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Fly-fishing in Iowa

Yaz

Yaz

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Jun 29, 2018
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Headed to Northeast Iowa in mid September for camping(Cresco- Decorah area). While up there, thought about getting a trout stamp and fishing. Anyone familiar with the area, local bait shops and best gear set up for a spinning rod setup. If we start camping up there more, I'll probably get a fly rod.
 
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Highlandville general store will have any tackle you'd need. Any spinning rod setup will work fine. I'd suggest 4-6 lb line and a few spinners. I prefer panther martin, but mepps and rooster tails are good too. Shoot me a message if you want some creek reccomendations.
 
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It's a bit of a trek from that area but Turtle Creek in St. Ansgar has good trout fishing.
 
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If you don't have a fly rod or haven't fly fished much get a tenkara rod.

Can help save some money and easier for line management etc. to learn before investing in all the nuances of regular fly.
 
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Also you can fly fish for about anything, anywhere. Doesn't need to be just trout. :)
 
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Hire a guide and have them show you the ropes. They will teach you more in a day that you will learn on your own. I'm personally very good friends with Coldwater Guide Service (rodwoten.com). I would call them and see what openings he has.
 
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Usually go to the area once a year. Bear creek is stocked pretty well and catch a ton with just night crawlers and a small weight.

Catch Rainbow in the creek and a lot of Brook trout where the creek flows into the Upper Iowa.
 
You're right in my neck of the woods, but fly fishing is about the only outdoors thing I don't really do.

I do hike along a lot of the trout streams because those areas are beautiful and they're maintained public accesses. Coldwater Creek between Cresco and Bluffton is incredibly beautiful, and hiking back to the mouth of Coldwater Cave is completely worth it. Bear Creek around Highlandville is really popular, and I know a lot of folks who have had good luck at Bigalk Creek north of Cresco, as well as just pulling trout of the Upper Iowa with a regular rod and reel.

I don't know about bait shops per se, but Outdoors & More in Cresco is a nice little locally owned sporting goods shop that has fishing supplies. There's a larger sport shop in Decorah (Hibberts - think it's a chain) but I've never been in there.

For groceries and supplies, you're pretty set between Cresco and Decorah. Both have Fareways, Cresco has Dollar Fresh (small town HyVee) and Decorah has a half-assed normal HyVee and SuperWalmart. For booze, I highly recommend Ox & Wren in Cresco. It's a very nice locally owned liquor store with a really good selection and plenty of Iowa beers. Decorah Hy Vee Wine & Spirits is excellent too (only part of the store on par with HyVee standards, IM).

For a bite to eat, I'm a huge fan of Atomic Pizza in Cresco and Fireman's Inn in Ridgeway. Both have great pizza, good craft beer selection, and a diverse menu beyond the pizza. I would give Atomic the nod on the pizza, and Fireman's the nod on sandwiches although I love Fireman's pizza and Atomic's sandwiches. Can't go wrong with either, IMO. The Decorah eateries are fairly well known, and I like to spread the love to the surrounding areas a bit. Both of these places are serious small town Iowa gems.

If you're going to hit any of the breweries, both Pivo in Calmar and Pulpit Rock in Decorah are great breweries with ISU connections. One of Pulpit's head brewers is an old buddy of mine from ISU, and Pivo is owned/ran by a married couple of ISU alums. Toppling Goliath is what everyone knows, and they make great beer, but I didn't feel it needed much highlighting.

Enjoy the Driftless Area in early Fall. Iowa doesn't get any better, IMO.
 
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Al_4_State said:
You're right in my neck of the woods, but fly fishing is about the only outdoors thing I don't really do.

I do hike along a lot of the trout streams because those areas are beautiful and they're maintained public accesses. Coldwater Creek between Cresco and Bluffton is incredibly beautiful, and hiking back to the mouth of Coldwater Cave is completely worth it. Bear Creek around Highlandville is really popular, and I know a lot of folks who have had good luck at Bigalk Creek north of Cresco, as well as just pulling trout of the Upper Iowa with a regular rod and reel.

I don't know about bait shops per se, but Outdoors & More in Cresco is a nice little locally owned sporting goods shop that has fishing supplies. There's a larger sport shop in Decorah (Hibberts - think it's a chain) but I've never been in there.

For groceries and supplies, you're pretty set between Cresco and Decorah. Both have Fareways, Cresco has Dollar Fresh (small town HyVee) and Decorah has a half-assed normal HyVee and SuperWalmart. For booze, I highly recommend Ox & Wren in Cresco. It's a very nice locally owned liquor store with a really good selection and plenty of Iowa beers. Decorah Hy Vee Wine & Spirits is excellent too (only part of the store on par with HyVee standards, IM).

For a bite to eat, I'm a huge fan of Atomic Pizza in Cresco and Fireman's Inn in Ridgeway. Both have great pizza, good craft beer selection, and a diverse menu beyond the pizza. I would give Atomic the nod on the pizza, and Fireman's the nod on sandwiches although I love Fireman's pizza and Atomic's sandwiches. Can't go wrong with either, IMO. The Decorah eateries are fairly well known, and I like to spread the love to the surrounding areas a bit. Both of these places are serious small town Iowa gems.

