Treasure hunting and fishing in the last week on the Lower Kinni since the latest high water event has been fun! Here are a few items we found.

Hoops

Two heavy steel hoops encrusted in years of oxidation were found barely exposed along the shore line. We imagined they once encircled the wagon wheels of the early settlers to the area. These wagon wheels and the wagons they were affixed to may not have been so lucky. They too may have fallen victim to a flood long past . Notice the clean rocks!

A Sony Diskman, Headphones and a Spinning Reel

These two were found intertwined. One belongs and one doesn’t. Who brings a Diskman on the river? The music of flowing water is without match.

Fine Sun Glasses

The owner of these fine sun glasses must have been upset that these were lost. The case was made of fine leather and buried up to the lid in this sand. These were lost a while ago because the lid was rusted shut. Upon excavating the glasses from the hard packed sand within the case, it was obvious that the prescription lenses had been polished to a perfect frosty clarity. A total loss for another expensive pair of glasses and no one even sat on them!

Cheap Sun Glasses

This pair of white Ironman sunglasses was obviously lost by some “Hey Dude” kayaker(no disrespect to hey dude kayakers). Probably bought at the dime store, these glasses were still in great shape. Being tinted but not polarized, I kept them for the next time I need that hey dude look.

They Are Real!

Ever since I took the call at Bentley’s Outfitters from an enraged angler whose fishing hole had been obstructed by a large fallen tree on the Kinni, I have thought about my response to him and have felt guilty.  This angler wanted to know when “they” were going to remove the tree from his favorite spot. When I asked who “they” were, he said; The River Rats. I told him I would send them right down, giving him a tongue and cheek response to his question. I swear I never knew they really existed. I now stand corrected although this River Rat probably never made it judging by the hole in the tube. Probably a chain saw accident. RIP.

Shade or cover from the Rain?

Every angler should carry one of these.

Not Much Shade!

Although after using a rock to hammer  the spring loaded mechanism to open the umbrella, my friend Jim found it pretty much useless.Presumed DeadI fear this Jimmy John’s delivery man was just not fast enough.

The Best Rises to the Top

There are more aluminum cans on the banks of the lower river now than I have ever seen. Over the last few days we have tried to clean some of them up. If you are down on the lower river bring a small bag and haul a few out.

Rubber/Tar?

This one makes me wonder how this happened. Last year at the bottom of the River Ridge road access there was a barrel with a sign on it from the city of River Falls stating that somehow a bunch of this stuff entered into the lower river. The sign asked if folks would put these pieces of rubber/tar into the barrel in an effort to clean up the mess. A short time later, the barrel and the sign were gone. This stuff now litters the lower river. It is light weight and is in random pieces like this. If you see it pick it up please. We need to clean it up. The rubber is mostly on the banks and is light weight. I think it must float since I did not see it in the river but on the banks. Thanks

What crazy stuff have you found since the flood?