Discovering the Driftless region

[herchammer]

So much has been discussed on here, about the Driftless region that I'm going to have to begin a new journey. My family and I live in NW Missouri, right on I-35; this makes a run north, seem like a no-brainer. I'm pretty fortunate, in that my wife likes to camp (within comfortable reason) and so far has only rolled her eyes at my full-blown addiction to fly fishing. I've got it in my mind to push those boundaries a bit this coming year, and try a few camping trips up into the Iowa side of the Driftless. The catch, for me anyway, is that I'll need to find something to keep her occupied, if I can't get her and the kids to pick up a fly rod.

I spent my morning break, printing maps from Iowa's DNR website for a few of the fisheries that I'd like to start with, and the fire is lit. I know a few of the members on here, call that area home, and I welcome any and all input. I'll continue to search this forum's past threads and glean what I can from them, and until spring, I'll plan and daydream.

So, as you read, nothing of real substance in my post; more just sharing my thoughts with like-minded folks.

Have a Great Day!

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[citationsquirrel]

I live a little north of the Driftless. I've travelled it a few times, but never fished it. I've also added it to the top of my list for places I'd like to retire (several years down the road).

 

[itchmesir]

I always suggest this to anyone looking into the driftless... Especially Iowa. Check out Bear Creek Cabins. Located just a couple 100' from some of the best trout fishing in Iowa. The cabin should keep your wife happy. And Decorah is nearby. It's a smaller town but has enough to keep the other half busy for a day or two. Also there's a tonnage of public land(WMA) in the bear creek watershed which means free rustic camping... If you prefer the camping route.

 

[herchammer]

Thanks for the tip! I had seen Bear Creek Cabins mentioned here before, in other posts. I'll certainly check into them, I'm sure she would prefer that to a tent, especially if we go in early spring.

I'm really hoping to get her AND my twins involved in actually slinging bugs this year. That being said, the twins ARE only seven and keeping their attention for very long is a challenge.

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[GrtLksMarlin]

Sweet! Really look forward to what you come up with. BTW, were you going to try and grow a beard first, or just use one of those fake ones that hooks over your ears to blend in?

B.E.F.

 

[herchammer]

Sweet! Really look forward to what you come up with. BTW, were you going to try and grow a beard first, or just use one of those fake ones that hooks over your ears to blend in?

B.E.F.

Lol! It'll have to be the kind that hooks over the ears; Uncle Sam still won't let me grow a beard

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[fishmandoug]

I am new to this forum but have some experience with Iowa.

I live in the far west suburbs of Chicago and find myself in Iowa at least twice a year. The fishing can be great and IMO does not get much respect with Wisconsin getting most of the attention (at least while the season is open).

I would recommend going as far north and east as you can in Iowa for the best fishing. The DNR does publish almost all access points and streams. Bear creek is very good and has wooded as well as pasture sections. Look for streams with wild populations and you will find some really great technical spring creek fishing. There are some put/take style creeks which will give more novice anglers a chance to catch fish as well with less spooky fish.

As far as camping, Yes the DNR allows primitive camping near many creeks but be aware this means no bathrooms at all, not even pit toilets. This is fine for a guys trip, but gets tricky with family. There are many private camp grounds near or on creeks in this area also with electric and more facilities. Waukon has a city campgound with a pool and such just south of town. There are motels in Waukon or Decorah as mentioned above. Both towns have some shopping/etc. but dont expect too much.

 

[ontheflymn]

There are a few main differences with Iowa and MN to keep in mind when planning your Driftless trip:

Iowa is a 24/7/365 fishery that places more emphasis on a put and take rainbow fishery than MN does. MN is a Jan. 1- Oct. 15 fishery (with all state park boundaries in the southeast open 24/7/365 save a few days of deer hunting in November).

MN also has a ton more eased water than Iowa, so your choices in bouncing from stream to stream is more of a reality.

Those two items aren't a knock on Iowa. It is what it is. I live in MN and fish them both. There is more of a chance to fish much more public water in MN than Iowa.

Stream terrain wise, hatch wise, flies wise, they are literally the same.

 

[diamond rush]

Stream terrain wise, hatch wise, flies wise, they are literally the same.

Some of the periphery of the Iowa trout waters are significantly different because they're not true spring creeks and don't support trout year-round. But if you're in the far north east of Iowa, its practically indistinguishable from the trout streams in southeastern Minnesota or southwestern Wisconsin.

 

[herchammer]

As of yesterday, we've become the owners of an early 2000's pop up camper of some sort. The reason I don't know much about it, is because my father in law is the one that found it, and secured it for us. We just have to pay the seller in the spring, and let the fun begin!

