Im looking to fish the Kinnickinnic near Eiver Falls for the first time. Fist time targeting trout at all that is. Just looking for any tips to get on some fish. Any tips/places to start would be greatly appreciated!
I’ve fished below the dam and down near where it intersects with Co rd F with little success (fly fishing). My neighbor (Andy Roth Gray Goat Fly Fishing) guides on many of the local rivers. I know he knows some obscure access points for the Kinni, mostly private property I think. I’m not privy to them though.
I did do a kayak trip from the dam down to F with my daughter once. I didn’t fish that time but I’d love to do that again and fish the honey holes. The kayak rental place is right in river falls. They’ll pick you up and drive you back to your vehicle too.
I prefer to fish the Rush. Lots of good access points, some incredible scenery and fishy habitat.
The lower Kinni suffered a terrible fish kill 5 years ago and has never recovered. I would estimate 70-80% of the trout were killed, probably due to thermal pollution due to high water events the previous summer. The fishing is a shadow of its former glory, the Kinni was certainly one of the best trout rivers anywhere in the Midwest with stellar natural reproduction and terrific numbers. It’s all gone now.
I am astonished that a fishery collapse of this magnitude has gone almost unnoticed. If the Kinni were a lake of equal reputation, it would have been much better taken care of after such a collapse. To my knowldge, the WI DNR has done nothing other than study what happened and even that took a considerable amount of time.
I spent many, many fine days on the Kinni and now it’s hardly worth fishing. As BHM says, head for the Rush.
BTW, BHM, I have met Andy (Gray Goat) many times on the Kinni. Very knowledgeable fly angler.
Grouse
If fishing the lower Kinni be prepared to have company….lots of company
The lower Kinni suffered a terrible fish kill 5 years ago and has never recovered. I would estimate 70-80% of the trout were killed, probably due to thermal pollution due to high water events the previous summer. The fishing is a shadow of its former glory, the Kinni was certainly one of the best trout rivers anywhere in the Midwest with stellar natural reproduction and terrific numbers. It’s all gone now.
I am astonished that a fishery collapse of this magnitude has gone almost unnoticed. If the Kinni were a lake of equal reputation, it would have been much better taken care of after such a collapse. To my knowldge, the WI DNR has done nothing other than study what happened and even that took a considerable amount of time.
I spent many, many fine days on the Kinni and now it’s hardly worth fishing. As BHM says, head for the Rush.
BTW, BHM, I have met Andy (Gray Goat) many times on the Kinni. Very knowledgeable fly angler.
Grouse
Spot on.
Sadly, it is a shadow of its former self. The development and overall population density in that area of Wisconsin has seen absurd growth that is hard on resources. The river has a lot of factors working against it.
I’d love to see the DNR become more proactive in a restoration effort. That river could still be brought back to near its former self…but it’d be quite an undertaking.
I looked back at my logs and have fished the Kinni 17 times since 2015. Of the 17 I was encouraged with the fish numbers 3 or 4 times. Going back to 2014 there were several consecutive high water events that year and many additional since then. My impressions are the lower river has been subject to a lot of erosion. In general the lower river seems to be wider, shallower and has faster current. The flow rate is also about 25% higher than it used to be so I have to think at least the ground water levels are good. I’m thinking erosion has exposed a lot of additional gravel and many holes & runs have been channelized and/or have been filled in. I fear the lower river has experienced thermal shock events in summer combined with loss of wintering habitat. The word on the street is the lower river has pockets of fish but requires a lot of boot work to find them. The area I know best has been unproductive since 2015. I recall a decent mayfly hatch last spring and not seeing any risers. A guy below me had a decent outing but I was only able to find a small pocket of fish. I did talk to a guy this Feb while snow shoeing that had decent luck below Glen Falls Dam down to the Rocky Branch. That area does look a little better but is no secret and gets a lot of fishing pressure. I haven’t fished the upper Kinni enough to get a good read there.
Of course your best Pierce Co alternative is no secret either so expect no shortage of guys there as well.
All of our small rivers over here are packed with blue licence plates every pull off parking area doesent matter what river or day of the week has vehicles its getting sickening there was 7 trucks at a small lake by my house monday 4 had blue plates
My co-worker fishes it near River Falls regularly. He even sent me a photo of a 12 inch brown trout he caught at sunset last night on a wooly bugger. I don’t know if a 12 inch stream brown trout is a good fish but its seems very little to me.
Each stream is a little different. I don’t think the Kinni has a forage base that produces many big fish. For that stream 12-16 inchers represent the better than average. You may have better luck for bigger fish in the lowest section near the St. Croix. There are streams that produce more 20+” fish.
My co-worker fishes it near River Falls regularly. He even sent me a photo of a 12 inch brown trout he caught at sunset last night on a wooly bugger. I don’t know if a 12 inch stream brown trout is a good fish but its seems very little to me.
All of our small rivers over here are packed with blue licence plates every pull off parking area doesent matter what river or day of the week has vehicles its getting sickening there was 7 trucks at a small lake by my house monday 4 had blue plates
if they’re fishing w/ a WI stamp, they’re good in my book, assuming you’re talkin bout MN plates . . . these bein border-area waters, a few of us who happen to live over here in WI still have blue plates for one reason or another . . .
All of our small rivers over here are packed with blue licence plates every pull off parking area doesent matter what river or day of the week has vehicles its getting sickening there was 7 trucks at a small lake by my house monday 4 had blue plates
Whats your issue with Brewer fans fishing?
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