough bite.

How about presentation? I can usually crush'em on prop baits and rattle baits. When things get tough I throw tubes or crawlers with a piece of split shot.

I found a small creek that I can trap creek chubs in. What is your preferred method for rigging bigger chubs?

Thanks in advance. Really look forward to your take on the Spray muskies. Just got done reading several chapters in his three world record Muskies in his day book.
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Re: Rising river question

Postby dahlberg » Wed Jul 02, 2014 5:13 am

Louie caught some big ones, but my opinion is he stretched the truth like silly putty.
Feeders are always good when they are running. In my experience the mid river stuff is usually best in lower water, but it all depends. Quite often they use water that's a little too shallow normally, and they pick the spots with the best cover if all other things are equal.
Stuck more to rock banks rather than wood during high water, but that, like other angling advice, is just a rule of thumb.
You can never go wrong with a live crawler if you are doing a reality check to find out who's home. The chubs are lethal on larger fish. I like to rig them with a small light wire circle hook thru the snoot and free line them.
Got a real monster smallie yesterday in high water on a clackin craw. It's the longest smb I've ever caught.
best
L
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