I'm not opposed to hitting the Minnesota and Wisconsin areas, on the contrary, I'd very much like to explore the whole area.

Thanks for all of the information!

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[weiliwen]

I think that, no matter where you go, Iowa, Minnesota, or Wisconsin, you'll have fun.

I would like to repeat that the Iowa DNR has a nifty map that they'll mail to you for free with all the trout streams in the state - pretty cool. If you dig enough on the Wisconsin DNR, you can also find most of the same information. Wisconsin's season, at least for C&R, starts January 2, so if winter fishing is your thing, you're not restricted to Iowa.

Generally, in the Driftless, most streams have trout, so it's a matter of finding one you can fish alongside legally. At least Wisconsin has done a good job in procuring easements along streamsides, which I find very nice.

 

[patze003]

The Driftless region is amazing, here's some photos from a couple years ago, I'm happy to talk more via PM about location, flies etc!

 

[chi.fly.guy]

Just got back from a long weekend in Decorah Iowa. I loved every minute I spent there! The drive from the western Chicago burbs was a bit frustrating due to "construction" (honestly, how many cones does Illinois have?!). But when my dad and I got there, it was amazing!

The town of Decorah is wonderful with a lot of really great restaurants to choose from for any type of food and any day of the week. Side note- like most small towns, Sundays are slow but a fair amount opens up around noon.

For those of us with better halves who aren't big into fishing, there's a decent bit to do in town. There are quite a few home decor stores and about 4 coffee houses. I'd suggest bringing a good book and posting up in a coffee place for a few hours.

The fishing is great no matter what the weather. We had about 50 degrees and raining on and off and the fish were still active. Although they're hatchery fish, they aren't "dumb" by any means and you still have to work for them. There's a few areas that we found that have great access and there are other areas that it takes a bit more creativity to get into the water.

We scouted Yellow River forest since that area has easy access and my dad has a bad hip making hiking a bit tricky. There's a few campground areas that are within 100 feet of the river so you can park, pitch, and fish! There's also a lot of equestrian trails through the park as well.

My dad and I are already planning our spring trips out there but since the season is year round, we might try to sneak back once more before the weather really falls apart.

One thing I will say is this. Contact the guys at Bear Creek Anglers! They are just two guys who love to fish and do guide trips for either half or full days. We reached out to them and both Kent and Tom were not only professional but they treated us like family. They weren't able to take us on the water but they put together a packet of info for us with maps, fly suggestions, equipment suggestions, restaurant recommendations and everything under the sun. They also had us stop by their fly shack and have a few beers, talk about fishing and everything else, and just really made you feel like you belonged.

Thanks to their advice, we were able to find places that were easier to get into with good results and found some really great places for dinner after a long day on the water.

There's a lot of VRBO's or AirBNB's in Decorah and there's also a few hotels. I'm hoping on the next trip, my dad and I can find a pet friendly place and I'll be able to have my wife and our dog join on the trip.

 

[myt1]

My buddy sent me the below picture from his recent fishing trip to the Driftless.

Suddenly I'm not so excited to fish there.

 

[chi.fly.guy]

Looks completely accurate! I have some awesome photos of cows checking me out while I was in Wisconsin fishing. There were about 5 calves all in this small area and one "nanny" for the day making sure they were fed and didn't misbehave. Meanwhile, I think the security for the day, was following me around always staying about 20 feet from me. Couldn't tell if she was stalking me to make sure I didn't do anything wrong or just cheering me on to catch some fish.

 

[weiliwen]

Cows are part of the equation on many Driftless streams. I've never worried about them; I steer (no pun intended) clear of the bulls, but the cows are merely curious. Yup, they walk in the streams, but it's never been an issue for fishing. They don't bother me, and I don't bother them.

 

[driftless22]

In the Driftless, we don't have to worry about aggressive bears or venomous reptiles, so we shouldn't complain about the cows. On the other hand, we do have Wild Parsnip.

 

[smoke33]

The Driftless is still on my shortlist over the next 6 months in the Virocqua area. I am going to be looking for a 4 wt. set up. What length would be best?


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[jr spey]

Like most similar questions the correct answer is "it depends." Some of the streams a very small and have a lot of overhanging foliage. I use a 7' glass rod for those. Others are open enough that you could use a long Czech nymph rod on them. Perhaps the best compromise if you're only going to have one would be 8' or maybe 8 1/2'.

 

[chi.fly.guy]

I like to use my 7' 6" 4wt glass rod. Most of the streams or coulees are around 20 feet at the wider parts and the fish tend to be on the smaller side from my experiences. I'd recommend the echo small water personally.

If you want to ask the guys at Driftless Angler, Mat should be able to tell you exactly what he would recommend for length and weight but we tend to go sub 8' and either 3 or 4 weight.