2013 Roughfish.com Root River Roundup

Roundup 2013 was a really, really good time!

If you missed it, you should feel bad.

 

  • Interesting weather this weekend - from cold and rain, to bright sun and tent-destroying winds, to sudden bursts of sleet and snow/sleet/hail, to beautiful calm sunny skies.  The river was high and off-color.  Here are some shots of the campground and folks fishing during the roundup.

  • We hit the silver redhorse spawning run this year, which is what we try to do every year, but we rarely manage to have a roundup when the big silvers are running.  This year, we nailed it perfectly.  Some folks caught over thirty big, hard-fighting Root River silvers up to six pounds!  Silvers up to 25 inches were caught.  Here are a few of them:

  • Quite a few big golden redhorse were also caught - was Andy, the current record-holder, getting a little nervous?  Nawwwww.  Here are a few of the choicest specimens of this species:

  • Other species caught include shorthead redhorse, white sucker, northern hog sucker, shovelnose sturgeon, brown trout, and stonecat:

  • Night fishing was popular, since most folks couldn't cram enough fishing into the day.  This proved to be a good way to wind up with a sturgeon - or a hudnred and fifty-seven squirming stonecats - on your line.  Even the prospect of being attacked by the mysterious, terrifying "Bagman" didn't deter the night-fishers.

  • We had a great float on Friday!  It was a small group and the water was gnarly; some folks got wet but disaster was averted.  Here's the armada at our launch point below the dam in Lanesboro, and stopping to fish on an island.  I'm wondering if this island is called:  Sweeper Island, Dead Trout Island, Goose Island, Last Island, Rich's Swimmin' Hole, Lost Bobber Island, Fork Island, Mud Island, Moon Island, Bagman's Island, Stringer Island, or La Isla de las Pescas con Dientes Pequenos?  I'll have to make a poll about it.

  • Incredible contest on Saturday.  Great competition, and a decisive winner claimed the SIlver Redhorse Trophy.  Tied with Eric Kol last year, DT took the prize Saturday, winning the travelling trophy and also nabbing a deer-horn bankstick as a prize.  Many thanks to all the folks who brought food and prizes!  Without your generosity, roundup would've been much less fun. Here's a picture of the Champion, DT, plus some more photos from during the contest:

  • After the contest, as usual, sucker balls were fried and we feasted.  The balls were delicious!  We did Jalapeno, Classic, and Salsa-Flavored (a new thing!).  Many thanks to Frymaster AngryMongrel, David, John, and all the folks who helped out with the fish fry.  You all did an awesome job and the sucker balls were delicious.  Here are some photos of the process, from filleting the suckers and grinding them up, to dropping them into the fryer!

  • There were quite a few new faces this year, despite the bad weather, which is great to see!  Hope you all come back next year. 

 

 

Well, that's all I've got.  if anybody wants to add anything, rewrite this report, or burn me in effigy for forgetting to write about the most important thing that happenned this weekend, feel free.

 

 

 


 

 

Comments

Jason E.'s picture

Awesome article.  Summed it up perfectly, at least from what I remembered.

andy's picture

With his truck, right when we were leaving camp on Sunday.  That is all...

 

I anybody has a mandolin to bring to Roundup 2014, it would be great!!!

 

 

Corey's picture

I'm really sorry I ran over your mandolin with my truck on the last day of roundup 2013.

 

 

andy's picture

It was very traumatic for me.  Still is.  You gave that mandolin to me, then ran it over.  My girlfriend Jckie gave me a chainsaw , then later ran it over.  There is definitely a pattern forming, so I would not suggest giving me a puppy...or a new flyrod.

Corey's picture

I already gave you a new flyrod, after your last one got stolen. 

 

I will try my best not to run it over, but seriously, I run over stuff a lot, so be careful.

 

 

andy's picture

Did you really catch two sturgeon in one night?  If so, that is pretty awesome!

angry mongrel's picture

Ahhh makes me feel great to look and read that report man! Good times andcant wait!

"It is better to die on your feet than to live on your knees" -Emiliano Zapata