(Another) Iowa Driftless Report -10/22-10/24, 2019

[FishnDave]

My buddy Jay and I spent 3 days in NE Iowa flyfishing trout streams this week.
First, the stream conditions: NE Iowa has gotten a LOT of rain in the past 3 weeks, including one event that dumped 4.5" of rain in 2 hours.  There were many road sections that got washed out.  Some are still being repaired.  The streams are still high, muddy, with fast current.  Tough fishing condtions for sure.
Weather conditions:  Although central Iowa was pretty decent, NE Iowa averaged about 8 degrees cooler.  I think it may have hit 48 degrees one day, which was the warmest of the 3 days.  We had some light rain one afternoon.  It was windy 2 of the 3 days, but fishing was do-able for the most part.
Other factors: Brown trout are spawning at the moment.  They typically spawn in shallow gravel stretches with quick current.  Tough to fish, and very spooky.  Saw some large trout, though!

The first 2 days, we fished streams that contained ONLY naturally reproducing populations of brown trout and/or brook trout.  No stocked fish.  So, trout numbers were lower than the typical frequently-stocked streams.

The last day we fished some streams that are stocked.  We had not seen any other anglers on the non-stocked streams, but there were plenty of folks fishing every one of the stocked streams we went to.

I didn't fish it very long, but I did catch one brown trout on the Micro Gamechanger....so that was pretty cool.

As it turned out, most of the fish we caught on Day 1 were Brook Trout.  I did manage to get the Trout Slam, though (Brown, Brook, and Rainbow).  Most of the trout on Day 2 were Browns.  Most of the trout on Day 3 were Rainbows.

Anyway...on to the pictures!

Jay caught this very colored-up awesome brookie:

and this one was pretty colorful too:

This was my Day 1 slam:

Great trip!  One tip...if you are in the area, stop and eat at Dave's Gus & Tonys restaurant in Waukon.  Excellent food, great prices!

[ness]

Hate to be a negative Nancy, but i think it’s worth mentioning... I see a lot of flexed jaws, hanging fish, etc. I suppose these were released, but they look to have endured a lot of stress before that. Stress that was mostly related to getting a picture ...for what... Us?

Maybe forgo the pictures in the future, think about the fish’s well-being and enjoy the catch as a victory between it and you. 

 

[fishinwrench]

3 hours ago, ness said:

Hate to be a negative Nancy, but i think it’s worth mentioning... I see a lot of flexed jaws, hanging fish, etc. I suppose these were released, but they look to have endured a lot of stress before that. Stress that was mostly related to getting a picture ...for what... Us?

Maybe forgo the pictures in the future, think about the fish’s well-being and enjoy the catch as a victory between it and you. 

 

Oh no you don't !    Nobody gets to be concerned about TROUT as long as bass keep getting hauled all over the lakes, thrown into livewells....then into bags....then into baskets....then paraded on stage....then thrown back into bags...then dumped into some cove many miles away from their home range area.  Over and over again.....almost every day....all year long.

No sir!   Trout get stocked, cared for, sheltered from giggers, and pampered ENOUGH😍.   Bass get none of that kinda love😔.  So grab that sumbitch THAT YOU PAID FOR any way you want and let nobody guilt-trip you into all that careful fondling baloney !  

🙄 

THAT, IMO, is what is worth mentioning.  😊

[snagged in outlet 3]

7 hours ago, fishinwrench said:

Oh no you don't !    Nobody gets to be concerned about TROUT as long as bass keep getting hauled all over the lakes, thrown into livewells....then into bags....then into baskets....then paraded on stage....then thrown back into bags...then dumped into some cove many miles away from their home range area.  Over and over again.....almost every day....all year long.

No sir!   Trout get stocked, cared for, sheltered from giggers, and pampered ENOUGH😍.   Bass get none of that kinda love😔.  So grab that sumbitch THAT YOU PAID FOR any way you want and let nobody guilt-trip you into all that careful fondling baloney !  

🙄

THAT, IMO, is what is worth mentioning.  😊

Trout are better than bass, everybody knows that.😆

[liphunter]

3 minutes ago, snagged in outlet 3 said:

Trout are better than bass, everybody knows that.😆

Are you okay? Did you fall and hit your head, or is that the Ensure talking? lol🤣

[snagged in outlet 3]

4 minutes ago, liphunter said:

Are you okay? Did you fall and hit your head, or is that the Ensure talking? lol🤣

It’s the new high protein high testosterone Ensure.  Sorry it’s my first time drinking it and it’s got me all jacked up.😀

[ness]

43 minutes ago, snagged in outlet 3 said:

Trout are better than bass, everybody knows that.😆

Thanks. I didn’t want to say it, but...😄

I do feel sorry for reservoir bass caught in a fishing contest too. 

[fishinwrench]

3 hours ago, snagged in outlet 3 said:

Trout are better than bass, everybody knows that.😆

Prettier, yeah.  And only live in pretty places.....if hatcheries are pretty to you. 

Bass thrive in spite of us.  Trout barely make it because of us.

Bass have a handle to grab ahold of. Holding a trout is like holding 2 pounds of Jello.

Bass fillets, by most folks taste, are better food.

Trout are like welfare families. Bass are the blue collar working survivors. 

💪😊👍

[snagged in outlet 3]

55 minutes ago, fishinwrench said:

Bass have a handle to grab ahold of. Holding a trout is like holding 2 pounds of Jello.

No, it’s easy. 
 

[fishinwrench]

1 hour ago, snagged in outlet 3 said:

No, it’s easy

Yeah right!    "Ok he's calm.....take the pic quickly!"

You can see the nervousness in your face.  😆