Some of our small Minnesota rivers have some great multi-species fishing opportunities available. Just try hitting the Rum, Snake or Mississippi River and you'll see the wide range of species they offer. You just never know what you're going to hook in to! It is not uncommon to come home with your limit of Walleye after fishing these rivers, but you can also find yourself catching some great Small Mouth Bass or an occassional large Pike. The great thing about river fishing is you don't need large quantities of bait and tackle; just a few of the right ones and you're set.
Looking at the picture you can see what my river tackle box consists of. These are a few of my favorite lures. The Exchange Jig made by Lindy is a great jig for river fishing, it is easy to use and can be tipped with almost anything. It is very versitile jig for river fishing conditions. It is easy to change weights to target specific depths and colors to see what the fish are keying in on without ever having to retie a line. Live baits are not always necessary and that is why I bring my favorite immitation minnows and crawlers.
This time of year don't let the mosquitoes, deer flies, or other insects keep you away from the rivers. Instead try using a section of a dryer sheet tucked into your hat, shirt, pants, or shoes. I've found the scented ones work the best. This is something I use to keep the bugs away and it has worked really well! Make sure to wash your hands after handling the dryer sheets though. I use Lindy Non-Scent Soap to wash the smell away.
When fishing these rivers, target areas such as current breaks, deep outside turns, small wing dams where slack water meets the current, and overhanging trees and brush. I like to work upstream when waiting so that I am not turning up the river bottom and sending sediment into the target area where I want to fish. However, if you are traveling downstream, spend a little extra time fishing your target area because a lot of fish will spook to the downstream edges of holes and then slowly move back in.
Don't feel like you have to hold down the couch on a windy day because your favorite big lake is too rough, try fishing a river instead!!!