St Croix and Mississippi

Every year we take several trips upstream to Stillwater and downstream to Lake Pepin and beyond. This year we hope to be going to LaCrosse providing we don't get derailed by high water. We had planned a 4th of July trip to LaCrosse last year but, as you recall, we had heavy rains and high water in May/June which raised the river level and created an 8 knot current. We ended up going as far south as Wabasha. Wabasha is a nice place to spend an evening or two, some nice little bars and a couple of decent restaurants.

On our way back across Lake Pepin we ran in the Nina and Pinta (Columbus replicas) that were on their way to Lake City. Kind of cool, they were much small than we thought they would be.
 
One other note, if you stay in Red Wing, stay at Jim and Cindy's (Red Wing Marina). Small marina (they charge $1.50 ft) but they have a great dock with a full view of the river. The Harbor Bar on the Wisconsin side of the river usually has great music, cheap drinks and excellent jerk sauce. We take our dinghys over from RWM. Downtown Red Wing has some nice restaurants too, all within walking distance.
 
Marine and camper park? I believe the family stay there on our way back from Dubuque Iowa where i got the boat. Very nice lady, i didnt meet the mister. Ordered a bunch of food for the boat e and had drinks while we waited. My dog stayed outside but when me left they told me i should have brought her in. Loved that place. Pretty bad rain storm that night and i come backing in, she thought i was crazy given the wind, to a 50'x18' slip. I guess they have sail around the world? Anyways i will be back.
 
Well anytime on the water is good. Got my boat late in the season so hadn't experienced the high water issue. Must have been very cool seeing the replica boats, were they to scale?
 
We did a day trip to Red Wing last summer and stayed at Red Wing Marina. Jim and Cindy are a great couple, and she made room for us no problem, even for that short stay.
 
We stayed at ole miss. It was ok at best. Since then we have heard a lot of great things about Jim and Cindy's. We will be staying in redwing this summer and plan on staying there


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Sorry this isn't super on topic but quick question on this time of year on the St. Croix/upper Miss. Just got my 190 sport and of course I want to get it on the river ASAP. This coming weekend is looking to finally be 70 degrees out but it's fishing opener. I would like to launch at Hastings and cruise up to Treasure Island for lunch (since the forecast is for St. Croix to be no wake still) any idea how crazy the river will be due to fishing? Thanks for any help.

Scott
 
Scott9000 said:
Sorry this isn't super on topic but quick question on this time of year on the St. Croix/upper Miss. Just got my 190 sport and of course I want to get it on the river ASAP. This coming weekend is looking to finally be 70 degrees out but it's fishing opener. I would like to launch at Hastings and cruise up to Treasure Island for lunch (since the forecast is for St. Croix to be no wake still) any idea how crazy the river will be due to fishing? Thanks for any help.

Scott
Click to expand...

River won't be too crazy, as that is all channel between Hastings and TI. I would be carefull though as there is a lot of debris in the water with it being so high right now. It is an easy cruise, just keep it between the bouys.
 
I too boat on the St. Croix/Mississippi. I keep mine at Watergate which is all the way up by lock and damn #1 on the Mississippi in St. Paul. We spend a lot of time at the Kinny. It takes a couple of hours for me to get there through the No Wakes and Lock #2.

Pool 2 is extremely high right now with the rains we've been having.

Hope to see you this Summer. Just look for the "BABY" version of your DA's!
 
Scott I see you have the individual covers, did it come that way or did you have to request it. I have the same boat I just have the whole boat cover. Just curious as they said they were switching over to just the whole boat cover when I bought mine. Boat handles the river great, in the summer you will run into some very large wakes from the big boys on the river. First time out with the boat, used to have a Sea Doo, went at a big wake, hit it low and soaked everyone in the front seats, wake went right over bow.
 
I am the 2nd owner of my 190 but the original owner told me it came with only the bow and cockpit covers (he wasn't given the option of the full one). I would have preferred the full cover but it was nice to put the bow cover on for the cruise back from TI (a storm was coming and the temps dropped). The snaps are a pain.

We launched from Prescott around 10:30 on Saturday. The launch is completely underwater up to the first row of parking. It wasn't the easiest to get the boat off the trailer in such a shallow area. The channel down to Treasure Island was smooth but running fast and full of logs. We stopped for lunch and blackjack. I like the Marina at TI and the shuttle was nice to the casino. On the way back we stopped at the "sand island" just north of the turn to the TI marina. Anyone know the status of that island? It looks like people camp there and the lagoon is very deep.
 
People camp there all summer long. Not sure the history of how that all came about but I'm sure someone else can fill in. The river is definitely high right now, about 8 feet higher than last September where we slip our boat
 
Last year with the river so high and the St. Croix closed well into July we visited "the donut hole" a lot in the early summer. It's very popular and since you can tent on the island it's a low key party most weekends.

Checked it out on Saturday and the Army Corps looks to have pushed the hill down and filled in the center (mostly). It's now a small lagoon with only place enough for a hand full of boats. Here is the before photo (until Google updates the photo):

https://www.google.com/maps/@44.6341068,-92.6216074,393m/data=!3m1!1e3
 
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