Stillwater Trout

[Swimbait2009]

Hey guys! Any trout streams around stillwater, on the minnesota side, that are worth a trip? I have Monday and Tuesday off, and was looking for somewhere to go. I would like to avoid having to get a WI license.

[Scudly]

I have yet to fish the area. However I have communicated with Brian Nerbonne, the metro stream habitat specialist for the DNR who had this to say about Brown's Creek:

"Brown's Creek is stocked annually with yearling browns, which are the majority of fish caught in the stream aside for the occasional carryover fish. There is good access at the highway 95/96 junction near the mouth of Brown's Creek into the St. Croix, and is also where the best trout numbers are. We own or have easement on a long reach of the river, and the scenery is really beautiful there as well. Because the trout population tends not to have high carryover, harvest is allowed."

Oh, and MN DNR trout stream maps are here. At the moment the site does not appear to load. Try back later.

MN Trout Stream Maps

I hope this helps you! Good luck and please let us know how your outing went.

[Swimbait2009]

Thanks scudly! That's awesome! I'm heading out tomorrow!

By carryover, does that mean trout that have survived from one year to the next?

[erickol]

yes, that is carry-over.

[croixflats]

Vally creek just north of down town Afton has an abubdance of brookies and browns and some rainbows. The only problem is access. Most the land is private property and they keep it hush hush. Once your on the stream you must stay in stream bed to be legal with out tress pasing. The only access I know of is just side north of Afton a little monument parking of county 18 just pass the bridge that goes over Vally creek, from there its 200ft walk to the crick.

There is a section that is not allowed and that is Belwin nature preserve. Man I want to get in there real bad as I know the Uof M does some research on trout and there is some nice pockets and holes in there.

[Swimbait2009]

Thanks Croixflats! Depending on how Brown's Creek is (it's VERY close to my apartment) I'll probably try that on Tuesday or Wednesday. I'll make sure I report back how things look!

[Scudly]

Yeah this guy Josh Nelson from Twin Cities Trout Unlimited fished Valley Creek. He sent me a private message and said it was unreal. Awesome fishing. Nothing huge but small water and a TON of trout. It was on my radar and had good intentions to fish it but decided not worth the effort. I would suggest close to the mouth there is a bike path parking lot that you can walk into and access from the bike bridge or main road bridge. At Putnam Bridge I heard there might be no parking signs like all over the place so you would get a parking ticket. Plus there is barbed wire and weirs to cross and Belwins to deal with. I talked to a Belwin representative who would not give me access.

This is the ONLY STREAM which has documented natural reproduction of brown, brook, AND rainbow trout. AND IT IS IN THE METRO AREA!

BONUS: NO SPECIAL REGS. YOU CAN HARVEST FIVE FROM APRIL OPENER UNTIL SEPT 15. ZERO HARVEST AT THE MOMENT FOR ALL MN STREAMS.

[Driftless]

Mark where is the buck snort bridge?

Is that near there?

[croixflats]

Putnum bridge there are no parking signs on both sides of the bridge as far as parking on putnum road that is unclear as in the last couple of years they closed it so it no longer is a through street except only to emergency vehicles and residents.I have not been down that street since they closed the one end off. Something about to spendy to straighten curve out that the bridge sits next to. A couple of fatalities at that curve.

I'll take a tour and look for possible accesses. But I think Afton has it where any bridge there is no parking for a long distance. Defanately trying to make it tough to get on to the creek.

What is maddening is this stream/creek is getting a lot of money put into it for restoration.

LHarris I have not heard of buck snort bridge but that sure doesnt mean it does not exsist. I am just not that observant even though I lived in the area all my life. Heck I could'nt tell you the name of the 3rd street west of me is.

[macgruber]

you thinking of trout run? pretty sure there's a buck snort dam/bridge down there......

[goblueM]

Bucksnort is on Trout Run.

I got to electrofish in that Belwin area with a grad student a few years back. Holy cow.

The best lesson I got from that was learning all the unlikely spots trout hid. More 10 inch brookies came from less than 4 inches of water... it was pretty cool. Love to fish there but I don't really want to deal with possesive landowners