NO TROUT

I am curently finding myself stranded in NW Iowa without a trout stream within 100 miles and I,m starting to loose it. I realize I have a few options at this point but going without is not one of them. Seeing as I am origanaly from Wisconsin growing up within walking distance of the nearest stream I feel distanced from one of my great passions. So at this point I ask where would one in my shoes turn? I was looking into a few areas with SE Minnesota and NE Iowa being the closest but the black hills in SD is only another 100 miles in the other direction. The thought of going west into the blackhills seems to be the big draw but also the most expensive route and is looking questionable. I guess what I am getting at is what would you guys do if you were in my shoes? Getting time off is not a problem but the pocket book is so I would like to do it on the cheep side by camping or even sleeping in my vehicle. Any thoughts, advice, or constructive critisism is apreciated.

NE IA or SE MN for sure!!!

Mark

NE Ia is a lot closer. When I lived in Algona, Pierre was 6 hours and only 2 hours to Miss. R.

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NE IA or SE MN for sure!!!

Mark

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The last I heard a couple years ago, Iowa Maintained and stocked 800 miles of springs with stocking going on in many places. Go to the Iowa DNR’s website and they will give you a list of those places plus the stocking times for each place, good luck.

Head on over to http://www.driftlesstroutanglers.com. Lots of help there I wish I could help, but all I know are WI streams

Contact the MN dnr office in St. Paul and ask for the Trout Angling Opportunities in Southern and Central Minnesota publication [www.mndnr.gov/fishing/trout_ streams]. The blocks found in the Southwest section of this book will show you several trout waters probably closer than the other areas you mention. Pay attention to blocks 28, 29, 30, 32, and 32. The waters are small, but are listed as fishable trout waters nonetheless.

This pamphlet also has maps that show where the streams are at in the SE corner where trout fishing reigns supreme if you are willing to take the drive.

I’d forget the trout and head for Okoboji and Spirit for smallies with bonus muskie, walleyes, perch, and gills. Or, find the fishable accesses to the rivers around Humboldt & Algona for walleyes & northerns. Storm Lake has been good for walleyes and catfish. Brushy Creek was getting good for multiple species the last time I was there.

Thanks for the responses fellas. It looks like the majority vote is to target SE MN and NE IA and that was what I was thinking also. As far as the coment of fishing the Okoboji’s and Spirit lakes is that they don’t offer the peace and quite that a trout stream does. On the other hand the fishing in these lakes is pretty darn good I have been spending the better part of the last 4 months fishing them. I kinda looked into what MN has to offer in the south central region and it turns out the nearest stream is still an hour drive and is listed as marginal but could be worth taking a look at. I have also been looking through the driftless trout angler forum (thanks for the link) and it has some good stuff hpefully I can make it out in the not to distant future.

Thanks again fellas.