Forecast: 82℉, 5 mph wind, Fair, 32% Humidity
Stream Conditions: clear/normal levels, water temp was 58℉
Insect Hatching Activity: Midge, Blue-Winged Olive, Trico, Terrestrials
Today marked Day 5 of our Driftless Excursion to explore and discover as many new trout streams and sections as possible. Today we focused entirely on one large stream system. It was an absolutely beautiful spring creek system with strong flows of very cold spring aquifer water. This solidly flowing spring creek contained everything you love and desire as a fly fisher including the serenity of the environment and valley it’s positioned within. It is a wild trout producing factory but it is more technical in nature because the wild trout are very selective on this stream system. Tiny nymphs and tiny dries were king today. This system is a true gem and it is so large and so highly productive throughout all of its reaches, that you could spend a full week fishing it and still have more to discover and explore. Even though the air temperature was over 80℉, the water temperature was a consistent 58℉ and that wasn’t even in the headwater sections! This is a top echelon stream that will remain high on our list. The Driftless Riches today was simply being emersed, connnected into, deeply appreciative, and in awe of the extreme complexity and diversity of this spring creek ecosystem. Being able to observe and notice a walkingstick insect along the stream was a real treat and a rare find. Such amazing complexity in this one small insect let alone the diversity of all other creation within these Driftless spring creek ecosystems. It never gets old and it never goes unappreciated nor unrecognized…we live in one of the most beautiful and unique areas on Earth.
