Blue River, Grant County 03/06/10

Page 33 on your Delorme Map, D7. I accessed the Blue River off Bowers Road, which is off county highway G, in the Snow Bottom State Natural Area.

I fished the Blue at around 4 p.m. Seems as if I had the whole place to myself. Wonderful solitude. Scared up a large buck, I was being so quiet.

Grey midges present. Light surface feeding. Hooked and lost one on a #14 gold beadhead Hare's Ear.

Big Green River, Grant County 03/06/10

Page 33 on your Delorme map, D4. I fished off County Road K, just north of Werley.

1:30 p.m. Plenty of grey midges, some surface-feeding. Wading below riffles, 50 yards downstream from the bridge.

Caught 9" rainbow, 36" below a strike indicator, small split shot 6" up from a #14 beadhead prince nymph. Got very cold water down my right hip wader. Was having so much fun that I kept fishing anyway. Was a very cold ride home!

Crooked Creek, Grant County 03/06/10

Page 33 of your DeLorme Map, 5D. Section north of Town Hall Road, off Highway 61.

I encountered Crooked Creek at possibly the worst time to fish it. Just past 11 a.m. Sun overhead, water perfectly clear. The trout were plentiful and extra-wary.

V-Shaped banks made it extremely difficult to sneak up on these fish, but still a lot of fun. In one 25' section I saw an estimated 75 trout. None were bigger than 15" but still I was encouraged by their numbers.

Where I'm Heading for Opening Day 2010

Cabin fever is just about cured! I am looking forward to wetting a leader in some of the finest streams in Grant County.

• Pleasant Valley Creek

• The Fennimore Fork of Castle Rock Creek

• The Blue River

• Coon Valley Creek

• The Six Mile Branch of the Blue River

• The Big Spring Branch of the Blue River

Hope springs eternal!

Flybox for Opening Day 2010

What I am tying for Opening Day 2010

Four each, all barbless

#18 Orange Scud
#18 Grey Scud
#18 Peach Scud
#14 Orange Scud
#14 Grey Scud
#14 Peach Scud
#14 Prince Nymph
#18 Prince Nymph
#18 Griffith's Gnat
#18 Mosquito
#14 Little Black Stonefly
#18 Black midge
#14 Copper John
#14 Gold Beadhead Hare's Ear
#14 Tan Elk Hair Caddis
#14 Black Elk Hair Caddis
#14 Little Black Caddis
#18 Black San Juan Worm
#18 Ginger San Juan Worm

Kinnickinnic River 06/07/09

DeLorme map p.59

The group caught multiple browns and brookies nymphing under indicators. I got mine on #12 prince nymphs and a #16 beadhead flash pheasant tail. Dad landed a nice brown on a #16 sulfur dun.

Rush River 06/07/09

DeLorme Map p. 59

What a difference a day makes. The Rush was clear and slow and the trout were ultra-spooky. We started fishing there at 3 pm. There were two hatches at the same time; #14 sulfur duns and #16 blue winged olives. I lost two nice browns, one on a #16 sulfur dun and a #18 parachute BWO.

Dad, on the other hand landed a nice brown on a #16 sulfur dun. He had several strikes by skittering the fly across the surface, imitating the mayflies we were seeing hatch.