First, we need to get something off our chest. The Gray’s Sporting Journal crew knows the Menominee River all to well—so do our readers, even if indirectly. Remember this photo essay by Brian Grossenbacher? Yep, Menominee River. Though, we wouldn’t say it at the time.
For years we’ve been holding our tongues, and dodging the specifics, but now we can finally give credit where it is due. The bad part, the reason the info ban has been lifted is because this incredible fishery is now in the crosshairs of an ecological disaster. An open-pit mine of epic proportions is slated to change the makeup of this wild fishery forever, but thanks to the MeatEater crew, this once-held secretive river may now get the boost it needs to help deter the drilling.
This is far from “just another smallmouth river”, but rather the smallmouth river. You be the judge. And if you feel so inclined, check out more info on the Aquila sulfide mine and the effort to stop it at jointherivercoalition.org.
