Hey everyone. Well, no one posts anything in the local forums, even the ones designed for the entire state of Minnesota, so since this section dosen't state that this other water must be inside California, I figure I'll just post here. I fished Putah this winter, and was glad to fish without a jacket, but the water was cloudy, too cloudy to see the redds so I didn't want to do any wading, and I ended up striking out there. I spent time on these forums, and was pleased with the ammount of information and advice that you people were able to provide. I always like hearing about distant places to fish, and I'd be willing to bet few of you have ever ventured into the driftless area of south eastern Minnesota. Minnesota has loads of good fishing, but the best trout fishing is in the driftless area, which is an area of bluffs and spring creeks that stands out in the mostly featureless plains of the midwest. It's first class fishing for wild fish, on hundreds of miles of lightly fished streams. In the area I travel down to fish, I have my choice between two dozen named and managed streams, and a load more that are unmanaged. The stream I fish on has a wild population of brown trout, and a very small holdover population of native brook trout that the browns pushed out sometime in the last decade. This is a small creek with long slow pools, and fast rushing runs, in many places you can step over it, but it contains some deep pools and undercut banks that hold decent sized fish. The stream is mostly spring fed, and even with the winter runoff it stays fairly clear. During a dry stretch in the summer the water level stays the same, and a cool 50 degrees, keeping the mosquitos away, and providing natural air conditioning to anglers wading it. In short, this place is my own personal heaven. So much so, you'll have to pm me for it's name. The fish can get spooky so stalking is a must, and fishing upstream is much more succesful. There was a heron who made his home at one of my favorite holes for much of the late summer/early fall. The trout here are quick to bolt at the first shadow, or sign of a stalking biped, so I come in low, trying to avoid waving my rod around. I fish light and short, the stream has many very productive areas that must be fished with roll casts, and the 6ft 3 wt that I use often seems too long for what I want to do. I was using a 12 foot leader with either a 6x or 7x tippet for almost the entire day. I use hand tied knotted tapered leaders. If you trim your knots well these leaders aren't much more visable, they are much cheaper, and they actually turn over better than most knotless leaders. The most productive flies for the most part are #14 to #18, and during the summer they almost always have something to feed on other than midges. Prince Nymphs, Bead Head Pheasant tails, Copper Johns and Hares Ear nymphs serve as the best seeker patterns, and are probably my most effective subsurface patterns, but this creek is all about dry fly fishing. Enough of the background, I went out on Sunday 4/20 for the first time in a few weeks. The last time I went there was still snow on the ground, but Sunday it was 75 degrees, the warmest day of the year so far. The creek was much more cloudy, but that was fine with me. The fish are really spooky early in the season and last time I went out I must have seen every fish in the creek flash. They were spotting me from 20 feet away that day, so it was nice to be able to get in a little closer. When I arrived to fish around 2pm, there was a triple hatch going on. A large #10 brown and red mayfly, a #14 light brown mayfly, and a #12 Caddis. Unusually large mayflies for this stream. Despite the presence of large mayflies on the water I saw only one rising fish at the first hole. I spooked him before I induced a take, and continued to fish an adjacent hole that often is productive with subsurface stuff with nothing to show for it. I slowly worked several runs over a 100 yard course, and saw no more rising fish, and got nothing on the subsurface stuff I was casting. Finally I came to my favorite pool. It turns emerald color in the summer, and has at least one resident brown trout of 18 inches, but today I was focused in on something smaller. I stalked in slowly and as I did I noticed a little brown slashing aggressivly and jumping out of the water to take the large #10 mayflies. I tied on a resonable approximation and cast at him. I was dealing with three opposing currents so it took me a couple casts to get a good drift free presentation on him, but when I did he didn't hesitate to take. As soon as I set the hook he gave a little jump, and I landed him quickly, took a picture, measured him and set him free. 9 inches of wiggly little brown trout. That was the only fish I got for a long time. I found out that upstream of me, a man had allowed his dogs to jump into my second favorite pool, and I hypothesized that he smell had washed downstream and put down the trout. In any case, after a short break I circled around to fish the same stretch again, and this time I came apon a pod of rising trout. The large flies had disappeared, but the #14 light browns were starting to become more plentiful. I never fish adult caddis on this stream because the trout seem to ignore the almost omni-present caddisflies and concentrate on pupae and mayflies, so instead i tied on a #14 hendrickson. I took five trout out of that pool, not a one over 10 inches. 