fishing reports Rum River

[monstermoose78]

With the water levels coming down and the water clearing up it should be some great fishing for smallmouth, walleyes, and pike. The only thing is you may need to wear the winter gear to keep the misquitoes from taking all your blood. Great options for smallmouth and pike are top water baits and for walleyes jigs and plastics but those will take other river fish as well. Crank baits work very well to, but you will lose your fair share. Live bait fishing is good to for carp, suckers, bullheads, and panfish in the right spots.

Good Luck

[river rat316]

Bug dope is a must right now, but the river is pretty hot right now, but again bug dope is a MUST!!

[Mnfisher]

Just wondering if anyone has been on the Rum the past couple of days. Did the rain help bring it up any?

[monstermoose78]

Sorry for taking so long to get back to you Mnfisher the rum came up a little bit, but it is dropping now. The fishing should be very good if you can hit some of the deeper holes on the rum. You should be able to wade the river just make sure to have some kind of protection on your feet.

[Mnfisher]

Thanks....I got out last Thursday. Found a new hole and did very well catching 4 nice eyes (3 almost 17") and 4 bass and some "fighting" Red Horse. River was very navigable where I was a few miles north of Cambridge. 1.5 feet was the shallowest and no problem for my 14' boat with 25 hp motor.

[monstermoose78]

That is awesome Congrats.

[Mnfisher]

I've heard of Crappies being caught on the Rum. Does anyone have some tips for finding some, especially between now and opener?

[river rat316]

Backwater areas this time of year, I don't know the Rum good enough to point you to any areas like that, but basically what you are looking for is backwater areas with little to no current and a mud bottom as it warms earlier than an yother area

[monstermoose78]

What RiverRat said!! Feeder creeks can be the ticket as well.

[Mnfisher]

Thanks....

[river rat316]

River level looks to be dropping some, at least the west fork, gonna take a drive in a bit and have a look around at some of the lakes

[Wanderer]

The river was UP then came down pretty decent until the end of April rains. Was back up to flood stage and is just now showing signs of being fishable in the future. It has the looks of being another high water year unless we swing into drought conditions.

I was hoping to drop a line in last weekend but will wait for probably another month.

[Mnfisher]

Fished the Rum on Saturday. It was very high and muddy. We fished about 4 1/2 hours and not a bite. We tried different lures and bait and spots. It WAS a nice day to be out though.

[Wanderer]

It looks like it came back up a little again today...

Yes, was nice to be out in a boat last weekend for sure! I was on lake though. Glass calm sunrise and the only boat out. That was good, then it got better. We caught some fish.

[river rat316]

This rain has really got things messed up, it looked good to go last Tuesday then we got 4" of rain in one night north of Princeton and, well, now it is high and muddy and not dropping that quick because every ditch is full of water, might be a couple of weeks before it is back to normal if we do not get any rain.

[monstermoose78]

The river is coming down and almost back into its banks. It should good if you can find some slower moving water.

[M1dwestF1sh]

I've only fished the rum once from a boat and wanted to do it a little more. I know very little about the river and was wondering if anybody had some pointers. Where would a good place be to put a small boat in? What stretch of water is there good bass fishing in and what tactics to use? I'd like to get out this weekend and give it a shot but I have no information on this river.

[river rat316]

The rum up near Princeton is pretty near impossible to actually boat in, when the water is high like it is now it is possible but at normal summer levels its not really possible. There are a ton of bridges, parks, and other shore fishing areas people regularly hit and do pretty good at depending on water levels. If you wanted to go out in a boat there are a couple launches further down stream around you that would work, especially right now with the high water levels, I would still take it slow though.

[Neighbor_guy]

She's still running pretty hard in the St Francis area.

A nice landing and good fishing in the Anoka area north of the dam. It can be a bit tricky and there is no right or wrong way to fish it. Just be prepared to loose some equipment if you go.

[Wanderer]

I haven't checked accesses around here but the water's been pretty high until recently. I don't expect to be on it soon. Also, we had an amazing mosquito hatch over the weekend so if you do come north, bring the skeeter dope, pants and long sleeves.

The bass should be tight the banks right now in whatever current break they can find. Most lighter versions of your standard bass lures will work but like Neighbor_guy said, be prepared to lose some if you're casting. You would have success and an easier time fishing the pool above the dam right now if you don't have much Rum River experience yet.

Good luck!

[Mnfisher]

I am just starting to learn the Rum north of Cambridge. Fished Wednesday. The river is down a lot but still high. Good bass fishing in that whole area. For walleyes, find the holes. The river is still too high for walleyes to be gathering in the deeper spots. Only caught 2 bass. Two decent landings are by the Hwy 14 bridge and the newer one (Becklin park) near the Sportsman's Club. I like to fish the holes when the water is down but then it can be hard to get around and over the sand bars. A jon boat with small motor would work better or just head downstream with a canoe. Fishing the river is relaxing and peaceful.

[M1dwestF1sh]

Haven't got my 12 foot jon boot registered yet, plan on doing that next week but I think tomorrow I'll take my 17 footer out just north of the dam and fish that stretch. I have work to do in the morning so I'll miss prime time but it will still be a good learning expiernce for a lake guy like me. Thanks for all the responses!

[M1dwestF1sh]

With the weather today I decided to stick to the lakes I know. Sorry I don't have a report for you guys.

[1DIRTBALL]

I grew up fishing the very area you are talking about Mnfisher! How I loved it there! The Becklin's were still living when I used to fish there. They were the nicest people you would ever want to meet. Always very accomadating when you wanted to get on the river. I'm sure the Rum has changed dramatically from the days when I fished it with regularity. There is nothing I would like to do more than fish the Rum River again! The most dependable walleye catching area that I know about! Sadly, I live too far away now. About a 6+ hour drive away. But you never know. Someday I may be greeting you on the Rum! Good luck fishing there and keep me up to date on what's happening there! 1DIRTBALL

[monstermoose78]

Be careful out on the rum with all the rain we just got. I drove over the east and west branches yesterday and the water looked like chocolate milk. It was just going over the banks and that was yesterday morning.

[river rat316]

This rain sucks, its going to be awhile before the river is fishable again.

[M1dwestF1sh]

Yes it does. I'm sticking to the lakes for awhile. Ive heard some guys saying right below the anoka dam has been great with all the rain. Haven't tried it myself though.

[Dylan33]

What are they catching below the dam? Had some success for some small pike in the backwaters in the anoka and ramsey areas.

[M1dwestF1sh]

I went there yesterday and got nothing. The water is really high and flowing fast obviously so it made it hard to fish. I was talking to a guy a couple days ago and he said they were doing good on big bass and pike.

[Wanderer]

Geez, she came up good again!

Nearly as high as the peak earlier this year.