High river may keep boats off water for Memorial Day Weekend

MINNESOTA CITY, Minn. (WKBT) — The signs at Bass Camp in Minnesota City say welcome, but the river is anything but.

“We want to be on the river not in the river, right now we’re in the river,” joked Scott Roblecki, co-owner of the Bass Camp.

The high water has had a negative impact on the camp.

“Usually Memorial Weekend is the biggest weekend of the whole year. This year we’re operating at about 40 percent capacity because the water’s nine feet high. There’ll be people out but it’s not like a normal Memorial Day weekend. “

The flooding put permanent camp sites underwater.

“We’ve never had it this high for this long. Usually you get the raise, and then she sits for a bit and then drops back down. But this year as soon as she drops down she comes right back up again,” expressed Roblecki.

Flooding has also forced many anglers to stay home, as there aren’t many spaces to launch into the river.

“Even if you do launch you got these hazards that you can’t see that you’ll hit with your truck or your boat or your trailer,” explained Curt Mcmurl, Deputy District Manager of The Upper Mississippi Wildlife and Fish Refuge.

And for areas where it’s clear to launch, like the camp, the amount of water in the river makes it hard to find a spot to enjoy.

“Even if you get on the water right now the usual sand bars and beaches, they’re underwater so there’s no place to sit and enjoy yourself,” added Mcmurl.

Even though the flooding is bad for business, Scott Roblecki and his family will do what they can to get the ranch ready.

“It’s a different way of living I guess. I guess maybe like having a farm you’re used to having it. It’s nice being on the river. Usually when people go on vacation they head towards water. You go on a beach vacation, you go to water. Well, we got the water this year.”

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