Planning Your Driftless Spring Creek Trip

   As the popularity of fly fishing grows, it seems that everyone with a couple years experience is suddenly a "Guide".
   SILVER DOCTOR FLY FISHING is featured in the books Great Lakes Steelhead-a Guided Tour for Fly Anglers, Best Streams for Great Lakes Steelhead, and Fly Fishing for Great Lakes Steelhead-an advanced look at an emerging fishery.
I am an FFI Certified Casting Instructor, and have been a demonstration tyer at numerous conclaves, and also conducted the first ever speycasting workshop at an International FFF Conclave,(1997-Grand Rapids,MI).
   The key to learning how to fly fish is fishing with the right guide. I believe that my role as a guide is not to guarantee that my clients catch lots of fish, but rather that they will learn what it takes to fish effectively.
Regardless of weather, water conditions, or hatches, I will work to esure your day on the river is enjoyable!
References Available! Call or Email.


   I would like to thank my FlyFish guide & friend of over 30 years Bob "Silverdoc" Blumreich for giving me some of my most exciting & fun times in my fishing life. Last year, just four months after aortic valve replacement surgery, he practically carried me to the streams & helped me get in & out of the water. This week, I was almost 100% back to my old self, driving Bob crazy with my mediocre casting & many tangles.
   Thanks to his expert guiding, I was able to catch many wild beautiful Brown Trout that were all released unharmed to the water. I have caught many big fish, some over 100 pounds, but none were more thrilling than this 15 inch Brown caught on an ultra light flyrod at this beautiful little stream in Wisconsin.
   If you ever want to try spring creek fly fishing, give Bob a call.


client on a guided trip


Booking Your Trip
   With seventy years of fly fishing experience and forty + years as a licensed guide, Silver Doctor Fly Fishing offers guiding and instruction, whatever the level of your experience or age.
Everything from basic entomology, knots, and small stream tactics, through the tricks of speycasting can be learned from an FFI Certified Casting Instructor in a professional, courteous setting.
   Due to covid, I can no longer provide lunches, but will have soft drinks.
Some specialized loaner tackle is available, (speyfishing gear,etc.), but you must have basic tackle. Catch and release is encouraged.
   If the date that you want is already booked, Silver Doctor Fly Fishing will be glad to recommend another guide service that shares my philosophy of teaching, so that you will be able to continue fishing sucessfully.

DAILY RATES
SORRY- NO CREDIT CARDS
COULEE REGION SPRING CREEK TROUT
One Angler-$395/Full Day
Two Anglers-$495/Full Day
One Angler-$295/Half Day
One Angler- 2 hour casting tune-up/ $125
 
DAILY RATES
LATE SEASON IOWA TROUT
One Angler-$425/Full Day
 
DAILY RATES
AUTUMN STEELHEAD/SALMON
Steelhead/Salmon/Speycasting
TWO DAY MINIMUM.
One Angler-$525

To book a date in the 2023 season, Email Silver Doctor, or call
(608)295-3474


Planning Your Coulee Region Trip

PSA
   Vernon County, Wisc. has over 250 miles of trout streams.
Most of the streams have public easements or "Knock on the door & ask" access, courtesy of the landowners.
   Fishing easements on private land DO NOT INCLUDE: picnics, mushrooms, berrys, asparagus, etc.
If we can't behave, these fishing privileges will disappear.
Treat landowners & fellow anglers with respect & courtesy.


Spring Creek Trout
   The Coulee Region of Southwestern Wisconsin lies in the so-called "Driftless Area", untouched by the glaciers. Limestone bluffs overlook narrow valleys. Mixed hardwoods shade the creeks in the valley bottoms, cooling the water, and slowing runoff.
   The Wisconsin D.N.R., county soil conservation departments, and local sports clubs have done habitat improvement work on hundreds of miles of streams, stabilizing banks and creating permanent cover. Fish populations have increased to levels rivalling the famous western streams.
Public access is assured on these improved waters, which are an easy two hour drive from Madison, via U.S.14.
   Snow melt and rain percolate through hundred's of feet of soil, emerging as cold, clear springs, rich in dissolved Calcium carbonate.
These streams are true limestone spring creeks, just like those found in England and Pennsylvania. The hard water promotes abundant weed growth, and supports incredible populations of aquatic insects and crustaceans: food and cover for the wild browns and brookies.
   Within a 30 mile radius of my home in Viroqua, there are 250+ miles of trout stream!

