Mississippi River (Monticello to St. Cloud)
Published: Updated:
Mississippi River (Monticello to St. Cloud) Fishing Reports
Filter by
Sort by
Reports from all past years within a 60-day time frame
Species
Smallmouth BassSeason
Winter
Technique
Drop Shot
Structure
Open Water/Basin
Forage
Minnows
Species
Smallmouth BassSeason
Ice
Technique
Football Jigs
Structure
River Channels
The little spotty is a great jig. The baby goat is one of my favorite trailers for it as well. Paired up they can mimic a craw or a small baitfish like a Sculpin. This pair looks nice on the swim as well. One of my main any time of the year baits. I caught all my biggest Smallmouth on the Saint Croix this past summer with this pairing. The Little Spotty has been the best jig I have ever used at not getting hung up and has a good hook up and land ratio. Tossed the Gobius around a bit as well for the first time. Its a Dark sleeper knock off obviously but maybe out performs the Sleeper with hook up ratio from first experience with it. Time will tell if it replaces the Dark Sleeper for me one of the all time Smallmouth baits in my experience.
Species
Smallmouth BassSeason
Winter
Technique
Hard Jerkbaits
Structure
Boulders
Decided to throw the Vision110 in 3-4ft. 2 pops and always getting hit on the pause!
Species
Smallmouth BassSeason
Winter
Technique
Tubes
Structure
Rip Rap
Forage
Crawfish
Recently I have gotten my open water fix near the hot water discharges in Monticello. Fishing a tube low and slow has been productive catching some numbers, with good size mixed in. This included a 4.82lb kicker last weekend. I have been fishing my tubes very similar to a ned rig, letting them fall on a slackline and then slowly dragging and hopping the tube back to the bank. Bites have been surprisingly hard for the wintertime.
Species
Largemouth BassSeason
Winter
Technique
Soft Swimbaits (Sm/Md)
Structure
Rock Pile
Was throwing the spark-shad swimming it on the bottom
Species
Smallmouth BassSeason
Winter
Technique
Soft Swimbaits (Sm/Md)
Structure
Boulders
Forage
Minnows
Went out targeting smallmouth and ended with a mixed bag of Pike, walleye, and some decent smallmouth as well. I was fishing the deeper pockets that I could find. I used the dark sleeper and was able to deflect off some larger boulders that I didn’t know were there. My biggest bites came while bouncing it off of the rocks on a slow retrieve. I also used a Keitech on a lighter rod which also produced several fish including the pike and walleye!
Species
WalleyeSeason
Winter
Technique
Live Bait Rigs
Structure
Rock Pile
Forage
Minnows
Bite was on and off today got a few smallies/pike but this 18inch walleye was the catch of day on a sucker and I stand by seaguar’s gold label fluoro leader it is hands down the best fluoro I’ve had ever used it may be a little bit more than the blue label model but it is worth it 100%
Quickvic30
Bronze Ambassador
12/16/23
Species
Smallmouth BassSeason
Ice
Technique
Drop Shot
Structure
Boulders
Forage
Perch
Water Temperature
54°
Drop shot with various earthy colored swim baits various sizes, small peach and bass look alikes. Live target and yum crawfish on 1/8 oz jig. Dropshot live shiner and slip bobber.
Species
Smallmouth BassSeason
Winter
Technique
Live Bait Rigs
Structure
Rock Pile
Forage
Minnows
Bite was slow at first but then it picked up and this 20 incher was the biggest along with 2 19inchers and a 18. Medium suckers worked but smaller ones were better.
