Weather: Sunny,SW winds,temps 25F(dawn)-55F(afternoon)
Water: normal level & fairly clear; better than I saw all last season
Hatches: none except for a smattering of midges
Time: 6:30am - 10:30am
Comments: I fished the category 5 water, from the CTH "Q" bridge upstream to the red farm below Castle Rock spring. Patient and persistent fishing with weighted nymphs produced only four trout in four hours, though two were very nice fish. I was disappointed to see how much bank erosion, siltation, stream widening, and manure runoff has increased on this section of stream; it has changed significantly over the years since I began fishing here in 1977. However, I understand that Castle Rock is slated for more habitat improvement work this year so perhaps the situation will improve. My relatively poor showing might have been due to cold morning water temperatures more than anything else.
But I'm still glad that I got out early. The sunny, warm afternoon stimulated a tremendous hatch of trout fishers. Even little-known small streams in the Fennimore area were jam-packed with vehicles at every bridge. The larger streams had as many as six anglers jockeying for position on every half-mile of water. One small spring creek fished a lot better for me later in the morning; some trout were rising to a thin hatch of gray mayflies and caddis, about a size #16, and plenty of other fish were feeding deep on nymphs and scuds. A veritable army of anglers worked upstream behind me, but I managed to stay by myself until lunch time. I'll happily trade a bit of ice in my rod guides for solitude and unspooked trout.
kevin_searock @portage.k12.wi.us ---------------------------------------------------------------------------