I’ve lamented missing the Driftless closer for awhile now, but during the Fall I just can’t shift my attention away from migratory trout and the occasional failed Muskie outing to make it to Iowa’s spring creeks which are open to fishing all year. During the Winter I check the 10 day forecast daily yearning for that warm weather pattern that will allow me to avoid ample ice and prevent my guides from freezing. I decided to try my luck in Dubuque County yesterday and the fishing was tough and technical. All of the pools had some sort of ice obstacle, gin clear water, and the sky was true blue. Walking through snow and brush with waders all day was no picnic either. My thighs are still on fire!!! The most exciting part of the day was a blow up on my indicator in a small seam leading into a pool. I quickly threw on a size 14 beetle and that got a huge blow up too, but the fish missed the mark and didn’t give me another opportunity. Streamer fishing was futile but I couldn’t help myself. There’s definitely pigs that will take a streamer all year. In the end it wasn’t surprising nymphing techniques paid off. The ice cost me a few nice trout by snapping my leader when they would run towards the near bank I was fishing but that’s just Winter fishing. Here are the few that didn’t get away.
I forgot my trout net and had to make a quick stop for this cheap one. While I made my purchase the adjacent Jazzercise class’s sound penetrated through the paper thin walls of this local bait shop. I had a shit grin on my face the whole time.
