Anyone Fished Wisconsin?

[FoulHook]

I'm heading to South/Southwest Wisconsin sometime this summer for about a week. Planning on getting at least 1 day of wild brookie
 fishing in. If you haven't seen this video, it will make you want to go there too.

Sept. spring creeks

I'd really like to hit a spring creek similar to the ones in the video. Of course I've been researching as much as I can find but you can look at maps all day and find what you think is good, but it could turn out bad. With only a 1 week window to fish, I figured I'd reach out and see if anyone had any personal experience with trout fishing SW Wisconsin.


I'll be staying somewhere near Wisconsin Dells, I think that's near or in Sauk county, but not entirely sure.

[Transylwader]

u just wanna go so you can beer batter your Packer arse at Lambeau. You better take some dutch cheese with you. Locals don't like poachers like you n I...

[FoulHook]

u just wanna go so you can beer batter your Packer arse at Lambeau. You better take some dutch cheese with you. Locals don't like poachers like you n I...

Haha, I've been to Lambeau before. I have family that lives about 45min-1hr south of Green Bay, so I've been to Packers practices and toured the stadium, ate cheese, all that. Just never had the opportunity to fish. Besides, during the summer they aren't playing games, just practicing.

[natureboy]

I fished a couple streams in WI, east of Minneapolis, so that local intel is probably worthless...  I'll say this, the fishing was awesome, lots of native brookies and wild browns, that's where I caught my first wild tiger trout.  Good luck!

[FoulHook]

I fished a couple streams in WI, east of Minneapolis, so that local intel is probably worthless...  I'll say this, the fishing was awesome, lots of native brookies and wild browns, that's where I caught my first wild tiger trout.  Good luck!

I'm planning on fishing southeast of Minneapolis, which I think is just on the other side of the western Wisconsin border. If you don't mind, could you tell me what county you fished in? I won't ask you for specific creek names, but any local intel will help since all the research I can do is online. Did you pick a creek based on the "Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Trout Stream Maps" and the "WDNR Trout Streams List"? I like how they designate which species is in which stream and whether or not each stream is natural reproduction, natural + supplemental stocking, or completely stockers.

[natureboy]

I was in Pierce and St. Croix Counties, less than an hour out of the city.  I checked out the WI DNR's maps, but also got some local info from a friend.  I fished Class 1 & 2 streams, my observation was that the public access was pretty good, even though a lot of the streams are on private property.  I would bet the streams are even better in the corner of the state that you're talking about, the fabled driftless area.  If you'll be in those two counties let me know and I'll PM you some details.

[FoulHook]

I was in Pierce and St. Croix Counties, less than an hour out of the city.  I checked out the WI DNR's maps, but also got some local info from a friend.  I fished Class 1 & 2 streams, my observation was that the public access was pretty good, even though a lot of the streams are on private property.  I would bet the streams are even better in the corner of the state that you're talking about, the fabled driftless area.  If you'll be in those two counties let me know and I'll PM you some details.

Yeah I've heard of the drift less area. Sounds like incredible fishing. I'll send you a pm once I'm more sure of where I'll be staying. Thanks for the help.

[Woolly Bugger]

all I have ever heard is Kickapoo...

Trout Fishing - West Fork Kickapoo River - Wisconsin

[FoulHook]

I've heard of kickapoo, but haven't really looked into it. Looks like a decent size creek in that video.

[Transylwader]

all I have ever heard is Kickapoo...

Trout Fishing - West Fork Kickapoo River - Wisconsin

In my book, thats a trout safety. If you can't net the bastard in front of you (naturally if you fish upstream), you just got owned...jis sayin

[The Dude]

I've never fished in Wisconsin, although I did spend a short bit of time near Fon Du Lac.  Seeing as how they don't have any real mountains (just the terminal and lateral moraines of past glacial till), and a lot of loamy soils, I would think you need to refocus your NC blueline skills (gorges, plunge pools and pocket waters with large boulders and bedrock) to more of a spring creek type of mentality (low gradient, undercut banks, riffle-pool-riffle, etc).  Good luck to you, take lots of photos, and be sure to post up a report back here.

[FoulHook]

Thanks Dude. I've been doing a ton of research and there's actually a part of Wisconsin that the glaciers missed. Apparently this is what has allowed for such great trout fishing there. I'll definitely be taking pics. I thinking I'm going to stop by a fly shop or two once I get to the area to discuss tactics and mentality because it will surely be different.  It will probably take some time to figure out and understand where the fish are holding, but from what I've seen, once you figure it out the fishing is amazing.

[Silver Creek]

I live in northern Wi. By reputation, the Driftless Angler is the fly shop that is the best known in that part of the state.

http://www.driftlessangler.com/

http://www.yelp.com/biz/the-driftless-angler-fly-shop-and-guide-service-viroqua

You should also post a request on the WFF about what flies will be hatching when you are there.

http://www.wisflyfishing.com/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl

Here's a hatch chart for SW Wisconsin:

http://uppermidwestflyfishing.com/DriftlessArea/SWWIHatch.htm

http://www.mlsff.org/Hatch/07-Hatch-04.pdf

[FoulHook]

Wow, awesome links Silver Creek. I'll check out that fly shop if I end up close by. I'm still ironing out exactly where I'll be in the state. I have lurked the WFF board, and I'll probably throw a post up closer to the time I head up when I know more info about where I'll be staying. Thanks a bunch for all the links!

[Silver Creek]

PM sent