Wisconsin Trout ?

[Dragon Fish ll]

Ive been wanting to go across the border for a few years now and try some trout fishing. but havnt made it yet. I was just wandering if there biting pretty well in these little creeks and rivers.I would like to go over this weekend. but would like to know if its worth it yet and how much for a non res. lisence and trout stamp. Im thinking just south of the twin cities.

[Renneberg]

Try fishing the Kinni. near River Falls or the Willow river near Hudson. Lots of trout in both rivers.

Were you planning on just getting a day lic. or a year?

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"Study to be quite"

[Dragon Fish ll]

for the year. but if you know the day price too.

[Dragon Fish ll]

In case anyone else would like to know the year non res lisence is $34.00 plus $7.25 for trout stamp. 15 for four day fishing, and 20.00 for 15 days both not including trout stamp, which is still 7.25. those are good choices the kinni and the willow. thanks i will try those but I have another in mind just alittle farther and yes you know where Im thinking of . these are for Wisconsin.

[Renneberg]

You must be talking about the Rush river. I was going to go there this weekend but it's just too hot and sticky.

Let me know how you do Dragon Fish II.

I think I'll head over there the next time it rains.

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"Study to be quite"

[Renneberg]

Have much luck Dragon Fish II?

I went to the Vermillion last night. Lost a few lures to some northern pike. Seen one brown in the 20+ inch class, but that was it.

Hopefully you had better luck in Wisconsin.

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"Study to be quite"

[TSTEPHENS]

REN ARE THE NORTHERNS MAINLY IN THE PARK? I'D LIKE TO TRY AND CATCH THEM TO GET THEM OUT OF THE RIVER.

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"ONLY THE BIG ONES"

[Renneberg]

The northerns were in holes that had alot of slack water. Pike don't like moving water.

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"Study to be quite"

[Dragon Fish ll]

Sorry it s taken so long to reply. But was away from home for few days.no I didnt get over to the rush last weekend. I hesitated for about an hour or so to long and the female found some new plans for me. oh well theres another day. yesterday tues. work was canceled for the day and since I work out of burnsville right now I figured I would go down and see what the Vermillion U guys talk about was like, from what I could see it was clean, clear, very low and fish free. I got lost on the way down and ended up in northfield where after totally getting some bunk info from some jack*** at Holiday I stopped at conoco on 3 and 1 where they sale bait and the guy there told me to try little cannon so I did very low and no trout. just a lot of shiners under the bridge. too much grass to go to far maybe a 100 feet on either of the bridge. and the water was pretty brown. this was my first time checking out the southern streams. I hope Wisconsin has a little more to offer at this time of year.

[smellzalilfishee]

Dragonfish2, sounds like you never really did get to a good trout holding section of the Vermillion. It has been my experience that the trout in the Vermillion don't show themselves to often unless they are after something. I think of southern minnesota streams being farther south and i think many of them stack up quite well to many wisconsin rivers. Good luck in your future adventures...

[TSTEPHENS]

I KNOW WHERE THE PIKE LIKE TO SIT, I JUST DON'T KNOW WHERE THEY ARE ON THE RIVER, OR ARE YOU SAYING THIS RIVER IS INFESTED WITH PIKE AND EVERY SLOW WATER HAS ONE IN IT?
OR YOU JUST DON'T WANT ANYONE REALLY KNOWING WHERE YOUR FISHING?
YOU KNOW IF YOUR SEEING PIKE, THE CHANCES OF ANY TROUT IN THAT AREA WILL BE PRETTY SLIM UNTIL YOU REMOVE THE PIKE.

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"ONLY THE BIG ONES"

[TSTEPHENS]

RENNEBERG ARE YOU EVER GOING TO TELL ME WERE THE PIKE ARE SO WE CAN GET RID OF THEM. I'VE BEEN CURRENTLY TRYING TO GET ONE THATS ABOUT 27" IN THE PARK. I HAD IT ON MONDAY NIGHT BUT LOST IT, AND HAD IT FOLLOW LAST NIGHT, BUT DIDN'T TAKE ANYTHING.
I WAS ONLY THERE FOR TWENTY MINUTES SO NO OTHER FISH TO REPORT.

SMELLS THE HOPPERS ARE AROUND, ARE YOU INTERESTED IN AN ALL DAY FISH AT THE RUSH ON SUNDAY?

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"ONLY THE BIG ONES"

[Dragon Fish ll]

I went to that little park I think it was called ramblin or somthing like that. the deepest water was right around the little walk bridge. after finding the no trespass sign on one side I followed the stream back down the other way bobing in and out of brush weed and branches trying many different spots back to where the bike path touches the stream again. I tryed my little catch all spinner in all the most likely spots hoping to see somthing come out of one of those little dark holes. but no success. maybe if the water was up to where the water line used to be the fish would go to the park.

