Ruffie's first Roundup and a week with Andy

Ruffie arrived just in time for Roundup 2010!  He came along with me in my wader pocket and got to meet a whole bunch of great folks on the banks of the wonderful Root River.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Joy fishing with Ruffie during the species derby.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Colton(mini fins) says hi to Ruffie.  They went ice fishing together last year.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It's Sam!  Sam hangs out with our group every year at the Roundup and he was really happy to finally meet Ruffie.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MNBowfinangler attempts to mate Rufie with a hogsucker in a mad fisheries experiment.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ruffie gets a little too close to our dinner........

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Roundup gang.  Colton is holding Ruffie.

 

 

After the Roundup, I took Ruffie up to Remote Lake.  We did a lot of relaxing, Ruffie feeling especially relaxed on the dock.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ruffie meets a couple pets.  First Goblin steals our little buddy and takes him for a walk in the Remote woods, then Ruffie gives a ride to Jackie's baby painted turtle named Sprout.

 

 

A few days later, Ruffie joins my girl Jackie and me on a kayaking trip to the Kettle River at Banning State Park.  The river has a series of Class II - IV rapids right in the park, and we played on the upper portion for a while.  We tented at a beautiful campsite right at the head of the rapids.  We also spent time on the upper river.  I caught a few bass and shortheads, but lost the best fish that bit.  I hooked a fish on medium tackle that took me up and downriver for 20 minutes.  As I chased him through the water, I tripped and went swimming somehow losing my sunglasses in the ordeal.  The worst part?   My line broke at the knot and I lost the fish, having never caught a glimpse of it.  Positive it was a lake sturgeon, though. 

 

The following photos are from the rapids around Banning.  This river has big rapids, big fish and big waves!  What a blast it was to run these rips in my kayak!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I strapped Ruffie down when we ran the river's rapids.  He looks a little scared, but in the end he wanted more whitewater.....

Well, that's it.  I had a good time catching up with my little buddy Ruffie.  Didn't really do much fishing with him, but I hope he enjoyed himself anyway.  He got to see a few more parts of Minnesota and meet a bunch of new folks.  Now he's off to Pennsylvania for an adventure with Mr. Dunfee.  Happy trails, Ruffie.