NE Iowa trout streams, 8/15/2017

After flyfishing for Smallmouth the previous day, we decided to hit a couple trout streams on Tuesday.<br>
The first was a stream we had not visited before. It has a wild population of Brown Trout. Its a rather small stream. I landed a dozen browns, lost at least 1/2 dozen more, and saw a BIG one go for my fly...so big it was having a tough time turning around in the stream to chase the fly. When the fly drifted down too far, I tossed it back upstream to do another drift...several more drifts actually...but never saw that big fish again.
The ones I caught weren't Wisconsin-sized :grin::p, but still beautiful, fun fish.
https://gifyu.com/images/IMG_30900eae8.jpg

https://gifyu.com/images/IMG_3130e925e.jpg

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Next, we went to a stream we had fished before. Its a stocked stream, but not stocked during the summer months. 3 weeks ago, the area got hit with a huge rainstorm...something to the tune of 7" in 24 hours, with 4" of that coming in just one hour. When we descended into the valley where this stream is, we discovered it looks MUCH different than when we were here a couple years ago. It got scoured. The creek is now much wider and shallower, topsoil got washed off the top of the rock layer. The bank got cut back in many locations, lots of trees removed or knocked over. When standing in the meadow above the creek, we discovered lots of grass and debris caught in trees up to chest-height or more! Major flood!
https://gifyu.com/images/IMG_31864b512.jpg
Anyway...the stream is back to a normal, fishable level. We saw much fewer fish than last time...far fewer trout...but many more and larger smallmouth bass. During our last trip here, we caught a fair number of Brook Trout, but didn't even see any this time.

We caught Rainbow Trout, Smallmouth Bass, Rock Bass, Creek Chubs, Striped Shiners, a Hornyhead Chub, and a Bluegill. I spooked a beautiful BIG Rainbow while descending the bank to get into the water, it raced downstream and was not seen again.
Rainbow Trout:
https://gifyu.com/images/IMG_3148f5486.jpg

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https://gifyu.com/images/IMG_3190.jpg

Hornyhead Chub:
https://gifyu.com/images/IMG_3149ad342.jpg

Striped Shiner:
https://gifyu.com/images/3611A6B1-C6...B81DB6F5F8.jpg

Creek Chub:
https://gifyu.com/images/IMG_3147010cf.jpg

Smallmouth Bass:
https://gifyu.com/images/IMG_31602601e.jpg

Rock Bass:
https://gifyu.com/images/41794C9B-AF...D3B753E526.jpg

Nice, Dave. You guys sure had a good time. Thanks for posting the pictures. Did you use buggers to fool most of those fish?

Hey Dave,
And all along I thought Iowa was only good for it's pork tenderloin sammies. Great pics and fish.

Mark

Quote:

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Originally Posted by lastchance

Did you use buggers to fool most of those fish?

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Yes, a beadhead Woolly Bugger with a gold body and sand-colored grizzly marabou caught the most fish. I caught many fish, especially Rainbows, on a Briminator with gold beadchain eyes, and also on a Girdle Bug variant. My buddy caught many of his fish on a dark-colored DDH Leech.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Marco

Hey Dave,
And all along I thought Iowa was only good for it's pork tenderloin sammies. Great pics and fish.

Mark

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Ha ha, YES! That's pretty much true...Keep telling folks that. I kind of enjoyed not seeing any other anglers during 2 full days of fishing at 5 different stream sections! :)

Dave
I used to fish Waterloo Creek in and around Dorchester. Fish were bit better there. Ended up fishing primarily on the South Branch of the Root in SE Minn. fish were quite a bit larger. Fished NE Iowa when Minn season closed

The Big and Little Bear streams near Dorchester held some healthy fish.

North and South Bear, probably? Yes, there are some decent fish there. They get a lot of pressure, but are well-stocked with Rainbows and Brookies. The Browns are naturally reproducing, though. The Waterloo took a hit during a big flood several years back. Quite a bit of sand washed in.
Did you stay at the Sportsmans Inn in Dorchester? ;o)
I've heard good things about the Root...should go up and try it sometime.