Rum River Smallies

[HawgTide]

Has anyone ever fished the Rum River for Smallies? If so, is there good fishing there and is it deep enough to navigate? I'm looking for alternatives to the shallow Miss.

Thanks!

[EBass]

You can go up about a mile or mile and a half before it get's to shallow launching from the Anoka fair grounds. It's all no wake zone to for the whole county of Anoka and we did get caught and tagged $125 for speeding (a few of us did that day).

There are smallies in there, but sometimes very hard to catch. I have better results when the water is high, but that's me. Post your results.

[This message has been edited by EBass (edited 08-12-2003).]

[Guest]

They bite like crazy below the anoka dam in the spring and then again in the fall. I caught a 22 inch smallmouth this spring and probably around 100 bass total in a two week period. They averaged about 17 inches with that 22 incher being the biggest. They will start chasing the crayfish in the rocks in late september if my memeory serves me right.

[HawgTide]

Thanks for the replies. I've heard it was really good fishing, I just didn't know if I could fish it from my boat.

[RandyR]

We fish the Rum quite a bit, concentating on the stretch from Anoka county road 7 to the Anoka dam. It does get shallow in places, but with care you can motor all the way.
The caution about the no wake zone is good advice, the river residents in that area take it personally if you don't follow the rules and they aren't afraid to call the sheriff. Our best fish, smallie, 21 inches (lots between 17 and 19) walleye 20 inches (not common but a fishable population) and pike 32 inches. Late August through the end of October has been best for us, the smallies start to congregate in the deeper holes. All holes are not created equal, holes with cover (fallen trees, etc.) are much better. Please practice catch & release here, this is truly a trophy fishery. The area below the dam is fished quite a bit from shore and some boats, we don't bring the boat in there but I have seen some dandies caught from there also.

[HawgTide]

Thanks. I went out there this morning for a few hours. I fished the short stretch below the dam to the miss. I caught two nice bass in the rum section, and 11 more on the miss. As always, they're still swimming so we can catch them again someday.

[EBass]

Nice, any size to them? Just wondering.

[HawgTide]

EBass, Most of them were nice size. 8 of 13 were between 2 & 3 pounds(16 to 18 inches). I have photo's, but it's a pain to post them on here.