Yesterday – freed from the usual workday constraints, I was able to get down to Wisel Creek in Fillmore County, to fish a stream improvement project that’s had several years to mature. Prior to the project, the stream had high, eroding banks and in some spots, multiple channels. The project plan included sloping the banks and reestablishing a connection to the flood plain.
I waded some of the project, fishing upstream with a hopper / dropper, and found plenty of willing brown trout. The extreme drought of this year has the stream running a little low, and very clear – although that might be changing with today’s weather. The lack of higher flow pulses over the summer allowed lots of what I call duckweed to accumulate in weed clumps along the banks.
What my feet found was that there’s plenty of rock (small to huge), plenty of depth, nice riffles, and some really long and deep pools. The stream side vegetation is difficult this time of year, but outside of pastures and parks that’s pretty much true everywhere.
I’m justifiably proud of the small role I played in getting this project chosen, planned and built.
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Thanks to Carl Berberich’s dedication and effort, here’s the latest newsletter.
