Eddie Rivard Fly Fishing: Return to Stonehammer

On Saturday morning at 4:00am I met up with my dad at our secret rendezvous point near the Minnesota Wisconsin border. From there we would join forces and head strait for a place that I had in mind. That place would be none other than Stonehammer on the the Rush.

The moon was just setting on the western horizon as we walked to the river from the parking lot. The time was 5:10am.

I'm not quite exactly sure how Stonehammer earned its name but one legend I heard had a hammer in it that was supposedly made of stone. Another local legend has it being named after Chester Stonehammer. Chester was an early pioneer to the area who was also extremely narcissistic. He had a habit of naming things after himself.

You know you are at the river early when you see racoons on the shore. The racoon made his way into the thicket before I could pull my camera from it's waterproof sack.

The fly I would start with would be Lefty's Deceiver. I didn't even know that it originated as a saltwater pattern until I started doing research for this article. Another example of ignorance equaling bliss.

A snapping turtle carcass lay rotting on the shore. I wondered to myself what could have happened to end this turtle's life. There was only one way to find out so I plunged my hands deep into the rotting flesh and closed my eyes. I was presented with a vision detailing a battle between this turtle and the bitter cold of winter. He just didn't burrow deep enough I guess.