[smellzalilfishee]

I am not sure if the pike could kill a twenty inch plus trout either Rennberg, but i do know one thing-- they can eat all the smaller ones they want and are'nt they our future 20 inchers?? Tstephens please seek and destroy!!! As for sunday, i would be interested in some hopper action- sure you can go????? THERE IS NO PLACE FOR PIKE IN A TROUT RIVER I would also like to add that a pike could take a nip at a big trout and scar it all up, and one major benefit to a trout is their beauty....

[This message has been edited by smellzalilfishee (edited 07-31-2003).]

[Renneberg]

TSTEPHENS, I seen one 20+ inch trout just upstream of where I lost those pike.

I don't think there's much a 25 inch pike can do to a 20 inch trout. Maybe a 45 inch pike would.
I think some of those smaller pike have to watchout for a 28 inch hungery trout.

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"Study to be quite"

[Guest]

Does anyone know of any good trout streams in the washburn county area of wisconsin. I'll be there in a couple of days and would like to get out and do some fly fishing. Any info would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

[TSTEPHENS]

SMELLS ABOUT SUNDAY WE'D HAVE TO GO AROUND 1PM OR SO AND WE'D STAY TILL AFTER DARK.
IS THAT GOOD FOR YOU.

DRAGON THE FISH ARE AROUND, TRY DIFFERENT TIMES OF THE DAY, I PREFER REAL EARLY, AN HOUR BEFORE SUNRISE. WHEN IT'S STILL DARK.

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"ONLY THE BIG ONES"

[Renneberg]

TSTEPHENS, no can do on the location of those pike.

If those pike were eating all or a lot of the trout then why do we keep catching trout. I know the trout population is doing well in the Vermillion. Then MNDNR think so too because they don't stock very many trout in there each year and the numbers have improved enofe that its now a designated trout stream.

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"Study to be quite"

[smellzalilfishee]

Renneberg, this is how i view MN. tons of pike water to fish, virtually everywhere you look their is pike water. Not true for trout, what would you say the percentage of fishable water in Mn is for trout??? I would guess maybe 5%..To me those pike are simply out of place in trout water. Quick story, I lived in CO for a long period of time and they would shock up all the trout in the resevoirs{i'm not sure how they accomplished that} then they would kill all the pike in the resevoir, because the pike were taking over the water and eating all the trout, big trout fifteen pounds plus. If you think i am full of it, call up the CO DOW they will confirm it. Anyway in my opinion the pike will eat as many trout as they can get a hold of and why would anyone want that??? Trout are such a precious fish. This is only my opinion, and you certainly do what you want but if i catch pike in the Vermillion it will swim in those waters no more......
smellz

[This message has been edited by smellzalilfishee (edited 08-02-2003).]

[This message has been edited by smellzalilfishee (edited 08-02-2003).]

[Renneberg]

Be carefull of what you wish for TSTEPHENS and others that wise to raise the number of trout in the Vermillion.

The number one problem the with more trout in a stream is the smaller the trout will get as a result of over population.
Too many trout will cause the population of chubs in the Vermillion to crash.
Chubs are key for growing big trout. Look at the Rush for example, lots of trout up to 16 inches but without a large population of large chubs like the Vermillion a huge % of those 16 inchers, say 90% or more, will never reach 20 inches or more.
Bugs don't grow big trout, chubs do.

I have fished many other rivers across Minnesota and Wisconsin that have pike, walleye, and smallmouth living in them(all would at a small trout if they had a chance), but these river produce some of the biggest trout I see and catch each year. Trout anglers on these river don't seem to really care that these trout eater live in the same waters as the trout. All they care about is protecting the land around the river and keeping the water flowing cold and clean.

It seems that for a river to produce trophy trout it has to have the right mix of cover, water quality, prey, and a way to weed out the unwary(sp?).
If one of these is missing, then a river will not produce many big trout, like the Vermillion currently does now.

So what size of trout do you want to catch in the Vermillion? Lots of trout under 16 inches or fewer but much big trout like we catch now?

I for one like the river the way it is now.

