Water Works

by Bob Luck
As those of you who have received emails from me at 3 am know, I have a sleep disorder.  I don't have any problem going to sleep, but staying asleep is a problem, especially when I have a fishing trip planned the next day.  Which, in my case, is most days.  There is a silver lining:  during Trico season I have no problem being on the stream by 6 am, which is when these tiny mayflies start hatching on warm July mornings.  Yesterday, acting on a tip from an old-timer I met on the stream last season, I headed to a new piece of water.  I saw some flies on the water, but almost no rises.  I either misunderstood what that old-timer told me, or he is congratulating himself about sending me on a wild goose chase.  I still enjoyed myself, and I may even try that stretch again.  If you are looking for some new water to fish, following is some savvy advice from TCTU Board Member Evan Griggs, whose day job is running Fishing For All LLC, a guiding service.  

​1) Know your Rights- You can fish pretty much anywhere you want in MN and WI, as long as you can enter it without trespassing. Any bridge crossing from a public road on a river is a legal entry point, for example. You can find out if there's an easement, public land, or public boat ramp/access/trail, etc using the above mentioned apps (the DNR ones are totally free: water trails maps, lakefinder, and the recreation compass are what I use.) "Easement" means you can walk along the shore lines legally through private lands (up to 33' from the center line of the stream.) Not all stream sections have an easement. The state purchases the right for public access through an easement from the landowner. If the water you're interested in does not have an easement, you can still fish there, BUT you have to "keep your feet wet." (And you should probably ask permission from the landowner just to be safe. Just knock on their door or try to find their contact info online.) Most land owners are super chill and will let you fish here, especially if you sweeten the deal with an act of service, like: bringing them back some fish to eat, cleaning up trash, and/or bringing some fresh baked cookies. *We wouldn't have public access without the willingness of the landowner to allow the public on their land! So be super duper nice to the landowners if you encounter them, and respect their property. *Here's a surprising fact for yah- Dogs are not legally allowed on easements, as they can cause issues with livestock and/or landowners' pets. You must get permission from the landowner before bringing your dog on their land. 

2) Know the Regs- Know when the season dates open and close, bag limits, and any special regs for a body of water before you go to it. You can find the regs for MN and WI on their respective DNR websites. If you know the name of the water body you want to fish, do a targeted search on their website to find out if there are any special regs like no live bait, special slot limits, etc. 

3) Know your Fish- Along with knowing the regs, you should have a solid confidence in your fish ID skills. Knowing what you're catching in a certain body of water, both prior to your trip and during it, can save you from getting in a lot of trouble. Also having a slightly-above-basic understanding of the fish, including their: diet, anatomy/adaptations, habitat/ecological preferences, and life cycle, will really help you narrow down the types of water to look for. Then, as you become a super-nerd like me, you can start taking stock of the larger ecosystem and put more of the puzzle pieces together. 

4) Know the Water-  Easier said than done, but there's enough resources out there now that it can be possible to find out about current and prospective water conditions. If you've ever asked me about sections of river to fish, I've probably told you not to do the St. Croix in a south wind, because you will get blown up river! This is especially important for fishing streams and rivers from boats or wading bigger rivers, but you should find out their water flows and what level is good, too low, and too high. I use two resources for river flows: MNDNR Riverlevels and USGS WaterWatch. These will tell you the current cfs (cubic feet per second, or basketballs per second) that the water is flowing. The MN DNR one even gives you ranges of good, too low, and too high. If you're fishing smaller waters, call/email the local DNR fisheries office, local fly or tackle shops, or local guides to find up to date info on water levels and other helpful tips. In a pinch you can ask Facebook, but be warned- it is not a friendly place for such topics.     

Another sure fire way to find new spots, and to stick with fishing for the long haul, is to find a community. Join a nonprofit fishing/conservation group, or chum it up at classes and events at local tackle or fly shops. It's clinically proven that having fishing buddies will help you do more, and become better at, fishing. (This is also easier said than done, speaking as a millennial myself.)

If nothing else, then hire a guide. But be upfront right away in the booking process about your goals and intentions for the trip. If you are hiring them with any amount of intent to find new spots to fish on your own, let it be known right away. If that is an issue with that guide, then- at worst- they won't book you. And in the least- they'll book you, but probably won't take you to their most coveted spots. We've taken many guide trips on spot hopping missions for folks who want to find more places to fish on their own, and we love it!

The thrill of the outdoors comes from adventuring in the unknown! The more you do it, the more comfortable and freeing it will become. I encourage you to gain the knowledge and utilize the resources mentioned above, find your people, and get out there with your people. Go Explore! Not every fishing trip will be what you hoped for, and definitely not every lake/stream/river section is a good one. But you will find some hidden gems. Half the fun of fishing is figuring that stuff out. Do it for long enough, and you'll have a rolodex of fishing spots before long!