RUSH

Rush... Rush River - It's not known for slappin' da bass, and if it is, I'm sorry for misinforming you all.  What I can tell you is that it rocks as a fishery!

With me being a "FIB" - I am ever so grateful of everyone that's invited me out fishing with them since I've moved up here to Minnesota.  There's truly some really awesome people up here, especially within the fly fishing community.

On this particular outing I was invited out by Jim, and his friend Ted.  The morning was cold, and it got even colder with the wind.

Suns out.

The area was scenic, and that kind of made you forget about the cold winds - That's BS.  Those cold winds were winning the battle, and letting you know each and every breeze that it was there.  The fishing was extremely slow, but I always manage to hook into rocks or fish sticks.

Snag City.

Long hikes to even more scenic areas yielded no trout.  Determined to hook up with trout the way that we wanted to, on a streamer, both Jim and I were stubborn to change flies.  It was also way too cold to be tying knots haha.

Can you believe that nothing came out of the brush pile.

Ted had been using a nymph rig all day, and I'm not quite sure the number of fish he caught, but I can certainly say that he was catching fish.  That was a positive sign.

On to a new location on the Rush, and I was still tossing a streamer.  I finally hooked up with 1, but shortly lost it as I was jumping in the water off the bank.  Jim switched to a nymph rig, and was able to entice a decent little brown from out of a pool that should have produced more.

Ted showing us where all the fish are.

Jim hooked up in his honey hole.

These brown trout of the Driftless really have a particular beauty to them.

Butter in the net.

A big THANKS goes out to Jim, and Ted for having me out with them on the Rush, and showing me where to grab a damn good burger on the way home!

The trek back with Jim and Ted's excellent adventure.

THE RUSH.

IT ROCKS.

Kinnickinnic River

The Kinni (Kinnickinnic) River - I've fished it once last year when I was up here with my homie Dave for the River Falls Fly Fishing Expo hosted by Brian from Lunds Fly Shop.

• FISH, FILMS AND FUN IN RIVER FALLS
• RIVER FALLS FLY FISHING EXPO PART: 2

I was invited out to fish the Kinni by John and there would be 3 others with the group - Robert of Bob Mitchell's Fly Shop, Charlie Forbes, and Jigger Jim.

The day started early.  It was cold, slightly windy, and as the day progressed the warmth of the sun was seeked.  The guides on our rods were freezing up, and there were no fish being caught, but damn was it nice to be out.

The difference in temperature between the shaded and sun hit area was fun.  We all much preferred the sun.

John and Charlie discussing flies and Jim working a very nice pool in the distance.

Theme of the day.

Robert trying his hand at a pool Jim just finished working.  The rest of us were working on our tans.

While Jim and Robert were working the pool above, Charlie, started to rig up a nymphing rig.  We were all tossing streamers all day and the only person who hooked up was Jim.  Once rigged up, Charlie worked the pool and caught a few little browns.  He then suggested and insisted that he rig me up with a nymph, and I agreed...first cast and drift I had a fish on, and I didn't even know it.  Haha

Thanks, for the picture, Jim!

On the trek back John found a deer carcass frozen in some shallow water along the bank.  Interested to see if it had a rack, he started to kick some of the ice, and that unsettled some very potent smells, which lead to some laughs and the end the day.

Kick and Sniff.

Done.

A big thank you goes out to John, Robert, Charlie, and Jim, for inviting me out and showing me some new water.  Much appreciated guys!

The Kinni.

BREAKING NEWS!

I am moving to Minnesota.  

Yep, you read that right.  I, Justin M. Carfagnini, am picking up and leaving the state of Illinois, where I have resided almost all of my 34 years of existence.  This has been in the works for a few months, and now it's official.

Am I excited - Absolutely.

Am I scared - You bet your behind.

The move is going to come quick, and I have to be in the Minneapolis area on February 1st, so, there's a few things I need to take care of by that time, like...finding a place to live. Hahaha!

I'm really excited for this new opportunity, and I'm looking forward to experience life in a new city/state that I have only visited one time.  Talk about taking a leap.

Lets all hope the outcome is much better than that.

How fitting I rerecorded this cover of Green Day - Good Riddance just the other day.  This was the first song I learned how to play on the guitar.