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"Study to be quite"

[TSTEPHENS]

RENNEBERG, I HAVEN'T HEARD ANYONE CATCHING ANYTHING BETWEEN 3 AND 7 INCHES, ALL ARE HUGE TROUT.
AND YES THEY HAVE BEEN STOCKING IT, WITH RAINBOWS AND THEY CAN ONLY STOCK IN THE PARK. WHICH IS WERE THERE IS BIGGER PIKE SO IN A SENSE THEY ARE FEEDING THE PIKE IN THAT AREA.
WHO YOU KINDING YOU DON'T NEED TO TALK TO THE DNR ABOUT THE TROUT POPULATION THERE, YOUR OUT THERE MORE THEN THEY ARE AND THEY HAVEN'T SHOCKED IT IN A WHILE.
THAT'S WHY THEY HAVE FISHERMAN DO CREEL REPORTS FOR THEM.
THEY CALCULATED ABOUT 162 TROUT PER MILE, I FEEL THERE'S SLIGHTLY MORE.
THAT'S NOT VERY MANY TROUT COMPARED TO SOME TROUT WATERS.
SO I SAY ANYTHING WE AS ANGLERS CAN DO TO SUPPORT THE TROUT'S ENVIRONMENT WE SHOULD DO, AND THERE IS NO PLACE FOR A PIKE IN ANY TROUT WATERS.

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"ONLY THE BIG ONES"

[RiverRunner]

TStephens

Northern's are in the Vermillion to stay. The lower reaches of the Vermillion contain crappie,walleye,catfish,bass, you name it. The state record black crappie was caught out of the Vermillion River in 1940. This has been a multi level fishery for years. The only way to stop the northerns from migrating into the upper reaches would be to kill of the pike and install a fish-stopping fence. Which would be susceptible to floods and debris damage and most likely wouldn't work. Would also cost a lot of tax payer dollars to install and upkeep. There definatly needs to be a slot limit on this stream to protect the bigger spawning fish. Renneberg is 100% correct a lot of trout on this river is not good, when it comes to growing bigger trout. Take for example sunfish in lakes,what happens when their is too many? They overwelm their food supply and all you have is a bunch of smaller sunfish. Just my opinion on this matter.

[TSTEPHENS]

RENNEBERG, I LOVE THE WAY THE RIVER IS PRODUCING LARGE TROUT NOW, BUT TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION: I WANT TO CATCH TROUT THAT BIG 5 YEARS FROM NOW 10 YEARS FROM NOW, AND SO ON. I'M NOT SEEING THOSE POTENTIAL REPLACEMENTS FOR THE 20" NOW.
THE RUSH NOT ONLY LOST ITS CHUBS IT LOST ITS CRAYFISH TOO AND INCREASED FISHING PRESSURE, IT'S TOUGH TO FIND BIGGER TROUT IN THE RUSH NOW. AND THAT RIVER DON'T EVEN HAVE PIKE IN IT, SO ARE YOU SAYING THAT IF THERE WERE PIKE IN THERE IT WOULD BE BETTER?
FISHERMAN NEED TO BE LETTING THE BIGGER TROUT GO SO THEY CAN HELP MAINTAIN THE POPULATION, NOT THESE PIKE.
YOU CAN'T TELL ME THAT THE VERMILLION HAS A HEALTHY POPULATION OF TROUT. NOT YET ANYWAY.
THE DNR SHOULD BE STOCKING THESE RIVERS WITH HEALTHY CHUBS AND BAIT FISH ALONG WITH THE TROUT IF TROUT IS NEEDED, THAT WOULD SUPPORT THE TROUT'S FOOD POPULATION AND POSSIBLE AVOID WHAT MIGHT HAVE HAPPENED ON THE RUSH.

ENOUGH OF THIS GOT TO GO FISHING, I'LL LET YOU KNOW HOW I DID.

WE NEED RAIN.....

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"ONLY THE BIG ONES"

[troutman]

I offer a little clarification for those that need it.The Vermillion river can be divided into two sections.The upper Vermillion;that portion of the river above the Vermillion falls in Hastings.The lower Vermillion;that portion of the river below the Vermillion falls in Hastings.I have never fished the Vermillion from the town of Vermillion to the falls in Hastings as I've been told that from the town of Vermillion east to Hastings,the rivers trout potential decreases substantially.At this point it flows through alot of open ag land and very few if any cold water feeders flow into it here.Below the falls the river becomes a very diverse fishery,especially after it mingles with water from the Mississippi in a few locations.The upper and lower Vermillion are separated by the falls in Hastings and although I don't know the exact height,I would guess the falls is somewhere around a 75 to 100 hundred foot drop.I don't think the northerns or any other fish are migrating from the lower to the upper Vermillion...unless they can fly.I would have to side with the remove the nors from the river bunch.We know they love trout and I once caught a 14# nor in the lower Vermillion that had teeth marks on it where something had tried to get it!Translation...I think a 7# plus nor is capable of taking some pretty large trout.Just my 2 cents there.Also,a nor from 5# to the lower teens in weight is pretty good eating,if you like nors.I don't know how good they would be out of the upper Vermillion though.On a side note,has anyone ever fished the Vermillion right below the falls in Hastings?Always kinda wondered about that.Mike

[Dragon Fish ll]

fished the rush over the weekend. there are plenty of fish BUT. got to run to work back later with more on the Rush. for the fly guy a good place to try.