My 
Outdoor Office
My Outdoor Office

   "Bob's knowledge of the streams and fish is unsurpassed.
His ability to recognize and correct presentation errors is uncanny.
I spent a very enjoyable two days, and learned more about trout than I had in the previous six years of going it alone.
   ...a very valuable experience. Do yourself a favor, and book a trip with Silver Doctor Fly Fishing."
Harold H.-Chicago, IL



COULEE REGION WEATHER

Accommodations
    RESTAURANTS (Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner)
  • Great Wall Buffet-Viroqua(608)637-7715
  • Viroqua Family Restaurant-Viroqua (608) 638-6200
  • Pacifico-Viroqua (608) 638-1330
  • Cheese Corner-Viroqua (608) 637-7779
  • Noble Rind-Viroqua (608) 638-2743
  • Gassers Bar & Grill-Viroqua (608) 638-0134
  • Old Towne Inn-Westby(608)634-3991
  • Beanie's Diner-Westby (608) 634-4242
  • Kickapoo Creekside -Readstown (608) 629-5565
  • Country Gardens-Soldiers Grove (608) 624-3254


   Rods rated for 2wt.-6wt. lines are recommended. Accurate casting is necessary, cover can be thick, so shorter rods work well,
however there are many open areas where the beginner can fish without fear of tangles.
See the HATCH CHART for patterns.
Equipment Checklist
Rod/Reel/Line Leaders (7.5'-9'4x-6x) Tippet (3x,4x,5x,6x)
Fly Box(s) Indicators Floatant
License/Stamp(s) Hemostat Clippers
Wading Staff Camera Medications
Polarized Glasses Sunscreen/Repellant Hat
Waders/Hip Boots Vest/Fanny Pack Rain Jacket

   The 2022-'23 licenses & stamps expire at midnight on March 31.
The 2023 Early Inland Trout Season will close at 12:00 midnight on Friday, May 5.
   Statewide open season begins at 5:00a.m. on Saturday May 6, & runs through October 15.
  Complete regulations, licenses & color-coded maps can be accessed through THIS LINK.
Fishing licenses and inland trout stamps are also available at Nelson AgriCenter,and at the WalMart in Viroqua.
   A selection of local flies is available at the Driftless Angler, downtown Viroqua.

EmailSilver Doctor To Confirm Date(s)

Wisconsin Driftless Spring Creek Hatches


   The Driftless region of south- western Wisconsin is home to some remarkable spring creeks, complete with the usual array of spring creek hatches. Falling somewhere between East and West, Wisconsin has some of the best of both worlds.
   From the early season catch and release opener in January, until the season closes in mid-October, there is always some surface feeding activity.
   Hatch dates are never carved in stone. Weather patterns will have an effect. Insect size varies with different watersheds, and time of year.
   A "Tan Caddis" may be imitated with a size #14 in June, and a size #18 during September. When the fish get fussy, carrying different styles of the same pattern can pay off.

Mayflies Caddis Stoneflies Midges
Terrestrials Streamers   Searching Flies

© Jason Freund1998, for Bob Blumreich and Silver Doctor Fly Fishing


NAVIGATION MENU
GUIDED FISHING SCENERY FLY TYING SPEY SWAPS
Home Spring Creeks-1 Featherwing Primer Millennium Swap
Driftless Spring Creeks Spring Creeks-2 Speyfly Primer ff@ Spey Swap
Hatch Chart Great Lakes Salmon Links Century-1
Steelhead & Salmon Great Lakes Steelhead   Century-2
  Clutter   Century-3

>

Contact Info
Silver Doctor Fly Fishing
P.O. Box 105
Viroqua,WI 54665
(608)295-3474
Bob Blumreich


© Silver Doctor Fly Fishing
1997-2023