If you're going to hit any of the breweries, both Pivo in Calmar and Pulpit Rock in Decorah are great breweries with ISU connections. One of Pulpit's head brewers is an old buddy of mine from ISU, and Pivo is owned/ran by a married couple of ISU alums. Toppling Goliath is what everyone knows, and they make great beer, but I didn't feel it needed much highlighting.

Enjoy the Driftless Area in early Fall. Iowa doesn't get any better, IMO.
Click to expand...

Great info, thank you. Actually, we are headed up to camp in a new teardrop trailer with friends and their teardrop campers. I am in hopes to catch some trout either for dinner (Wife and I) and/or appetizers (Group). I have a hard time just sitting around and so I thought this would be fun. I haven't spent much time in that part of the state, at least not for 20 years, so looking to take advantage of experiencing Northeast Iowa again. Thanks
 
Yaz said:
Great info, thank you. Actually, we are headed up to camp in a new teardrop trailer with friends and their teardrop campers. I am in hopes to catch some trout either for dinner (Wife and I) and/or appetizers (Group). I have a hard time just sitting around and so I thought this would be fun. I haven't spent much time in that part of the state, at least not for 20 years, so looking to take advantage of experiencing Northeast Iowa again. Thanks
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Do you know what campground? There are quite a few options on that front too. Both public and private.
 
I like to use a regular ultralight spin rod with a tiny hook and nightcrawlers. No weight, let the worm drift into your pool. If you bring kayaks I would highly recommend the float from Kendallville to Bluffton. The Upper Iowa is pretty solid for smallmouth fishing too.
 
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I will add Trout Run Park. The park is nice and trout fishing is good.

You didn't ask about other fish but the smallmouth fishing is real good in Upper Iowa. If you can float it, anchor and spend some time in the pools and you will catch some good fish. Friend has a place on the Turkey and I trek up there a few times a year. that is good floating, but I like the Upper Iowa fishing better. I catch and release all of the smallies and have put some pigs back!
 
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The Turkey is underrated for floating. We put in at the fish ladder south of Cresco a couple times every year, and take out around Cardinal Marsh. Fairly, quiet, remote, and some cool bluffs/out croppings.

Not like the Upper Iowa and the Yellow, but quite pretty.

I would post pics but it always says the ones on my phone are too large and I don’t know how to resize
 
Al_4_State said:
You're right in my neck of the woods, but fly fishing is about the only outdoors thing I don't really do.

I do hike along a lot of the trout streams because those areas are beautiful and they're maintained public accesses. Coldwater Creek between Cresco and Bluffton is incredibly beautiful, and hiking back to the mouth of Coldwater Cave is completely worth it. Bear Creek around Highlandville is really popular, and I know a lot of folks who have had good luck at Bigalk Creek north of Cresco, as well as just pulling trout of the Upper Iowa with a regular rod and reel.

I don't know about bait shops per se, but Outdoors & More in Cresco is a nice little locally owned sporting goods shop that has fishing supplies. There's a larger sport shop in Decorah (Hibberts - think it's a chain) but I've never been in there.

For groceries and supplies, you're pretty set between Cresco and Decorah. Both have Fareways, Cresco has Dollar Fresh (small town HyVee) and Decorah has a half-assed normal HyVee and SuperWalmart. For booze, I highly recommend Ox & Wren in Cresco. It's a very nice locally owned liquor store with a really good selection and plenty of Iowa beers. Decorah Hy Vee Wine & Spirits is excellent too (only part of the store on par with HyVee standards, IM).

For a bite to eat, I'm a huge fan of Atomic Pizza in Cresco and Fireman's Inn in Ridgeway. Both have great pizza, good craft beer selection, and a diverse menu beyond the pizza. I would give Atomic the nod on the pizza, and Fireman's the nod on sandwiches although I love Fireman's pizza and Atomic's sandwiches. Can't go wrong with either, IMO. The Decorah eateries are fairly well known, and I like to spread the love to the surrounding areas a bit. Both of these places are serious small town Iowa gems.

If you're going to hit any of the breweries, both Pivo in Calmar and Pulpit Rock in Decorah are great breweries with ISU connections. One of Pulpit's head brewers is an old buddy of mine from ISU, and Pivo is owned/ran by a married couple of ISU alums. Toppling Goliath is what everyone knows, and they make great beer, but I didn't feel it needed much highlighting.

Enjoy the Driftless Area in early Fall. Iowa doesn't get any better, IMO.
Click to expand...
Accurate.
 
Al_4_State said:
The Turkey is underrated for floating. We put in at the fish ladder south of Cresco a couple times every year, and take out around Cardinal Marsh. Fairly, quiet, remote, and some cool bluffs/out croppings.

Not like the Upper Iowa and the Yellow, but quite pretty.

I would post pics but it always says the ones on my phone are too large and I don’t know how to resize
Click to expand...

Yes indeed. We always do a fall float and do some hunting in between field work. My friends cabin in on the river Eldorado but we go all over. The Iowa. small Volga, Volga lake. We always do do a day trip leaving the cabin and drive back and one above the cabin ending at the cabin. Good times.
 
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