Tenkara in the Iowa Driftless - Vlog #65
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- Опубліковано 6 вер 2024
- Video log of a quick morning trip to Casey Springs in Winneshiek County on Saturday, July 6, 2024.
The target species in Casey Springs are wild brown and brook trout.
The Iowa DNR conducted plantings of fingerling "put and grow" South Pine strain native brook trout in 2003 and 2004. No plantings have occurred since. Two years ago the state completed a substantial erosion control and stream bank modification effort, radically changing the character of the lower half of the public access portion of the creek.
It remains unknown as to whether sufficient brook trout survived the creek modifications to sustain the fishery.
Nice day and fish. You do well keeping the lure close to the bank without getting hung up in the grass and weeds.
Thanks for your nice comment. I was able to drift the fly near the bank but as you saw, those browns seem to know how to use the grass to their advantage when hooked!
Another enjoyable video. Thanks! Way back in May, 1976, I got up early to fish Casey's Spring before spring finals at Luther. At that time, the sections above and below the bridge were privately owned cattle pastures. The stream didn't look like much but it held some very nice "put and grow" browns. I didn't own waders at that time but was young and nimble enough to jump over the stream when necessary. I caught my first brown trout that morning---a 22.5" beauty---and was back at Luther in time for an 8am exam. I continued to fish that stream on and off for several years until its ownership changed. Fast forward to a few years ago when the WCCB acquired most of the section above the bridge. I attempted to fish from the bridge to the upper reaches of the public owned section. I was deeply saddened to see the erosion and sedimentation that had occurred. It didn't look like the same stream. I'm glad that some renovations have been done. I'll check it out the next time I'm in the area. Thanks again.
@@stevehorswell2371 Thanks Steve! Love your little glimpses into the area history books. That dragon of a brown must have been a memorable event! Appreciate the comment.
Nice video, enjoyed watching. I found this on the DNR website. I hope the brooks thrive in the future. “Sampling in 2017 showed a population of Brown Trout at 398 fish per mile with Brook Trout at 234 fish per mile. Brownies ranged in size from 2-15 inches while brookies were 3-12 inches.”
@@jblocker6613 Thanks for the comment. Yes, they tried to get the South Pine strain established in ‘03 and ‘04 and it seemed to work. No more interventions since, probably due to the encouraging 2017 numbers. But they sure ripped up the place two years ago. I sure wish the numbers were like they were in 2017!
@@tenkaraintheiowadriftless I think a brookie intervention is needed over at Pine Spring. The ratio of brown trout to brook trout has shifted dramatically toward the brown trout.
Gary, that was a honking brown trout in that little creek. Pretty amazing trying to control that fish in that narrow zone. That wild parsnip didn’t look to friendly to me
Thanks Mike. Yes, those grassy overhanging banks were problematic. The wild parsnip was crazy around there!
🤘
Those were some pretty impressive browns. I had no idea that stream held anything that big. Too bad you did not land a brookie. That would have given you the Iowa grand slam! Brown, brookie, rainbow, and creek chub.
@@MrKindermusik Thanks! Yeah, that “slam” thought went through my mind too! Also wished I could have done a better job with those other big browns that got the best of me in that bank grass. Thanks again for commenting!
Watched a video on UA-cam about the stream modification. Fished there a few years ago so I thought I'd give it another try hoping to land a Brookie. Not even one take and didn't see any fish. Only the front section has been modified, the further upstream I went the more difficult it was, steep banks and shoulder high growth to bushwack. Had to move on. You had better luck with the Browns. Good Vid, nice work in an awkward/difficult position.
@@user-tz5un7mr1e Thanks much for your comment. I’m still hoping for a bona-fide report of a brook trout being caught out of there post-modification.
Holy cow Gary! Those big browns were just waiting along those slim banks to mail your kebari! 🎉 Well done! I bet there are some brookies still in there! Did you make it through the wall of wild parsnip?!
Thanks Jared! If there are any surviving brook trout I don’t think there are very many of them. I actually had to stay feet wet and retrace my steps about 200 yards to find my way out of the parsnip jungle. It was impassable where I ended up!
We may have to call you "The Chubmeister". 😇
Too bad they weren’t brookies. I guess a chub is better than a zero!
@@tenkaraintheiowadriftless, yep.