Does publicity help or hurt?

FAOL Community Fly Anglers Online
1

Before I read Ted Leeson’s entertaining “Jerusalem Creek”, I hadn’t heard of the Driftless Area. Now a beautifully produced article in TU’s Trout explains what folks are doing to restore rivers in the area. Even though that part of the country is quite outside of my usual orbit, I begin to entertain dreamy thoughts of a visit. Perhaps others who live closer actually pick up their gear and head over. Does the increased attention help the resource by motivating people to support the conservation efforts? Or hurt the resource by bringing more development and traffic to the area?

Any thoughts?

Glenn

Glenn

I envy not him that eats better meat than I do, nor him that is richer, or that wears better clothes than I do; I envy nobody but him, and him only, that catches more fish than I do (Izaak Walton).

2

Glenn

There are no trout in the Driftless area. Whether it be in IA, MN or WI. I would not drive all the way from OH just to be disappointed. G

3

frayedthread:
Old Toledo boy here, Point Place! If you are looking for trout fishing come on up here! In fact check out the Michigan Fish-In over to left under Fish-In’s.
I’ll be hooking up with a bunch of Ohio guy’s at Cabela’s one saturday this spring and then dinner at Loma Linda’s.

I feel more like I do now than I did when I got here!

Cactus

[This message has been edited by Jack Hise (edited 23 January 2006).]

4

I’ve been watching this phenom for quite awhile. I do a lot of conservation work related to both fishing and hunting. And I get all the big orgs’ mags.

I don’t think I’ve ever seen a net gain in hunting/fishing quality after one of these periodicals features an area. Hunters and anglers flock to the new “hotspot” en masse, and the resulting pressure does far more harm than any possible benefit from increased exposure could do for conserving the resource. Today’s outdoorsman/woman is highly mobile…and even more gullible. And they’re constantly searching for that perfect trout stream or duck marsh just over the horizon. These orgs know it, market to it, capitalize on it to increase their coffers, and make it worse.

There’s still good work being done in conservation. But the mass marketing of “conservation” to hunters/anglers is all about $$$ and does far more harm than good.

My New Year’s resolution is to have more fun…even if YOU don’t.

5

“The Secret” is out, and there is no way, of stuffing “The Secret” back into the bottle, and putting the cork back on!

Let it be known that some of the finest “Limestone Trout Streams” are in the 7 SE counties of Minnesota! From the Mississippi River, to Rochester Minnesota, either side of Interstate 90 is wall - to -wall “Limestone Trout Streams!”.

Deep Valleys give the streams plenty of shade from the Summer Sun, and the water that passes thru the Limestone and Sandstone, gives the streams a year round water temperature of 55 degree F.

There are plenty of small towns along the streams, with many small “Bed & Breakfast” establishments. The area is even less known for the wonderful Bass population, in the “Root River” that is fed by the “Limestone Trout Streams”.

This is not a area known for upscale commercialization to exploit the fly angling market, so you will feel right at home. There are plenty of lodging & campsites, and 3 State Parks that have trout streams that run right through them.

Like I said at the beginning, “The Secret” is out, so we might as well admit that Minnesota, is one of the Gems of the North Central U.S.A. for fly fishing for Trout.

[url=http://files.dnr.state.mn.us/outdoor_activities/fishing/trout_streams/troutangling_southernmn.pdf:a0a01]Minnesota DNR-SE Minnesota Trout Stream Maps[/url:a0a01]

[url=http://dnr.wi.gov/org/water/fhp/fish/regulations/2005/documents/trout05.pdf:a0a01]Wisconsin DNR Trout Stream Maps[/url:a0a01]

Three recommended paperback books to help guide you in fly fishing either Minnesota or Wisconsin…

“Wisconsin & Minnesota Trout Streams”
(A Fly Angler’s Guide)
by Jim Humphrey - Bill Shogren

Trout Fishing in Southeast Minnesota
(A Selective Guide to the Streams and Rivers of Minnesota’s Bluff Country)
by John van Vliet

[Fly Fishing Minnesota’s Trout Lakes
(A Guide to Minnesota’s Lakes Managed for Stream Trout)
by John Hunt

I can only speak for what the Minnesota DNR does with the money raised, from the “Trout Stamp”, that is required (along with a Minnesota Fishing License) to fish for trout.

