New member from Iowa

[Dewayne]

Honestly, I ran across this place while searching for a used switch rod. Looks like a great forum so thought I would check in and introduce myself. I live in Iowa and recently retired from the military. The only time I have spent in WA is Ft Lewis. I fish the Driftless Region here in IA-WI-MN. Mostly Iowa though and only a few years on the fly. Small spring creek fishing and fly fishing is not big here at all. Especially not spey rods which I was introduced to last year while fishing for Kings in the Alaskan Bush. I have a Beulah Classic spey and love it but have much to learn. I'd like to come to the PNF and fish eventually. Much to learn here in the mean time. I do have a fun personality and like to tease a little so I will end with this.

I do not own any hogs. Well at least not anymore lol. I have never even once use the Farmers Only Dating Website. I attended the University of Iowa. No self respecting Hawk fan can like the Huskies. You've screwed up too many Rose Bowls for us. We'll have to work through this.

 

[Old Man]

Welcome. Although I now live and fish in Montana, my so called roots are from Washington. I have a niece that lives in your state. Don't ask for names or places as we don't talk.

 

[Smalma]

Welcome -
Those Driftless area spring creeks are a wonderful fly fishing opportunity. I have been luckily enough to have fished them 5 or 6 times (multiple days each trip) and found the fishing to be both interesting and challenging. While not chasing anadromous fish in big name rivers or regions the basic fly fishing skills need to be consistently successful on those spring creeks will stand an angler in good stead for trout on the fly in almost any where in the world.

Curt

 

[Tracker]

Like Old Man above, I'm another from the Montana contigent on the forum. I think you will find this place entertaining. It don't happen often, but we occassionaly talk about fishing here. Welcome.

 

[Stonefish]

Welcome
1981.....28-0
Go Dawgs!
SF

 

[Dewayne]

Welcome
1981.....28-0
Go Dawgs!
SF

Don't do that again. I'm afraid I'll stick a hunting through my laptop screen and I'd rather buy a new rod. That was my freshman year at U of I. First time in about 25 years we weren't horrible. Been competitive since though so I guess it wasn't all bad.

 

[Dewayne]

Welcome -
Those Driftless area spring creeks are a wonderful fly fishing opportunity. I have been luckily enough to have fished them 5 or 6 times (multiple days each trip) and found the fishing to be both interesting and challenging. While not chasing anadromous fish in big name rivers or regions the basic fly fishing skills need to be consistently successful on those spring creeks will stand an angler in good stead for trout on the fly in almost any where in the world.

Curt

I appreciate them, especially in the fall when the leaves turn. Mostly stocker bow put and take fisheries close to me but I got some trout anyway. Taking a brand new flyer out tomorrow. Don't have too many fly fishin buds here. Everybody wants to throw crawlers at them. It certainly does work, just doesn't wind my watch. A little too much like trying to get my dog to bite some beef jerky.

And thanks to all of you for the welcome.

 

[David Loy]

Welcome. This is not the first time I have heard of this "driftless area" of which you speak. I intend a yearly road trip in the not too distant future and may get there. Have family in Wis and Neb, and acquaintances in Ill.

 

[Chris Johnson]

Are you a wrestling fan? Those mid-west schools are nails. We used to have 40+ post secondary wrestling programs in WA, now we have 3 or 4.

 

[Smalma]

Dewayne -
I fished the Wisconsin creeks and we found mostly wild browns with some stocked rainbows and in a few place some wild brook trout (the trout that was originally the native species). Those wild browns were a blast (with fish in excess of 20 inches) and at times demanded that the angler match the hatch with near prefect presentations. Never tied so many small flies (at times 18s were the big bugs) in my life. Not sure what Iowa or Minnesota has done with their portions of the Driftless Area but Wisconsin has done some really neat restoration work on many of their creeks. Lots of easements, lunker structures, fencing cattle out of the streams, etc. When I fished those Wis. Creeks would encounter fly anglers from through out the mid-west; those little creeks were destination fisheries.

