Kinnickinnic River 2016

[JBMasterAngler]

Hit up the Kinni for the 1st time of the year today. River might have been a tiny bit high, but still running clear. Started out at the swing gate access, then over by mcdonalds, then ended up at glen park. Tiny trout were very active. They were hitting the surface so much, sometimes it looked like it was raining! Caught a total of 8 trout, 7 brownies and 1 brookie. Most of them small, but 2 of the brownies were about 12 inches (not too shabby for kinni standards). Lost 4 lures  

[popriveter]

Thanks for the update. Seems like no one is posting fishing reports lately. This is encouraging. You just made it feel more like spring in my world.

[JBMasterAngler]

Unfortunately Mother Nature appears to be planning on making it feel like winter next weekend  will be interesting conditions to fish in, especially since I have a leaky boot.

[JBMasterAngler]

Hit the kinni today, but only had a couple hours, so I was mostly running and gunning. Started out at swing gate, where I spent most of the time, then a few random spots farther upstream. Surprisingly the trout were very willing to take spinners in locations where they would normally not even look at them. Was a brand new mepps, fresh out of the bag...my go to color, black/red/yellow. Or as I like to call it, "bleeding bumble bee". The hooks must not have been sharp or something, because I couldn't believe how many trout I was losing  Also had lot's of strikes. Didn't see any surface activity. Weather yesterday must have shut down the bugs. Caught 5 total, including a really nice 14 incher. I've only fished the kinni twice so far this season, but I'm already catching bigger brownies than all of last year! 

[GeluNumber1]

Can  Minnesotans buy WI fishing licenses yet? Last time I tried they were implementing a new license system, preventing anyone from getting one.

Good report. Hopefully the fish are still biting this weekend.

[JBMasterAngler]

Licenses are available. And they are printed on a regular sheet of office paper now  

I'm hoping to hit the kinni again on Saturday, but I have to work on my van, so hopefully I can squeeze in a couple hours.

Edited April 8, 2016 by JBMasterAngler

[GeluNumber1]

On 4/8/2016 at 3:48 AM, JBMasterAngler said:

Licenses are available. And they are printed on a regular sheet of office paper now  

I'm hoping to hit the kinni again on Saturday, but I have to work on my van, so hopefully I can squeeze in a couple hours.

Can you tell us how you did when you get back? I may go there tomorrow if it's not too shabby.

[JBMasterAngler]

Never made it out. Literally spent the entire weekend working on my van.

[GeluNumber1]

I ended up going. Caught 10 brown trout on a black rooster tail in the smallest size with silver blade. Used the McDonalds access. For my first time at that river, I did fairly well. Hope to go back this weekend.

[JBMasterAngler]

Well, I certainly wasn't going to let something silly, like moving into a new house ruin a chance to go fishing! Was able to get out for a couple hours in the evening, after all the moving was done  got 10 brownies, and lost several others. I was getting swipes on what seemed like every cast, but most of the time they were missing the lure completely. Was a nice reward for a hard days work. Also got my first sunburn of the season 

[fivebelow]

Can one park at this spot and access the river from here? 

[GeluNumber1]

fivebelow, I believe so. I have done so twice and never had an issue.

[fivebelow]

thanks I'll have to give it a shot sometime then. 

[JBMasterAngler]

Yes you can. That's the access I refer to as the "McDonald's access". There's quite a bit of water, both upstream and down to explore there. If you take a left at the kwik trip, and drive a few more blocks, there's another access that's not too shabby either.

[JBMasterAngler]

Was able to get out for a quick outing on Saturday morning. Accidentally discovered a secret spot I never knew existed! Used a yellow/red finesse rap, brownies couldn't resist! Caught 7, lost a couple,  and had countless strikes. Can't wait to come back to this spot when time is on my side.

[JBMasterAngler]

Rough morning on the kinni Saturday. Was only about 35 degrees upon arrival. Water wasn't high, but fairly cloudy. Right off the bat, I tripped over some hidden barb wire and ripped a hole in my brand new waders. Fish were not active at all. Only a few strikes, and only 1 landed.

[DrJuice1980]

Man that stinks.  Hope it was patch-able.  I've had a few run ins with thorn bushings thinking I was for sure getting wet my next time in.  There some decent size fish in that system?

[JBMasterAngler]

I'm not even going to mess with patching it up. I still have the receipt, I'm going to return them for new ones. The kinni is all numbers and no size. Anything over 12 inches is extremely rare. The lower stretch is a little better for bigger fish, as there is a better food source and less fishing pressure. I've caught smallmouth bass on the lower stretch also. 

[JBMasterAngler]

Got a chance to sneak out to the McDonalds and swing gate access for the evening on Saturday, in hopes I could get my 5 year old son his first brown trout. He got a few strikes, but no fish. I caught 4 little ones. We got rained on, then went to mcdonalds. Water was a little cloudy, but seemed low. Maybe it's risen since then.

[JBMasterAngler]

Banner morning on the "kinni" today! Got to the river at about 6, water was a little cloudy upon arrival, but had cleared up by the time I had left a few hours later. Caught 16 brownies total, lost quite a few, and had who knows how many strikes! Biggest was about 12 inches, the rest were the typical batch of 8 or 9 inchers. Absolute beautiful morning to be on the river! Was pretty cool walking through the field in the fog...wasn't so fun walking back in the sun. Doesn't get any better than catching some trout, then making it home in time for a morning cup of coffee 

[JBMasterAngler]

Fished below both dams in River Falls this morning. Got there at about 5:45, but only had a couple hours to fish. Water was very cloudy, but only a couple inches high. Some teeny, tiny trout were surfacing, but not much was going on. I got a few strikes, but only caught 5 brownies. Also got within close distance to a family of deer...I've seen who knows how many millions of deer in my life, but it's always cool to see them up close. And it's amazing how they can just disappear into the woods in just a blink of an eye. Anyway, came home early to do yard work, then planned on letting the wife have a day to herself while I watch the kids. She decided to take them to St. Cloud, so I think I'll head back out to the kinni for the evening bite 

[JBMasterAngler]

Well, evening bite was even slower than the morning  Tried the swing gate access, and besides a bunch of fingerlings jumping around, there wasn't much going on. Caught 3 little ones, and lost a few more.

[JBMasterAngler]

Would have been better off staying in bed this morning. Pulled up to the rush river at about 5:45, and it was over it's banks. Definitely not fishable. Back tracked to the kinni, in hopes it was in better shape. It was. Wasn't running very high, but was really dirty. Surprisingly, I don't have much for tackle for dirty conditions. Got quite a few swipes, but only caught 1 little brown trout. Started at the swing gate access, and river conditions got worse with each upstream access point I stopped at.

 

My final stop was the steeple bridge, where the water was high, but still running clear. I found a brown trout that couldn't have been dead for more than a few hours, was 19 inches! Never knew trout that big lived in the kinni! As I was holding it up to look at it, a truck drove past. I of course held it up as if I caught it, and got a thumbs up from the driver 

[JBMasterAngler]

Well, the last day of the trout season didn't go as good as I had hoped. Fished at the swing gate. Would've preferred to fish the rush, but my daughter had an early soccer game today, so 90 minutes on the kinni was better than nothing. 4 little brown trout and 2 lost lures was my send off for what was otherwise a terrific season across the border!

[JBMasterAngler]

Seen on the channel 5 news the other night, plans to remove a dam in River Falls. They didn't specify which dam, or if it would be both dams. The movement is gaining popularity, especially with residents. And more input meetings will be planned. However, if the project is ok'd, it doesn't sound like it will be in the near future. I'm all for the dam removal! Both of them!