The money is spent on purchasing stream-side Public Access and Right of Way", for fly anglers to fish the “Designated Trout Streams”. Only after a “Designated Trout Stream” has “Public Access and Right of Way”, can the Minnesota DNR, use Trout Stamp Funds, to improve that portion of the trout stream.

Minnesota DNR, works in close coordination with Trout Unlimited Area Chapters, for “Designated Trout Streams” for stream improvement. To help monitor the health of the streams the Minnesota DNR, also relies on Trout Unlimited Chapters and the Minnesota Streams & River Association, to help alert the Minnesota DNR when situations occur that the DNR needs to investigate.

~Parnelli

[This message has been edited by Steven H. McGarthwaite (edited 23 January 2006).]

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Steve;
anglerdave & I did our best to divert attention from the driftless area.
I will argue about the Trout fishing in Michigan vs. Minnesota.
Another closely guarded secret!!

I feel more like I do now than I did when I got here!

Cactus

7

Yes, the Driftless has not been well known. Some of that is due to the “flyover” nature of the region, and some because the Driftless has been overshadowed by more famous regions. But I also think much of it has to do with the small size of the streams. Most streams can be jumped over by a reasonably athletic person. Streams under 10 feet wide are the norm. Well known streams run larger, and get more pressure from the angling public. Few fly anglers desire to deal with the “target practice” casting required on Driftless streams, especially in late Spring and Summer when the weeds are high. But, a patient angler willing to put in the time could be well rewarded.

8

Anglerdave . Dispite what you may have heard , There are no trout left in my Home waters of British Columbia . They are all gone . Sadly we caught and ate them all . So there is no sense in coming up here because we closed all the rivers and are now trucking the water to the ocean . The salmon and steelhead have all finally graduated and left their respective schools and headed off for college to begin their quests to be marine biologists .( Up to this point the humans haven’t done very well at it )
The once beautiful scenery has been painted a dull matte grey so you won’t enjoy comming here anymore for almost any reason especially since the mountains have been replaced by piles of rock and sand . Perhaps it will inprove after the next ice age , please check back when the ice melts . Rest assured that I will be keeping a close eye on the once incredible fishing that used to typify this region . To do my part I will keep the water oxyginated by thrashing it mercilessly with my fly line . Nope no fish here . Maybe Cuba?

9

Well I for one would say that an area being written about in a Magazine is not good for that area. Been around a long time and seen a lot of great areas go to hell because of people writting about them. I bet if I try a I could name at least 15 of them. Just one. The north end of Yellowstone Park. Word got out and now you are lucky to find a place to fish in some of those streams. It is all over the web and in magazines. You may not agree but I guided that area for many yeras and I know what has happned to it.

Just as an example. I was fishing a Costal river with a good friend. This was in the 60’s and we kept a fish each and were walking back to the camper when a news crew happened to see us and flimed the fish and asked us how the fishing was. Both of us said we were just lucky but the next weekend there were at least 150 people fishing an area that had 3 the weekend before.

Fly Fishing writers have always told people how great this stream or that lake is in magazines. But to much of a good thing can and does hurt areas. If you look at what is being written about now and pay attention you will see that more and more of the less known places are showing up in Fly Fishing magazines. That is because a lot of the great older rivers and lakes have been beat to death. Just my opinion. Ron

10

Unlikely that the Driftless will ever be a major flyfishing destination.

First, it’s well discovered. There are plenty of anglers in the area. One of the largest cities in the world is within driving distance. Minneapolis/St. Paul is nothing to shake a stick at either.

Second, as Blackdog pointed out, the streams are tiny. Make a 40’ cast in the Driftless and you’ve likely plowed 20’ of leader and line into the far bank. The streams are also narrow. Plenty of times, I’ve found myself fishing in a creek narrower than a Chicago sidewalk. Ain’t no drift boats here.

Third, the banks are deeply undercut - many times they’re over 10’ high. Add another 5’ to 10’ for weed growth, and you can figure how many flies you’ll lose.

Finally, while there are some big fish, the typical fish is much smaller than what one finds out west.

That said, the Driftless is beautiful. My first thought when I saw Lord of the Rings was “hey, that looks like Southwest Wisconsin.”

-Steven

11

Interesting thoughts.