Curt

 

[Dewayne]

Are you a wrestling fan? Those mid-west schools are nails. We used to have 40+ post secondary wrestling programs in WA, now we have 3 or 4.

I don't follow it like I used to. I wrested in high school. Iowa had a run where they won the NCAA national championship 7 of 8 years. The third string could start for most any D1 school then. That is true domination. It wasn't even fair when Dan Gable was the coach. The sport is suffering now though. All the elite athletes are drawn to a very short list of schools.

Since this thread is the only one that will be "all about me".

My favorite sport is baseball. My Bro in-law is the current pitching coach for the Arizona Diamondbacks. He played and coached with the Angels organization most of the 20 years before that. I was a Reds fan during my childhood and attend Twins games now as they are my team the past 10 years (painful lately). I fish MN a lot and got attached to the Twins.

 

[Dewayne]

Dewayne -
I fished the Wisconsin creeks and we found mostly wild browns with some stocked rainbows and in a few place some wild brook trout (the trout that was originally the native species). Those wild browns were a blast (with fish in excess of 20 inches) and at times demanded that the angler match the hatch with near prefect presentations. Never tied so many small flies (at times 18s were the big bugs) in my life. Not sure what Iowa or Minnesota has done with their portions of the Driftless Area but Wisconsin has done some really neat restoration work on many of their creeks. Lots of easements, lunker structures, fencing cattle out of the streams, etc. When I fished those Wis. Creeks would encounter fly anglers from through out the mid-west; those little creeks were destination fisheries.

Curt

WI and MN are much better managed for fly fishing IMO. They have the big advantage of cooler weather and large streams. Iowa gets hot as hell mid summer. I sneak across the border on day trips. The WI browns are in my day trip range. Not huge but still fun because they are wild. Not native, but wild. and act a bit more like real trout. The IA trout are mostly cleaned out instantly upon stocking, which is the stated DNR goal. "From the stock truck to the frying pan as quickly as possible". I don't like that so much but reality is the JUL-AUG heat will take most of them out anyway if they aren't harvested.

 

[Matt B]

Honestly, I ran across this place while searching for a used switch rod. Looks like a great forum so thought I would check in and introduce myself. I live in Iowa and recently retired from the military. The only time I have spent in WA is Ft Lewis. I fish the Driftless Region here in IA-WI-MN. Mostly Iowa though and only a few years on the fly. Small spring creek fishing and fly fishing is not big here at all. Especially not spey rods which I was introduced to last year while fishing for Kings in the Alaskan Bush. I have a Beulah Classic spey and love it but have much to learn. I'd like to come to the PNF and fish eventually. Much to learn here in the mean time. I do have a fun personality and like to tease a little so I will end with this.

I do not own any hogs. Well at least not anymore lol. I have never even once use the Farmers Only Dating Website. I attended the University of Iowa. No self respecting Hawk fan can like the Huskies. You've screwed up too many Rose Bowls for us. We'll have to work through this.

Welcome. So what do you use your 2-handed rods for in Iowa?

 

[Dewayne]

Welcome. So what do you use your 2-handed rods for in Iowa?

Fairly new at two handers but weird stuff just to practice my casts for trips elsewhere. We have plenty of warm water rivers with smallies, cats and large junk fish that hangout in current breaks. Also have a few smaller rivers with stocked trout. My Beulah 7/8 spey is huge overkill though and that is why I am searching for a switch rod now. It would be much more practical around here and still allow some two hander practice.

 

[Dewayne]

Welcome. This is not the first time I have heard of this "driftless area" of which you speak. I intend a yearly road trip in the not too distant future and may get there. Have family in Wis and Neb, and acquaintances in Ill.

You would probably like it. There are some nice streams in the mix. Mostly smaller water but not mountain stream tiny. I only use a 5WT on a very windy day. 3WT is my favorite Driftless rod, and a $100 rod or even glass is quite sufficient.