Eating River Fish

[The Grebe]

One hears so much about pollution? I could'nt fish a favorite spot this year because of it.

Just about everything, in every waterway, drains into the mighty mississippi and the Miss gets everything from it's headwaters on down, in the form of pollution.

Being south of the cities and all the heavy industries and heavy populations, treatment plants, etc., whats up with the edibility of the fish?

[EBass]

Check the DNR regs, but you should be fine if it's a meal per week or was it per month? I guess it depends on where and how big the fish is. Younger fish have less toxins built in so they are deemed safer. I know for a fact that Pool 4 has fish taken on a regular basis, but I don't hear any reports of people glowing You should be alright, but checks the reg first.

[Dave B]

Crayfish, clams, waterfowls are all doing well-which they cannot do in polluted water. The DNR claims that the fish can be eaten as often as those from Vermilion and other northern hard bottom lakes.

I wouldnt worry too much about it. I dont know if I would eat a lot of big cats though.

Remember Pool 2 is 100% catch and release for walleye, sauger, LM and SM bass. Pool 3 is open to harvest w/ a 15" min on walleye.

[The Grebe]

EBass and DaveB...I have never fished down there and more then likely never will, I was just curious.

The only experience I have ever had with fishing the river down there, was a lame try off the jetty in Lake Peppin, nothing to write home about.

I keep fish out of the rivers up here, the Platte, Crow, Rum, Mississippi above Coon Rapids dam, and every once in awhile, someone will make a comment about the pollution.

I thought that I would get some opinions from the southern stretch of the river and I figured that if it did'nt make any of the fishermen south of the TwinCities glow, or grow an extra eyeball, I'm safe, cause I do like fish!

[BigMike]

For more exact information on the MN fish consumption advisories check out the MN Dept or Health website devoted to this topic.

http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/eh/fish/eating/sitespecific.html

It's a really great site and will answer any questions you have on practically any body of water in MN.

As stated above, Pool 2 is catch and release only for all game fish.

[jigginjim]

I guide on the river, if your not fishing it only because someone say its polluted, you may be missing out on some great fishing.

I have caught and eaten several crappies from the pool 2.

Keep the smaller fish none larger than 9inches.

Still not glowing!

[Lostit@theHole]

I agree the fishing is outstanding in the river. Also, in regards to eating the fish, the main reason there is an advisory is due to mercury and mercury comes from air pollution. There is not much more mercury in the river as in any lakes near it. Thats my 2 cents anyway. Personally i dont keep many fish anyway but i never keep them from the river. Good Luck.

[juggs]

I've been eating river fish all my life and I have to say, this third arm really comes in handy at times. But seriously folks........I can give you a little info. Rivers are different than lakes in that flowing water is self-cleansing. Now I believe this has to do only with organic compounds, e.g. human waste, and pollution such as mercury might be exempt. I was at the Hidden Falls landing putting in my boat when two guys who worked for some water testing company were just pulling out. They had tested the water and said the quality was very good. I told them I fished for mostly crappies and their reply was there should be no problem eating crappies or even smaller walleyes out of the river (yes, I know pool 2 is all catch and release for these guys--I say this to make a point). Remember this is right near the heart of downtown Minneapolis and St. Paul. I am suspicious of the Minnesota, though.

[Liar]

I keep some of the smaller river fish. I always remove the belly meat from all fish lake or river. I was told the chemicals tend to settle in the belly meat. As a rule of thumb I wouldn't let anyone pregnant or small kids eat much or any fish. If you turn off the lights and you glow like a crappie jig, you have had to much.

Dan

[rosspj59]

Glowing could be beneficial for night fishing. Not really a bad side effect.

[fishin789]

You used to be able to get the fish consumption booklet mailed right to you.I was funny when you would tell someone you kept walleye out of the river by redwing. they would state they would never eat a fish from the river. then you would ask them what lake they fish and look it up.the funny part would be some of them lakes they ate fish out of were listed as one meal a month where as the river down by redwing is listed as one meal a week.