Which Streams have you fished?

Just wanted to see where everyone fished. Personally, I have logged countless hours fishing all over Vernon County in Wisconsin. Coon Creek, Timber Coulee Creek, Spring Creek, The West Fork of the Kickapoo River near La Farge, Bohemian Valley Creek, Rush Creek, Hornby Creek. Lots of small streams in south western Wisconsin. These are all classified as creeks or streams and are wonderfully managed by the Wisconsin DNR. On opener it’s difficult to find a hole that isnt taken! Some of my best memories as an angler have been spent wading these streams and catching browns and brookies.

My haunts include the Race, Willow(near Hudson), Rush and sometime the Kinni although I find it to be crowded on most days. Many great times wading those streams and catching many trout and smallies. Mostly Browns with an occasional Brookie in the bunch. My largest trout has been a hog Rainbow from the willow.

Yehaaa, now we’re talking!!! Well, if you take a look at a SE MN Trout Map, There isn’t too many on there I haven’t fished at least once. There are favorites of course. To start, majority of the Root River system, and it’s tribs encompass my current fascination!

For trout: The South Branch of the Root river provides miles of top-notch water, from it’s head waters, by my home on down. Mostly, browns of all sizes can be found in this clean flowing, stream. This being one of the largest streams in SE MN, it will and often gets pounded early on. However, after the onslaught of opener “goof-balls”, you can find water all to your self.

The White Water river has three wonderful branches! ALso providing miles of good water. Trout Run, Rush Creek, Duschee, Camp Creek, Diamond, Winnebago, Beaver, Hay, Indian, South Fork of the Root, Nepstad, Watson to name a few that bounce immediately off my brain.

That is for trout!

Now for smallmouth, you better give your self some time to get caught up on the seemingly never ending, meandering, bluff lined, boulder filled, stretches of the North/Middle and Main branches of the Root River. Because this fishery is so untouched, I occasionally find myself biting my lip in sharing the info, hoping that all realize this, in turn, helping me maintain this wonderful resource!! Think next year when reeling in those high flying, drag pullin’ fish today!!!

Jim W

Jim pretty well covered all of mine – having grown up in Chatfield, Trout fishing was about all I did when I was growing up (an on going process not quite completed) I lived walking distance from the bridge in West Chatfield – years ago could catch dandies right under the bridge(Root River) Biggest trout I ever caught came out of Mill Creek right behind the Sinclair Station. Still some good trout fishing along there

My bro and I took one whole summer off one year, and fished all the trout streams on the map in S.E. MN.Probley the best year of my life. My favorite streams always come back to the Whitewater River shed …there are miles and miles of stream…and over the years I have found streaches that are only accesible by just plain hoofing it. I have places that can take a good hour just to walk to…and these are the places that I find my best fishing….there is no feeling I know than to have a Trout stream “all to yourself” ….the trout seem wilder…the scenery…more beatiful…and the experince that much more satisfying….

SWANY………<*}}}}}}.{

Hey Swany, I have never fished trout but my son fishes em in NE Iowa all the time(after seeing this forum he’ll probably want to stop at the Root River on our way to the big river). He is mostly cpr, but brings some home sometimes. Got any good recipies?

PS. I don’t like my supper looking at me through one eye!

One recipe that stands out at the moment involves what you do…right after you catch one for dinner. Thats how you clean it, First off trout don’t hold very well so ether carry ice or keep the ones at the end of the day.I prefere both.Any way when you clean it…up through the …Ass to the gills…Take and snap the head up and back trwords the tail…pull all the skin off right down to the tail. This takes alittle practice but when removed all the fishy taste is also removed…NOW, Just roll in seasoned flour and saute in REAL butter…Like 3 – 4 min per side…As i have stated before, 99 % of us over cook our fish.Just cook it untill it is “opaque” all the way through….SWANY…….<*}}}}}}}.{

All the streams I fish are located in Grant County in SW Wisconsin. I’ve fished the Big and Little Green, Castle Rock Creek, and the Grant River and all the streams that flow into it. Hoping to get over to the Blue this year (umpies territory), I’ve heard that its a great stream for trout too.