4 browns and a brookie who was probably a holdover. This steam used to be full of brook trout, but they got pushed out by brown trout moving upstream from the root river. The brookies are native strain, wild fish, and the browns are now naturaly reproducing wild fish who are pushing out the natives. I love brown trout so much it's hard to know how to feel. There are quite a few steams with native wild brook trout in this area, but this was one of the nicest I'm told. I didn't start fishing it till it was no longer managed for brook trout, so I'm less bummed about this transition than some of the old-timers. Not much size today, but still I caught some pretty fish, and I did it on dry flies. I'd be happier if I'd hooked into something that might put up a fight, but its still fun to catch fish. Saw a guide with a client on my stream. Must have been a pretty crappy day elsewhere because the guides don't often hit this stream. They save it for themselves. Pictures to follow.
Thanks for the report. At least I know someone is out there fishing (and catching). With the lack of reports I was beginning to think everyone gave up fly fishing and took up golf.
-- Edited by JT at 02:00, 2008-04-24
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"Nothing makes a fish bigger than almost being caught."
Sounds like this is a slow time for you guys in Cali. The fish are finally starting to thaw out around here, and the people too. The last ice came off the lakes during our warm stretch last weekend. I keep going to my sunfish lake to see if they've moved into the shallows yet, but so far nothing.
Those are some bueatiful trout psyfisher. Nice to see a report, I'm with JT, was beginning to wonder whats up with the lack of reports. With all the trout waters opening tomorrow I sure hope to read some great reports. I hope to have one myself .
What a fun stream. I go to the Sierras during the summer for browns and brookies. Last summer I found streams with fiesty little golden trout. Three weight territory at most, although I did hook into a 14" rainbow which was like catching a giant hog on that day. Minnesota doesn't usually get mentioned around here, but the Minnesotans out there would probably not want to see a large pack of black bmws show up (Gold spinner wheels, of course) sporting dudes in finest ORVIS attire. It scares me. Anyway, nice fish . . I'm going to look for a dark hole with some bass in it, I can't find any trout around here.
Actually, I'm suprised the driftless dosen't get more national attention. I'm cool with Beemers, and the area could support alot more fishermen. Not on my spring creek of course, though I'd be happy to share that location with anyone who asks. It's got pretty well thought out regs to make sure it dosen't get trashed too bad, and it sees only light weekend pressure. I was impressed with the Cali flyfishermen, and how genuinely helpful and friendly they all seemed. Our state has a reputation for nice, but I think your state has done more to earn it, so as far as I'm concerned, you guys are welcome. Of course it would be madness to drive past Montana Colorado and Utah to get to Minnesota to fly fish, but if you've already done Montana Colorado and Utah, I'd put Minnesota on your list.
Fishing in those small mountain streams for those hard hitting brookies and the occasional brown or bow, is some of the most fun fishing that i have experienced. Small creek in the grand tetons
I must say the small mountain streams are what i truly love. Of course its awesome to go cactch 20+ inch trout but give me a day on a sierra stream with fast action and i am in heaven. Its not always the big ones that are the most memorable for me, Pic below is one of my most memorable trout ever. Hey, since when did we start judging people on what they drive ? I'm sure I dont fit the stereotype of the car I drive.
Thats my first ever trout on a fly. #16 gold ribbed hares ear. Live2fish's brookie looks like its in some nice spawning colors. Add one more goal to my list....catch a brookie in full spawning colors !
worried about not seeing any posts? Mabe thats bad, mabe not.Could very well be that the fishing is really, really good and the tight lipped anglers dont want you to know about it..Ive even seen posts about how a river is fishing very poor, just to steer the mob in another direction....
