Yesterday

Tuesday at 1:19 AM I was awoken by a lightening storm that rivaled some of the best 4th of July fireworks displays this year. Knowing I had a guide trip that morning I rolled over reluctantly and trudged down to my office to check flows on the Kinni and radar over the Rush River where I had scheduled to meet my clients. The Kinni’s flows looked just fine. The giant storm was moving over Northern Minnesota and Wisconsin with only garden variety rains looking like they would hit the Baldwin (Upper Rush) area.  We should be fine I concluded and went back to sleep.

Much to my surprise Tuesday morning, the water at the Rod and Gun on the Rush River was murky. Heavily stained, Off color. Call it what you like, but it was not what I wanted to see. To make my clients(who had somewhat limited time) drive back towards the Kinni was the last thing I wanted. We would drive north to see if we could find clearer water. North was a little better. There still was problems with sighting rocks, troughs, sand bars and judging depth for wading safely and fishing effectively. We decided to give it a go and I am glad we did. The river continued to clear throughout the day. Falling flows, better clarity and reasonably consistent catching marked the day.

These conditions reminded me that the river is in temperamental flux from recent heavy rains. Full to the banks, much of the fine particulate matter is still loosely piled up along the slow water areas of the river. Right now, it will not take much of a rain to set the whole system off color,,,, again. The lower river is probably a bit more temperamental than the upper. Fine silt and clay particles on the rocks make them slippery..er. Watch your footing. I took a face plant in some really gooey stuff yesterday. Smelled like a combination of dead something mixed with old something, highlighted with a twist of rotting something,,,,, lovely.

As I continue to re-explore the local waters(after the heavy rains of the last 10 days), the changes I am finding are quite striking. In places, I am re-learning the river. New holding habitat has formed and it is fun to find it. Scoops and boulder pockets, troughs and deep pools have been filled in or scoured out. The bank flora has been flattened in many places and it is a bit easier on the casting and trailing.

Have fun!