First post on a new forum!

Cool! I spent a good portion of my childhood and young adultery on the Rum River. Growing up in Cambridge it was a fabulous place to spend time. You hear a lot about the good smallmouth fishing and that is true. However, I used to catch loads of walleye, especially in the Princeton to Isanti stretch.

The month of October a person could really clobber a lot of nice ‘eyes and northerns. My personal best out of the Rum is a 24″ eye. But I’ve heard of some over 10 lbs. And every year seems somebody would get a 20+ lb northern too. Gonna have to make a point of fishing it again this year. Haven’t made it there for a few years.

dd

My buddy use to fish the Isanti area stretch. He has a 32 inch 13# eye on the wall from an October full moon bite back in 1995. The same night he threw back two that were 29 inches. He fished an area that had feeder creeks dumping into the river on private land. Those creeks have since dried up and the fish have moved elsewhere.

These big walleye reports from the rum river seem to be a little hard to believe. From a river that what I have seen you could have a hard time getting your ankles wet at times. Where do these fish come from? Im not saying its not true. Just a little fishy.

Hopeing to be able to get over to the rum this year to do a little investigating for myself. Looking forward to hearing other reports also.

I have never taken a depthfinder out there, but the river stays pretty deep all throught Ramsey and into Anoka. I have canoed and fished quite a bit around Anoka High School and there are some nice smallies around that area. I have also hooked some little northerns and carp. I believe the middle of the river is pretty shallow, but it is pretty big at the start and end. I have personally seen a 24″ and 19″ walleye pulled out of there.

Considering the mother waters of the Rum are from lake Mille lacs, it holds some very nice fish. I will post a pic of that pig my buddy got in a couple of days.

I fish the rum alot when I am short on time, 1-3 hours only to fish. I know of some spots that are close to 20 feet deep. I also know a spot that a small spring feeder stream runs into the river. In that spot during the heat of the summer there are BIG northerns there. Some times there are 3-4 sitting in the mouth of that spring. These fish are in the 12-16 pound class. I do think that there are big eyes in it also. My biggest is only 26 inches, that is a good fish anywhere. I never would of thought there was fish this big in a river that on most areas you can underhand throw a rock across.

Ron

Hey Mike!
Sometime I’ll show you where the holes are. Most, of course, are on the bends. But there are some spots here and there that a person just out canoeing would miss. There are also some backwaters that can hold fish spring and fall. And, of course, a lot depends upon how high the river is running. The old mill dam in Cambridge has a max depth of about 30′ Just downstream at the boyscout camp there is a 15′ hole. Between Cambridge and Princeton there are probably 30 or more holes ranging from 4 to 20+ fow. The problem as you pointed out is the super shallow stretches between the holes. Thats why a shallow running boat or a canoe is a must. I have a Gruman sportboat that is perfect for the Rum…… GEEZ! I got myself all excited about hitting the Rum (river that is).

dd