Blue River 9/29/11

Fished the access points off of Snow Bottom and also Bowers. There were large #10 cinnamon colored stoneflies present. Fished midday. Very bright conditions, water ultra clear. Fish were, thus, quite spooky.

I spent a fun half hour trying to extricate two huge 25" or so rainbows out from under a brush pile. Threw everything in my box at them.

Otter Creek 9/28/11

Fished this one at the confluence of Highway Q and 11. Fished at sunset. Very buggy that night. Was able to match the hatch on a #18 fly with gold body, cream tail and hackle. Also noticed tiny Blue Winged Olives. Two small browns took the small white flies.

Great access to this creek, by virtue of the DNR sign and easement. Thanks!

Castle Rock Creek 9/12/11

At 11 AM I spent an hour on Castle Rock. This is one of my favorite streams because it is well-cared-for, including some terrific paths alongside the creek, has lots of fish and a ton of local character, and varied features.

On this day I encountered cloudy water, 75 degree temps, and bright sunshine. A 9" brown fell for a #14 pink squirrel and was promptly released.

Spring Coulee 9/11/11

Tiny Spring Coulee winds through cow pastures and does not have much for access. One such bridge access points is guarded by a rather aggressive bull.

I was able to skirt the bovine and head to the other side of the bridge. Quite shallow in places I found Spring Coulee. Did not see any fish. We fished it just before sunset and through sunset.

That's my Dad and Brother on the bridge.

Rulland's Coulee 9/11/11

Rulland's Coulee empties into the Timber Coulee. Like the stream it pays tribute to, it's an indistinguishable spring creek, smaller than the Timber Coulee. It runs through cow pasture and has relatively few access points compared to the very accessible Timber Coulee.

Conditions were 80 degrees and perfectly clear, which meant for ultra-spooky fishing. There are some huge browns in this creek, though none encountered my hook.

A much smaller cousin did fall for a #14 pink squirrel drifted through riffles 18 inches under an indicator, at 3:30 in the afternoon.

Timber Coulee 9/11/11

We fished the Timber Coulee, one of the top 100 trout streams in all of America, as named by Trout Unlimited, from about 9 to 11 in the morning. Not a cloud in the sky, 80 degrees. Very clear water, fish ultra-spooky.

I had a lot of action on a #8 cricket pattern. Released a 12" brown and hooked many more. Timber Coulee is a fairly narrow spring creek and is not at all visually-distinctive. It looks like many other spring creeks you encounter in SW Wisconsin.

West Fork of the Kickapoo 9/10/11

My first time on this fabled stream, one of the top 100 trout streams in America, according to Trout Unlimited.

Gorgeous day, not a cloud in the sky and 80 degrees. However, not great conditions for trout fishing. My brother and I got skunked but my Dad got a few on Elk Hair Caddis.

Before heading to the West Fork of the Kickapoo, I was told that hoppers, orange scuds, and cinnamon Elk Hair Caddis were the best patterns. In the 4 hours or so we were there, we did not notice any meaningful hatch activity. There were many fish sighted, but seemed to not be feeding.

Weister Creek, Vernon County 9/9/11

We fished the stretch of Weister that is off highway P east of the town of Dell. Fished at sunset.

Weister seems to be one of the many rivers and creeks in this part of Wisconsin that is fit for a canoe. The photo shows Dad on the boat launch.

My brother said "it's certainly not contaminated with any trout!" We chuckled and shared his assessment.

Billings Creek, Vernon County 9/9/11

A ranger at Wildcat Mountain State Park told me about Billings Creek. It's just down the hill on 131 from the park office, technically still in the park. There's a nice parking lot for it just off County Road F.

Dad and I waded a half mile stretch and did not even see a single trout. Water was clear and we were being stealthy. Fished it at about 4 p.m.

Crooked Creek, Grant County 9/9/11

This beautiful little creek is just south of Boscobel. I accessed it off Route 61, north of town hall road. Fished at 10:30 am. Bright clear conditions. Water perfectly clear. In other words, the trout could see you and were spooky.

Released one 12" brown. Drifted a #14 gold beadhead gold rib hare's ear 15" under an indicator. Had to crawl through jewelweed and stay sitting. Drifted it almost blindly beneath and undercut. That's the only way the trout would not see me.

Also tried a #12 cinnamon elk hair caddis, #14 orange scud, #8 Dave's Hopper.

This stretch was narrow and deep with lots of watercress.

Mecan River

This one's a little outside our geographical range for Trout Fishing Western Wisconsin, but the Mecan River is legendary. It's the fabled river in which a trout fisherman encountered a hippo. Yes a hippo. Seems it had escaped from a game farm and found a home in the Mecan. Sadly it met its end, never to wallow among the three naturally reproducing trout species in the Mecan.

Tough conditions on the Mecan when I fished it. Gin clear, quite shallow. Sleet pelting me in the face. Saw many fish but could not get close to them. Still a great time.

Opening Weekend - Black Earth Creek

Brutal conditions, but a blast nonetheless. Air temps in the 30s. Below freezing wind chill. Ice constantly in the guides. Stood in Black Earth Creek for an hour and a half in cold water. Wouldn't have it any other way. Drifted a #10 gold beadhead hare's ear beneath an orange palsa indicator. As it drifted through an undercut, a 20" brown leaped completely out of the water and dived down, taking my indicator in its mouth. I was so flabbergasted that I missed any chance at the fish. I spent the next half hour drifting the biggest gaudiest dry flies through his neighborhood, with no success, but a great fish story.

Opening Day 2011 - Mount Vernon Creek

An old favorite. Mount Vernon Creek. Perfectly clear. No hatches to speak of. Could not see any aquatic insect activity. Drifted a #12 gold beadhead prince nymph under an indicator. Terrible conditions, but a blessing to get out.