sauk river

[stckthrwr]

I was able to get an inflatable frameless pontoon over the winter. I've been wanting to try floating the sauk river. Has anyone done this? I wanted to get dropped off at the river head and float it down to around the Mississippi or that part in waite park. Maybe do some fishing on the way down

I've been told by some people that there are pastures the river goes through and alot you would have to carry over shallow spots.

I have a bad shoulder, so thought the moving water of the river would be easier.

Thanks for any advice.

Nathan

[Stick in Mud]

I've canoed down the Sauk probably 40 or 50 times...it's a deceptively difficult little river. There are some shallow spots, but the difficult part has to do with many, many strainers that like to hang out on the outside turns. The gradient in the last few miles is something like 10 ft/mile, so the river is moving pretty good.

If you are going to do it, wait until the water level drops and the water temps rise. Or, put in below the dam in Cold Spring...the stretch from there to Waite Park is a lot easier than the stretch from Waite Park to the Mississippi.

[stckthrwr]

I'm good on waiting. And I will also take your advice when I do it to put in at cold spring and get out by the ball fields in waite park maybe.

Thanks for the advice!

Nathan

[Stick in Mud]

No problem.

Let us know how you like it. It's an awesome little river if the water stays clean. Get a lot of rain, though, and the water gets soupy and the weeds go nuts. Some years it's fantastic; others it's not. Last year was great, but the water didn't get *quite* low enough to make wading as nice as it can be (it was still great, though). Floating it was wonderful, however. Watch the water levels and make your decision thereafter.

[Tom Sawyer]

The word "inflatable" scares me when speaking about floating the Sauk. Lots of brush and even some barbwire here and there along it's flow. If you wait for lower flows it may even be worse, since you'll be beached much more then during high water.

Ware you PFD!

[stckthrwr]

So, maybe I'd be better off not floating the sauk then? I'm hoping to take it out this weekend on a lake and see how it goes.

I had just thought the sauk would be easier to float than other rivers. Would the section from Cold Spring down to waite park still have the barb wire hazards?

Thanks!

Nathan

[Tom Sawyer]

I would suggest any area lake before a river with any inflatable.

You have to realize that the Sauk meanders through old pasture land, and coming across old barb wire on it's banks (during low flow) is common. During high water many hazards are hidden, old log jams, brush, fence posts..........

Like I said, were your PFD