Places to Kick Off the Early Trout Season
Where: Southwest Wisconsin Spring Creeks
The spring creeks of Southwestern Wisconsin's Driftless Area offer an extremely diverse array of fishing opportunities. What water to fish and how to fish it will depend largely on the March weather. In recent years, opening weekend found the spring creeks surrounded by two feet of snow. If the southwestern streams are not experiencing any run-off, they will be low and clear. An angler's best options are to slowly fish deep pools with a leech pattern or two-nymph rig.
For those looking for one of trout fishing's true challenges, quietly stalk the flats looking for fish rising to midge. Stay as low as possible and cast to the risers with a long leader tapering down to 6x and a midge adult or pupae pattern in sizes 18-24.
If warm weather comes and the water is rising in the spring creeks, March fishing can be very productive. The off-colored water lets the trout put their guard down and feed heavily.
For the most success under high water conditions, fish a leech pattern or a two-nymph rig through slower runs and pools. Black Woolly buggers, dark nymphs, and scuds will work well under these conditions. Work your flies slowly and keep your eye on the indicator.
Fly Patterns for the Spring Creeks
- Midge pupae and larvae size 18-24
- Scuds in olive, gray, tan, and orange size 12-16
- Pheasant Tails size 16-22
- Prince Nymph size 12-16
- Hare's Ear size 12-16
- Wooly Buggers in black, olive, and brown size 4-10
Where: Central Wisconsin Sand Streams
The sand streams of Central Wisconsin are a generally over-looked option for fishing during the early season. Many of the streams in Waupaca, Waushara, and Marquette counties see a good number of little black stoneflies. The black stone nymphs crawl up the snow covered banks on warm mornings and afternoons throughout the month of March. The adults work their way out of their nymphal shucks and mate. The best fishing occurs when the females return to the water to lay their eggs. Good holding lies will often contain one or two trout rising to the stones. The best adult patterns are darkly colored stimulator-type flies. Buoyancy and skateability are two desirable qualities when trying to match this hatch as twitched or skated flies often entice strikes when a standard dead drift presentation will not.
Prospecting with weighted streamers is the most effective way to catch trout during the beginning of the season, especially if fish are not interested in the little black stones. Deep, slow runs and pools will hold the majority of the fish. Leech patterns consistently produce when worked slowly down and across stream. Nymphing with Hare's Ears and Pheasant Tails can also catch fish in some of the slower water.
Fly Patterns for Central Wisconsin
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Leech patterns in black, olive, and brown size 4-10
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Marabou Muddlers in yellow, black, and white size 4-8
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Kiwi Muddlers in natural, olive, and black size 4
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Yellow Fox size 6-8
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Black Stimulators size 14-16
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Hare's Ear size 12-16
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Pheasant Tail size 14-18
Other March Fishing Options
We are going to be thankful for all the snow we have gotten this winter. Run-off in the end of March will be better than we've seen in the last several years. The extra push of water should result in an excellent run of spring Steelhead on the Lake Michigan tributaries. If warmer weather comes in the first couple weeks of March, steelhead will be filing into the tribs in large numbers.
The steelhead will come most readily to a two-nymph rig with a heavy nymph pattern as the point fly and an egg pattern trailing. The indicator used for this type of nymphing can make a huge difference in your success rate. Our crew has become very fond of the ball style indicators. The ball allows for a 90 degree rig in which the leader is composed of a short, stiff butt section above the indicator and a length of uniform diameter tippet below the indicator. The fine tippet material below the indicator lets your flies reach the desired depth much more quickly than when using a standard tapered leader. The ability to get down fast becomes extremely important when fish are holding in the hustling current.
Swinging flies can also be productive for spring steelhead. Fresh fish in the bigger waters can be quite aggressive. Search for these fish with string leeches or large marabous in various colors.
Fly Patterns for Spring Steelhead
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Egg patterns in chartreuse, yellow, orange, and red size 6-14
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Egg-Sucking Leeches size 4-8
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Stonefly Nymphs size 4-8
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Hex Nymphs size 6-8
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String Leeches in black, purple, and pink
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Marabous in black, purple, and pink size 2/0-4
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Tight Lines would like to extend a big thank you to all of our customers. Thank you for helping support the shop and in return, we will continue to offer our very best service. Stop by anytime for a cup of coffee, or just say hello. We will be waiting to hear your fish stories.