Among The Cows: A Driftless Story

I left my hotel in Chicago tired but excited for the four-hour drive ahead of me. Soon I would be casting a dry in a small Driftless stream, a goal of mine ever since I had heard of the place. The Driftless Region is a region that includes the portions of Wisconsin, Iowa, Minnesota, and Illinois that border the Mississippi River. The region is a result of a lack of glaciation, making much of the land flat. Streams in the region are in the flat sections of small valleys, creating slow drifts and hence the name “driftless”. The region is full of tributaries to the Mississippi River and wild trout. These spring creeks serve as prime habitat for wild trout populations. The streams are full of vegetation and deep holes where the trout can hide. The Driftless has become known as one of the top fly fishing destinations in the United States, but remains under the radar due to its remote location.

My first stop was a small fly shop in Viroqua, Wisconsin called Driftless Angler. It was here that I would have my first run in with the kind people of Wisconsin and learn about some of the streams in the area. I picked up a few suggested flies and a hoodie to remember my visit and was quickly on my way to a stream.

When I arrived at the stream, I was shocked by the beauty of the slow-moving water that cut through miles of farmland. I had seen many photos of the streams in the Driftless on social media but seeing it in person was even more spectacular. Much of the water in the region is on private farmlands. However, some farmers have partnered with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources to create land conservancies, allowing fishermen to access the streams on their property. Additionally, Wisconsin is a “feet in the water” state. This means that if you are in the water, you are on public property. This rule allows fishermen to explore many streams that in other states may be considered private.

I walked downstream, crossing into farmland. Back at the truck, I had tied on a dry dropper featuring a yellow hopper I had purchased at the Driftless Angler. I quickly realized that the vegetation in the creek would pose a challenge that I was not used to. The small streams in Maryland and Pennsylvania had little vegetation with larger rocks and boulders. It wasn’t long until I got my first bite. I cast my fly into a deep hole and was quickly met with a rising brown trout. I could tell by the power of the rise that this was a big fish. The brown shot up into the air, nearly spitting the hopper out of its mouth. Once it landed back in the water it was over. The trout dove deep into the vegetation, breaking my line and leaving me disappointed. I decided to keep moving downstream in hope of some more trout.

As I moved through the farmland, I came across cows using the stream to cool down. It was a sight unique to the fishing experience in the Driftless. After a few hours, I finally had my second chance. I watched my hopper drift down through a riffle until it suddenly sunk under the surface. A small brown had grabbed onto my purple prince nymph underneath the hopper. I made sure to keep my rod tip high to keep the trout out of the vegetation and eventually got the fish netted. It was my first Driftless trout. I fished for a few more hours until the sun began to sink. It was time to head to camp.

On the way to camp I stopped in The Grand Nickel Saloon, a small dive bar along the Mississippi River. It was here that I met some more kind people and enjoyed a burger. When I pulled into the campground for the night, there was little light left. The campsite was adjacent to a stream, and I listened to the sound of rushing water while setting up camp. I was in for the night, but excited for what tomorrow would bring.

The next morning, I woke to the early rise of the sun. I drove to Wonderstate Coffee for breakfast and enjoyed a breakfast sandwich. I was ready to fish. The first stream I decided to fish was incredible. The small stream snaked through a field full of waste high grasses. Trout were rising everywhere, and I soon had my first fish of the day. As I walked upstream, I caught a handful of brown trout. I eventually ended up at a deep pool, in which I could see some larger fish. I cast the hopper into the running water and was immediately met with a bite. I hooked into a decent trout and made sure to keep the line tight. This was my first sizable fish of the trip.

After a few more hours, I headed to another stream where I found some more brown trout. This stream was located on a land conservancy, giving me easy access to the stream through the farmland. At this point I had ditched the nymph and was just throwing the yellow-bellied hopper. I could have caught more trout with the dry dropper but was adamant on getting some more topwater bites. I caught some decent trout in this stream and met a Wisconsin native who told me about the incredible fishing in the area. As the sun began to set, I called it a day and headed back to Viroqua for dinner.

Just as quickly as my trip had begun, it was over. As I ate dinner at the Pacifico Mexican Grill & Bar, I reflected on my experience. Someone could spend a lifetime in the Driftless and never get to experience everything it has to offer. There are so many great streams that are easily accessible. The Wisconsin DNR provides great maps that aid in planning trips and finding new water. During my trip, I had only explored the Wisconsin section of the region. I will be sure to explore the parts of the Driftless in other states when I return. Additionally, there are a few streams in the region with large brook trout populations. I plan to return to target these brookies.

The Driftless Region is a special place. The remote location leaves fishing to the locals and ambitious anglers. Along with the trout, the people helped make the experience incredible. It was a trip that I will remember for the rest of my life and I hope to be among the cows again sometime soon.