Wisconsin Trout Streams and Ice Sheets

Today it felt like spring may be on the horizon in an impossibly long winter.  I haven't any fishing to report, so here are a few images from Wisconsin.  Ice blue, clean water with trout in sight, and those wonderful air bubbles locked in ice we have all pressed our noses against the ice to see.

Big Sur River, Clear Water and Trout

 I parked the car, shut the door, and hobbled to the river's edge where a flood of clear-water memories washed right over me.  I have forgotten what it is like to fish clear, clean, cool, spring fed rivers.  As I towed my understanding girlfriend upstream (upstream mind you, not downstream, I am a trout fisherman after all), I ambled over gravel and boulders to spy into pools that I thought might just hold trout.  They did, it was beautiful. Being in California visiting my girlfriend for Thanksgiving, I had no pole and no time to fish, but just being there filled me with a sense of belonging.  I love the Milwaukee River, Oak Creek, the Root River and Pike Creek but friend... If we had rivers that ran deep and clear and cold like these, I might just find myself out of a job and firmly planted to the river bottom (not really, but my spare minutes would all be accounted for, that's for sure).

Enjoy the images, I had no tripod so I found photographing the water tough to say the least, as the sun was low and the valley was only filled with very cool, bounced light from the hills above.

 

 Trout live here.  At least a couple do, I could see them as I crouched over the top of the boulder on the left there.

The Steelhead Season opens in 2 days on this river.

Fish Eye Guy Photography

Photographs of native and non-native trout in their rivers. This fellow hikes to remote locations, and gets in the faces of these fish with his lenses. Amazing stuff. This is everything I want to do. So much perfection.

Native Redband

I emplore you to check out the website.

Tamanawis : Scottish Fly Blog : Photo Essay

From Tamanawis, a Scottish Fly Fishing Blog. The season's end photo essay.

"In autumn, who needs words?"

Lovely stuff!

Willow River State Park : Fall 2009

The trout fishing season is over, but it is easy to see why this river is so good for trout year round. I'd recommend grabbing the fly rod (or spinning reel) and heading out for the barbless catch and release season that happens before stocking. It is, in my opinion, the best time of the year to hit the willow river.

Thanks for letting me borrow the photograph Alex.

Chicago Trout Bum : Trout Fishing Video

Compliments of friend of the blog David, who writes the Chicago Trout Bum.

Enjoy the photographs of some great Wisconsin Driftless Area trout.

Wisconsin Inland Trout Season Now Closed

A reminder to all who love to pursue trout on the thousands of beautiful miles of trout streams in Wisconsin. The trout season closed yesterday, September 30th. Early catch and release barbless season will re-open on the first Saturday in May. Early season trout fishing is, in my opinion, some of the best trout fishing you will experience in Wisconsin. The trout are eager, the bugs are non existent, and the spring sun on your back for the first time can certainly make you forget those winter blues.

My favorite spring fishing rivers include the Kinnickinnic River in River Falls, Wisconsin. The trout in this river are largely naturally reproducing, and have great color. The fly rod and small elk hair caddis flies will take fish, such as the one photographed above.

Another favorite is the Willow River in Hudson Wisconsin, I have taken large Brown trout, large Rainbow Trout, and brook trout up to 12" long all in one fishing trip before on this river. This great state is an angler's paradise, it really is.