Beaver Creek in Trempealeau county. Used to be as a wonderful trout fishery. Heard there was some drought problems a few years back and they layed a bunch of restrictions down. Flyrod and a can of nightcrawlers. (Sorry purists) Long rods was the only way to get into hard to reach holes. Biggest was a 22″ German Brown when I was 14. What a tussle…..

I usually fish the north branch of White water, here in Southeastern Minnesota. I also fish the middle branch, and a bunch of other little streams that branch off from those. The fishing has been great!!!

Swany Jr

I have spent most of my time in SE Minnesota fishing, Beaver Cr., Rush Cr., the Root, Pine Cr. and parts of the Whitewater. I’ve only been out a few times this spring and I’ve taken my 5-year old each time – he’s had a blast catching those browns on spinners.

Dave

(Thanks for the help Steve!)

Used to live in SE MN so I have fished many of the streams there when I was younger. The Root River, Diamond, Dushee, Gribben, and Nepsted were always fun to be on. Also lived in La Crosse for awhile, so I hit the Coon Valley area for trout. Now, I’m in Madison and trying to learn a few of the places around here. This is my first spring here, and I have hit Black Earth a few times and a branch of the Sugar River. Even caught a 19″ rainbow on my first trip on the Black Earth. Nice to fish new places, but also miss streams and holes that you know.

I to have been limiting myself to the north branch and middle branch of the white water river shed…the cool morings have been a little slow but by mid-day the trout have been turning on…..the last few hours..( or less) of the day have been most productive..Ive seen so major hatches coming on and the trout have just gone nuts…what a fun site to see….areas that looked fishless….just full of trout…..just goes to show ya….trout are a very finicy fish….kinda like walleyes James!!!!…Going camping the next four days…I’ll be at whitewater state park ….fish should be good ….stop by!!!!

SWANY..SR……..<}}}}}..{

thanks to all for the good discussion on trout streams, CPR all the way, Jack.

I have fished about 75% of SE MN streams. I prefer non designated streams and stretches.It makes it chalenging. Some of my favorites are Rush,Pine,Hemingway,Trout Run and the Root branches. The Root is hard to beat. Was wondering if anybody here has canoed the Whitewater from Beaver to the Mississippi River? How is it for fishing? And one last note is I would like to encourage all of us at FTR to practice and preach CATCH AND RELEASE. I’ve seen to many 18-25 inchers end up in a frying pan or gone on a “dry parade” and wasted. These larger fish are precious. Photo it,mount one or best yet, get a replica. Let them live for you or someone else to catch again!! Keep some 10-14in to eat and enjoy. HYBES

I definately agree with HYBES, CATCH AND RELEASE is very important in order to insure the future of big trout, let them big ones go. Many times when I pull in a big trout, right before I let it go, I compare the size of it to a stick, in case I feel like measuring it and have forgotten a tape measure. But if you wanted to mount that “big trout” just take a picture and get a replica of the trout, if you think about it, it is even better than keeping the fish, because you know somebody else has a chance to catch that big one!!! If you feel like keeping trout, 10-14 in is perfect, any bigger, and the trout tends to get a little mushy, just like keeping a 5lb walleye or bigger!!! Take Care!!!

Swany Jr

Yes catch and release is important, but a good understanding of the “best spawners” is needed here. The best spawners typically aren’t the piggies. They are the 12-18 inchers!!!!!! More so, the 14-18 inchers. So the only true harm to a trout stream if/when a large fish is removed, is just that. One less, large fish for someone else to catch or to grow big for future fun! You won’t typically be harming the numbers or reproduction of trout in your favorite waters!

I have to disagree on the mushy theory. Not to argue, but I have had some very good tasting fish that couldn’t be revived or suffered damage beyond repair during battle, that were in that 16 inch up to 18 inch range. I could see stockers or brudes tasting mushy, but not a native or natural fish!

As far as grillin’ techniques for those of you who wish to make use of your rights as a fisherman, keeping a couple fish under 12 inches, (yes you can keep bigger ones to eat legally with one over 16, but why? The little guys taste like candy!) After cleaning your fish, coat the fish with mayonaise on both sides. Throw it on a hot grill for 3-5 minutes per side and BAM, your set! Add lemon juice or whatever you desire before/during or after coooking!

If eating trout, I like them straight up!!!

Keep the rods bendin’!!! Jim W