The Pine River flows nearly 22 miles from the outlet at Big Pine lake west of Finlayson to its confluence with the Kettle River near Rutledge. The stream gradient is low, with an average drop of 3.4 feet/mile. Due to low depth and rocks, the stream is navigable by canoe only during high water and even then canoeists much watch out for frequent overhanging branches and logs which create hazards. River access is limited to road crossings and some State-owned land at the outlet of Big Pine Lake. Some game fish are present, including northern pike, smallmouth bass and walleye, but the Pine River does not have the deep pool habitat to support large numbers of adult gamefish. It does, however, provide spawning and nursery habitat for fish from the Kettle River. In addition, white sucker are abundant and are fished heavily during the spring spawning run at road crossings.
Fish species present(from 1998 initial river survey)
banded killifish
black bullhead
black crappie
blacknose dace
bluegill sunfish
brassy minnow
brook stickleback
brown bullhead
burbot
central mudminnow
common shiner
creek chub
northern pike
hornyhead chub
fathead minnow
gilt darter
golden redhorse
johnny darter
lamprey (chestnut or brook lamprey ammocete)
largemouth bass
logperch
longnose dace
northern hogsucker
northern redbelly dace
pumpkinseed
rock bass
silver redhorse
shorthead redhorse
stonecat
tadpole madtom
smallmouth bass
slenderhead darter
slimy sculpin
walleye
white sucker
yellow perch