Current Fishing Reports

Current Fishing Reports

Current information about fishing conditions on major Driftless Area streams. For the latest information, give us a call in the shop at (608) 637-8779 during regular business hours or shoot us an email.

186 reports totalpages: << Previous 1 2 3 4 ... 31 Next >>
Driftless Area - August 31st, 2010
  • Recorded:
  • Mostly cloudy
  • 82 ° F 
  • Fishing: Fair
Very humid already today, and a chance for some rain today.  No major accumulations expected.  The clouds throughout the day will be great for fishing.
  Fishing has been decent, especially in the mornings and evenings and when the sun is off the water.  Still no major hatch activity (we are waiting for the night time temperature to dip into the 50's again.) so fishing the terrestrial with a scud or nymph dropper is the most effective way to catch fish under these conditions.
  After this storm blows through, it looks like we have some much cooler nights and days ahead at the end of the week.  That should get things hopping again.
 
Driftless Area - August 28th, 2010
  • Recorded:
  • Sunny
  • 84 ° F 
  • Fishing: Good
Although it is warmer than a few days ago (it felt like fall there for a minute!) fishing still remains very solid, especially when the sun is off the water.
  Terrestrials with nymph droppers are working very well as there is limited hatch activity (a handful of small mayflies, cream midges, and some micro caddis).  Fish are holding in feeding positions below riffles in the mornings and evenings, then seeking shade mid day when the sun is shining directly on them.
  Night fishing reports have been good on mouse patterns and larger leeches.
 
Driftless Area - August 27th, 2010
  • Recorded:
  • Sunny
  • 82 ° F 
  • Fishing: Good
Fishing remains strong in the mornings and evenings.  Waters are clear enough that mid day fishing is slower as the trout seek shelther from the sun, but will come out to feed when there is shade on the water.
  Few bugs are hatching right now.  We have seen a handful of cream colored midges and mayflies as well as some micro caddis.  The vast majority of fish are being taken on scuds and other 'buggy' nymphs fished under darker terrestrials (hoppers and crickets).
 
Driftless Area - August 26th, 2010
  • Recorded:
  • Sunny
  • 73 ° F 
  • Fishing: Good
Cool night last night (with caddis, midges, and mayflies hatching) has fish rising this morning and water temperatures cooler than normal for this time of year.  Today will be mild and sunny which means fish will be more active, but still tucked in the broken water and in shady spots.
  Terrestrials with a scud dropped below them have been the ticket to catch fish lately and that will not change.  The only difference is we have seen rising fish in the mornings and evenings, so make sure to have some midges and small (18-20) mayfly adults and emergers handy just in case when the sun starts going down.
 
Driftless Area - August 25th, 2010
  • Recorded:
  • Sunny
  • 73 ° F 
  • Fishing: Great
A very cool night plus high water in August means incredible fishing as the dip in temperature will drop the water temperatures a couple of degrees over the next few days.  This drop is a trigger for bug activity which, in turn, means more feeding fish.
  Rising fish this morning with a small trico spinner fall and a BWO hatch.  Fish are also looking up for terrestrials, especially beetles and larger hoppers/crickets.
  Suburface flies are mostly scud patterns with the occasional thin bodied nymph or midge larva working well too.
 
Driftless Area - August 24th, 2010
  • Recorded:
  • Partly cloudy
  • 77 ° F 
  • Fishing: Good
Today begins a string of cold nights and cooler summer days.  This should extend the morning and evening fishing a couple of hours longer.
  Fishing is still very good in the shady areas, and in the early morning and late evening.  The past couple of days have been hot and muggy and dry fly fishing had dropped, but with the cooler weather look for tricos, midges and olives when the sun is off the water.
  Scuds and pink squirrels are fishing very well sub surface, and terrestrials are starting to pick up fish on the top consistently again. We have found darker colors to be more effective for terrestrials, as well as orange.