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Since I started avidly fishing in April, I’ve become aware of the geography and character of water in a way I never had been before. I’ve lived in Rochester, MN for 37 years (with two years away), and of course I’ve always known the Zumbro and Root Rivers and the reservoirs — Willow Creek, East Kalmar, Silver Creek, Silver Lake, and South Landfill. Birdwatching made me familiar with the reservoirs over the years.

But when it came to the rivers themselves, I honestly couldn’t have told you much about their routes through the county. Now I find myself regularly thinking about them — where they flow, how they branch, and where good fishing might be. I’ve started paying attention to river features like riffles, runs, and pools, and imagining where each might be hiding fish.

The figure below shows the major watershed basins of Minnesota. The Cannon, Zumbro, and Root Rivers all fall within the Lower Mississippi River Basin, even though they aren’t individually labeled on the map. Seeing the basin laid out like this has helped me understand how these rivers fit into the larger landscape of southeastern Minnesota — and what species I might find as I explore them. Fishing has completely changed the way I see water.