Driftless report

[Skeeter ZX190]

On 6/3/2024 at 9:02 PM, Daryk Campbell Sr said:

In the last year or so I've been watching videos about the Driftless.   I'm very intrigued by it.  I would like to spend a few days there.   Most people don't know anything about it when I have asked around.   Any suggestions on where to start as I know nothing.  Lodging?  Laws?  Thoughts?  Things you wish you would have know to reduce the frustration curve?   @fishinwrench, what's wrong with mop flies?  I see people put them down, but I don't understand the hate.  (Honest question).

Not sure who publishes them, but there are 4 county maps that show the public access trout streams in the Iowa Driftless.  I believe you can get them at the Visitors Center in Decorah.  Here is a picture of 2 of them as well as part of the map of Winneshiek County.  Excellent resource if you get up that way.  

[ness]

1 hour ago, Skeeter ZX190 said:

Not sure who publishes them, but there are 4 county maps that show the public access trout streams in the Iowa Driftless.  I believe you can get them at the Visitors Center in Decorah.  Here is a picture of 2 of them as well as part of the map of Winneshiek County.  Excellent resource if you get up that way.  

Yeah, those are pretty good maps. 
 

Also, there are at least two books on Iowa Driftless fishing. 

[Daryk Campbell Sr]

@Skeeter ZX190. Awesome information thank you. 

[FishnDave]

16 hours ago, Skeeter ZX190 said:

Not sure who publishes them, but there are 4 county maps that show the public access trout streams in the Iowa Driftless.  I believe you can get them at the Visitors Center in Decorah.  Here is a picture of 2 of them as well as part of the map of Winneshiek County.  Excellent resource if you get up that way.  

Those are good maps.  There's another one that the Iowa DNR has put out in the past...I tried to find a link from their website, but a quick search didn't locate it.  It shows all the Iowa trout streams, and tells you what trout species are in each one.  I found this, but it weirdly doesn't list rainbows at all.  I guess its just a list of the naturally-reproducing streams.

https://www.iowadnr.gov/Portals/idnr/uploads/fish/Wild_Trout_Streams.pdf

There's also this list of streams...you can click individual ones to get more info about each stream:

https://www.iowadnr.gov/Fishing/Where-to-Fish/Trout-Streams

And  this interactive map:

https://www.iowadnr.gov/Fishing/Where-to-Fish/Trout-Streams/Trout-Stream-Map

 

[ColdWaterFshr]

Not sure how I missed this trip report, but sure enjoyed it.  Need to get up that way and explore the area. Thanks, Ness!

[Daryk Campbell Sr]

Thank you guys.  This info sure helps make it much less intimidating to make the first trip. 

[ness]

I hope you guys can give it a try. It’s a cool area with tons of water to fish with good access. There’s so much water that it actually takes some effort to narrow it down. 

I never dragged a canoe up there or fished anyplace where I  wished I had one. I’ve only done the small streams because that’s what I like. 

Before one trip a few years back I talked to a very well educated, smart, dedicated, helpful, knowledgeable, friendly, kind and courteous fisheries biologist up there. There’s also a fly shop in Decorah that could likely help. 

Then there’s WI and MN. 

[ness]

Found this picture of a 'stile' that I mentioned earlier, so I thought I'd share. Pretty nice arrangement they have in IA. Private property, public fishing. Please, let me help you over the fence. 

[Quillback]

That thing looks like a trap.  You get 100 yards into that field and the farmers pet bull, a retired rodeo bull, looks out and sees what appears to him to be a rodeo clown in his pasture.  How fast can you run wearing waders?  😃