The FW and me are going on a short weekend trip to the Sportsman campground in Zumbro Falls Friday. We are doing a tube float Saturday day and hoping to sneak in a lil fishing trip sometime as well. Any info at all of the river there would be highly appreciated. I haven’t been down to this part of the state before so really looking forward to taking it all in, the trees, bluffs, birds, beer, brats, and hopefully some fish 
the stretch of river you will be tubing has pike, muskies, smalls, walleyes, cat fish and many other species. a small jig and half a crawler or leech has caught many of these species for me also spinners and jointed stick baits have caught many bas and pike. good luck
That is music to my ears! 
Do the cats get pretty good size down there? Maybe get the guys to setup some poles on the bank at night for a bit, and renting a canoe for a morning sounds both good options.
Just read through all the archived stuff on the river and very excited.
Lt’ll be pretty much channel catfish.
The river is flowing about normal for summer levels. The river’s flow is also dependant on whether they are generating electricity at the dam. I’ve always liked the additional flow when the generators are turning.
Btween Zumbro falls and Hammond there is some water that holds major league Muskies so you might want to extend a float trip if you start at the dam.
Drew’s bait references are good. Maybe add a spinner or two in gold and/or silver….# 2 or 3 Mepps.
Thanks guys for the info. 
I read somewhere that on weekends they tend to let more water through the dam for us tourist types. Either way, low flow, or moderate flow just to have a couple days off from work will be nice. Work has been the busiest in years, which is fantastic, but requires some R & R here and there.
Wife is excited and terrified now. She wants to catch a musky this year but also hates swimming in waters that hold them 
Might have to bring a couple big pugs and see if I can get her into one.
Wish you could get a boat in there .
Awesome report, now its time to gear up! 
Well hopefully they like some of these.
Reading the regs I see there are trout in parts of the Zumbro, although I won’t be targeting them do you still need a trout stamp to fish the river?
In that part of the Zumbro I have had some success using sucker minnows to catch Northerns. I rig them on a bobber and throw near drops and turns in the river where it is deeper and also near fallen timber, they seem to stay in thoes structure and shady area as well. Good Luck. 
As for the trout….you need the stamp to possess them, not fish the river.
Was planning on hitting the river Sunday morning before we left, but 530 wake up was nothing but rain with no rainsuit 
We did the tube float Saturday all day and I fell in love with that part of the state. The water is crystal clear and just a beautiful area. Can’t wait to get a fishing trip down in that area in the future and get the kids camping too.
Couldn’t get over the sucker population floating down too. Ever since getting some good polarized glasses the underwater world has become alive. Love seeing the darker suckers scattered throughout the gravel/ small rock sections of the river. Their markings make them almost invisible in a rock field.
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