Reminds me of the related question: are we happy or unhappy with number of fly fishers out there?

One the one hand, I’d love it if I were the only one (or maybe a couple of others who’d drink scotch with me in the evening). I’d have every stream to myself and the trout would be so innocent that I might actually catch a couple.

On the other hand, if I were the only one, there’d be no one paying attention to the resource and no one to buy cool gear from, guide me on unfamiliar water or write the books and articles I enjoy reading so much.

So, on balance, I have to say I’m glad you folks love fly fishing as much as I do.

Peace,
Glenn

12

Gnu Bee Flyer

How sad it is to hear about the dimise of your home waters. Why just last night I was reading about your area in 50 Places to Fly Fish Before You Die. I will now scratch that one off my list. S

Steven

Your assesment of the Driftless Area is right on the money. If it wasn’t such a far drive for me, I would be up there on a more regular basis. When you saw Lord of the Rings, are you sure your first thought was SW Wisconsin and not NE Iowa? G

13

I sure hope you folks know what you are talking about. I have fished that area several times and it is a great fishery. I have done very well fishing there. But I have never told lots of people about it either.

I have a good friend that guides that area and he lets me know how things go there. He told me that the numbers of people are starting to rise on those streams. Is it good or Bad? That is for you to decide. I learned a long time ago to keep my trap shut on places I like to fish.

My son is a very good hunter. Took a nice 6x6 Bull Elk with his bow this last year and a good 4x4 Mule Deer buck to. Try asking him were he got them. LOL He learned the hard way some years back. Said the wrong thing in front of the wrong person and had several people right in one of his best area’s.

All I can say is that word of mouth is bad enough. Put it in magaiznes and people will just have to have a go at it. The beautiful pictures in the artilces do help to.

I don’t live back there so it is no sweat off my back if a lot of people start fishing that area. But I sure have seen what happens out here when to much Hype gets in the Magazines.

One funny point. I was reading an article about the “BEST” Fly Fishing rivers in this country. Guess what only one stream in Montana was in that article and it was near the last place. Wonder why?? Ron

14

I’ve never seen publicity improve a fishery. I live in an area dubbed “Steelhead Alley” by a notorious fish pimp in a magazine several years ago, and things have gone downhill fast. Not that the word wasn’t already out there, and there’s no way to prove that without the article it wouldn’t have declined anyway. But it certainly didn’t make anything except the writer’s bank balance better.

15

I agree with Ron MT in that too much publicity has the potential to hurt an area. In defense of the Driftless area, it is not that easy to get to, no matter where you are coming from. At least in my state anyway.

16

It sure hurt one of the best steelhead streams in my area here on the south coast of Oregon. One article in a national magazine was all it took. We use to be able to fish from the bank all day and see maybe five drift boats go by. Now you see that many every few minutes and they are all racing each other to the next hole. I know the publications and tv shows need something to give their readers and viewers but it is the rivers that suffer from the exposure.

Rocky

17

Positive publicity is never a good thing, when it comes to keeping an area to yourself. I have been wanting to go to a certain area for 2 years, and am now rethinking my destination this summer because a national magazine JUST published an article on the rather small area I was going to go to.

Mike

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"Let it be known that some of the finest “Limestone Trout Streams” are in the 7 SE counties of Minnesota! From the Mississippi River, to Rochester Minnesota, either side of Interstate 90 is wall - to -wall “Limestone Trout Streams!”.

Exactly what is accomplished by posting something like this?

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<BLOCKQUOTE><font size=“1” face=“Verdana”>quote:</font><HR>"Let it be known that some of the finest “Limestone Trout Streams” are in the 7 SE counties of Minnesota! From the Mississippi River, to Rochester Minnesota, either side of Interstate 90 is wall - to -wall “Limestone Trout Streams!”.

Exactly what is accomplished by posting something like this?<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Excellent question. I can think of no good reason for making a statement like this. Those of us who have worked hard to improve these streams are happy to have more “locals” to join us, people who have a like minded love for the watershed. But, do you really think a visitor from another state is going to invest anything in the streams?

I’ll be interested to read Mr. McGarthwaite’s reply.

20

Is the opinion widely shared that people ought fish only in their home state? I have to travel a bit for most of my fishing and I get pretty involved in what’s going on in those places.

Glenn