Great write up Psyfisher, reminds me of the small brooks I grew up with back in Massachusetts. Just for kicks I checked out the flows, they typically run about 5 cfs in that creek where I grew up, so I understand what you're saying about the James Bond stealth approach. Many times I ended up covered in poison ivy from crawling through the brush and hiding behind the trees. A typical set up back in my worm fishing days was a #8 snelled hook, a bit of garden hackle that I dug up from behind the house, and nothing bigger than 4lb test so you could pull off a good bow and arrow cast when you needed to, anything more than that would screw up your drift in the shallow water and gentle current. I caught my first trout there ever, and a few years later I caught my first trout on a fly. By two weeks after opening day it seemed like I was the only person fishing it, I almost never saw anyone else the rest of the year.
That brook i caught was out of a creek that ran into Jenny lake in the grand tetons. My family and i hiked an hour and a half to it, saw 3 bears and caght over 3o little brooks on hoppers.
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Fishing isn't a matter of life and death....
It's much more important.
Hey Psyfisher, my mom grew up in Minnesota on White Bear lake and went to mahtomedi High School, class of 61. Is this near your fishing area? I've always wanted to travel back to Mn but I haven't been back since I was one, circa 1964. Next time my mom heads back for a visit I may tag along and bring my fly gear.
I gotta say I love the small streams too. Nothin like throwin attractor drys all day with a 3 wt.
I got Onemorecast hooked on fly fishing while backpacking in the 90's on the tuoloume river in Lyle canyon. had my trusty 3 wt and was nailing little brooks on every other cast. I let Onemorecast try it out and he has not spinner fished since.
Captain. I wish I had a pic of my 1st fish on a fly but I remember it very well. Deer Creek near Chester, Elk hair caddis with my 6 wt(only rod I owned at the time) pulled out a beautiful rainbow 7 ". My spinning gear has been collecting dust ever since.
My first trout on a fly was in Utah on American Fork Creek, above Tibble Fork Reservoir. It was a beautiful wild 10" rainbow. I got him on a #18 parachute bwo using an old fiberglass fly rod.
My first trout on a fly that I tied was an 8" rainbow on the Silver Fork American River. It took a #16 brassie in a deep run along a big rock.
I'll never forget either fish. I just wish I had pictures of them.
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"Nothing makes a fish bigger than almost being caught."
Swinger, White Bear Lake is near where I live, so it's not exactly close, but not exactly far away. About a two hour drive down to where I fish in the south east. There is decent stream fishing closer, but it's more crowded, and the fish are mostly stocked. I travel just far enough away from the Twin Cities to deter most fly fishermen (and almost all spin casters). There are enough decent trout waters in between me and them, but it's worth traveling for the crystal clear spring fed waters, the wild fish, and the solitude. If you travel this way, let me know. I can point you in the direction of some productive and beautiful waters, and you can decide how far you want to travel. A half hour away is the Kinnickinnick river which has 8,000-10,000 wild trout per mile (but on average smaller). An hour gets you to Hay creek in Minnesota bluff country. Hour and a half to the Whitewater, and one of our most popular fishing destinations. Two hours land you in Lanesboro where you can get a gourmet meal, watch the European tourists taking a day trip away from the Mall of America, and fish for 18 inch browns all in the same place. That gets you into the Root River Valley, which contains all my favorite creeks including the one pictured. I don't have a picture of my first trout on the fly, but I still have the fly I caught him on (I tied it myself). And I have a picture of the first fish I caught on a dry fly. (He's a whoppen 6 inch brown) My second 'puter needs an overhaul, but once I get it running again I'll post pictures of that, plus my home waters in the summer.
Made it out one more time. Trees are just starting to Bud, and will have leaves soon. Total of nine fish to hand, but not a one over 10 inches, all off dry flies. They were rising pretty indescriminately. I hooked up most of the fish I saw. One thick 10 inch trout felt bigger, taken out of a trio. He was the smallest, but the two larger ones took off when he started jumping.
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