Fishing Wisconsin

[narcodog]

I did not want to throw this on the other thread about fishing in Wisconsin. It has been a desire to fish the driftless area since I read an article in Trout Mag. Here's the question other than he DA where else is there good fishing and what time of year. I have a friend that fishes up there but he just sends me photo's of big chubbs. I don't mind catching big chubbs but I would rather catch brookies and browns.

My friend does not fish the D.A. because the fish are not BIG fish but he seems to be satisfied with catching chubbs of 19 or 20 in's.

[bearbutt]

If you want to catch brookies and browns, Wisconsin is the wrong place--I'd suggest you check their neighbor, Michigan. I have no skin in this debate, being as I am a FIB. The reason your friend doesn't fish the Driftless, is because he's not nimble enough to avoid cow patties, there being so many in SW Wisconsin--he said they make a mess of his waders.

Michigan has a lot of fine water, not many chubbs, and no cows.

bb

[narcodog]

If you want to catch brookies and browns, Wisconsin is the wrong place--I'd suggest you check their neighbor, Michigan. I have no skin in this debate, being as I am a FIB. The reason your friend doesn't fish the Driftless, is because he's not nimble enough to avoid cow patties, there being so many in SW Wisconsin--he said they make a mess of his waders.

Michigan has a lot of fine water, not many chubbs, and no cows.

bb

LMAO

[blackdog]

A 19” chub would be a state record. The record is 11.75”. Just sayin’.

[narcodog]

A 19” chub would be a state record. The record is 11.75”. Just sayin’.

WHAT, my friend a fervent fly fisherman with years of casting a line and landing Chubbs across this country has lied to me. Just to keep me from coming to his no name stream to catch record size Chubbs. Unfreakin believable. I am so disappointed in him.

[flyfishingpastor]

Wait. There's a state record for CHUBBS?

My dear friend Gordon MacQuarrie (whom I have never met -he passed away many years ago) said the Brule River was his favorite stream in Wisconsin.

Pat

[bearbutt]

Wait. There's a state record for CHUBBS?

My dear friend Gordon MacQuarrie (whom I have never met -he passed away many years ago) said the Brule River was his favorite stream in Wisconsin.

Well, yes. You friend Gordon was probably familiar with the Brule's famous red-flanked chubbs, which are known far and wide for their splashing leaps--another well-kept secret among Wisconsin's chubb anglers.

bb

[quashnet]

Many years ago I ditched a professional conference in Madison, Wisconsin and struck out to the west toward the Driftless region. Well, "ditched" and "struck out" are the appropriate terms, as I found that all the streams were merely ditches full of Spotted Dace (Rhinicthys pseudosalmonidae), plus the occasional wretched chub. My Summers 275 was continually being bent into an arc for no good purpose and the ditches, rather than being dug straight and true, tended to meander all over the unglaciated landscape until I became dizzy. I wouldn't bother going there if I were you.

[narcodog]

Many years ago I ditched a professional conference in Madison, Wisconsin and struck out to the west toward the Driftless region. Well, "ditched" and "struck out" are the appropriate terms, as I found that all the streams were merely ditches full of Spotted Dace (Rhinicthys pseudosalmonidae), plus the occasional wretched chub. My Summers 275 was continually being bent into an arc for no good purpose and the ditches, rather than being dug straight and true, tended to meander all over the unglaciated landscape until I became dizzy. I wouldn't bother going there if I were you.

For that I have great respect for I shall take your guidance under consideration.

[narcodog]

Many years ago I ditched a professional conference in Madison, Wisconsin and struck out to the west toward the Driftless region. Well, "ditched" and "struck out" are the appropriate terms, as I found that all the streams were merely ditches full of Spotted Dace (Rhinicthys pseudosalmonidae), plus the occasional wretched chub. My Summers 275 was continually being bent into an arc for no good purpose and the ditches, rather than being dug straight and true, tended to meander all over the unglaciated landscape until I became dizzy. I wouldn't bother going there if I were you.

For someone that I have great respect for I shall take your guidance under consideration.

[Wirly22]

Caught a 12,14 and 17inch suckers in the driftless last weekend! Pretty scrappy, they tend to bulldog and don't jump much.

[GerardH]

What you can expect fishing northern Wisconsin streams....I could almost feel some resistance on my Midge.

Almost.

[DrLogik]

Narcodog,

I haven't fished the Driftless area but I'm very familiar with the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, it's northern neighbor. In my opinion, the "UP" has some of the, if not the finest array of trophy freshwater game fish in the US. They have it all, Brown's, Brookies, Rainbow, Splake, Lake Trout, Coho, Walleye, Musky and Pike. The "Coasters" of Lake Superior are legendary like the huge Canadian Brook Trout in Minipi. They are basically lake-run brook trout.

No, it's not picturesque like Alaska, nor daring like Kamchatka, or famous like Patagonia or New Zealand. But's it's accessible and in the lower 48. And, the locals have an entertaining repertoire, dontcha know, eh! And the food...man, don't get me started on that. The Scandinavian and Italian epicurean heritage runs strong in the locals' blood in the UP.

There's a reason why not much is written about the UP. Nobody is willing to divulge the UP's secrets. BTW, they have huge Whitetails too....

[Erik F. Helm]

There is nothing here except beavers and chubs...
or... not!
I guide the Driftless in Wisconsin out of Soldiers Grove, and specialize in spring creek advanced techniques with dry flies or light nymphs unweighted, or lightly weighted. True spring creek tactics and precision casting.
If anybody is interested in a guide who will blow your mind, and fishes Bamboo... Give me a holler! classicalangler.com or 414-331-9102

Erik Helm

[bassman]

I've fished WI pretty much top to bottom and side to side over several years and for me if there was a place I would get back to if I could walk and wade like old days is the far north and the streams that feed Lake Superior. The area from the Brule River to Bayfield and around the horn and back down to Ashland would be my area. Spring fishing for Lake Run rainbows (argue if they're steelheads if you want) that will tear up your tackle. Summer fishing for nice sized native browns running mostly 12-16", brookies from 8-12" and some stocked and occasionally tagged bows in that same size range. Then in fall the lake browns run heavy along with salmon and then steelhead and lakers following them to feast on eggs.

Along with the stream fishing up there we'd spend many evenings wading out in front of various river mouths, Onion River being a favorite, and throw streamers in the outflow in the evening and catching nice coasters and other species working the outflows in the evening. It was not unusual to hook a fish that just headed for Madeline Island until your tippet popped from line pressures.

As for the rest of the state there are few places you can't find quality trout fishing and some serious chub fishing and spotted dace if you look for it.

[joaniebo]

Over the past / many years, how many times do I have to repeat "There ain't no trout in Wisconsin !" Gee whiz people, can't you read >. There's nothing but a few "Spotted Dace" in the sloughs, run-offs and ditches (proniunced "Ditchees" like in Coulees - a name them Cheeseheads call some of the sloughs and run-offs.)

So, don't waste your time trying to fish in Cheese Country. You'll like Michigan and even Northeastern Iowa and if you don't mind a longer drive Minnesota fishing is even better.

The Beadster

PS - the Cheese Country Spotted Dace also don't like nymphs, dries, flymphs or soft hackles, ONLY worms on plastic spinning rods.