Oh, I know what you are thinking. You are probably reading this and thinking, "Dustin, what is your deal now? Now you want to pick up fly fishing...concentrate dude, one bloody thing already!" Oh, I hear you...and don't fret. This isn't yet another hobby I plan to pick up (at least for the time being), but rather a fun trip with some visiting family members to scope out some fly fishing areas.
My sister-in-law and her boyfriend came to visit us for the Fourth. Apparently, they both enjoy fly fishing and got into the hobby more seriously during Covid. As they both live in Oregon and have access to the Deschutes River basin, one would think they are on top of the world for the hobby. Deschutes is known to be a paradise spot for fly fishermen, the world over. However, this area is known to be a paradise of sorts as well, I guess...so much so that my sister-in-law's boyfriend couldn't stop telling me about all the good fly fishing spots in this area. Curious, I thought! So we planned a trip to the heart of the area: Viroqua, Wisconsin.
We piled into the CRV Saturday morning, Hattie in tow, and away we went to check things out. When we finally made it through the various coulees and bluffs on back highways, we decided to check out the Viroqua Farmer's Market, in downtown Viroqua. Not a bad market at all; lots of music, kettle corn, veggies, and even the occasional Amish furniture maker.
Hattie of course wanted the little chair, but we talked her out of it with some apple vinegar popcorn.
We then walked over to a fly fishing store to a) get some stickers? and b) buy a hat? I guess that's what you do when you are into the hobby and visit local fly fishing shops? I'm not sure, but the store was in a historical building and had a lot of pricey stuff. Some of the rods were upwards of $1000 USD...I didn't jump into the hobby, and Liza was most happy!
Subsequent to the shop stop, we then decided to visit the local food co-op to get the previously mentioned (and posted) bratwursts and cheddarwurts for dinner, grab some beer, and then load up the back of the CRV to check out a few local streams together. Always loading up the CRV with stuff, I tell you!
Then came my favorite part of this adventure. My grandparents were second-generation Americans. My grandfather's parents came from Norway, and my grandmother's parents came from Germany. They settled in an area near us called Newry, and once they married, built a farmhouse on top of a local coulee. When we were kids, we always took this fantastic road that followed a stream called Timbre Coulee to my grandparent's place. I always remembered seeing fisherman in the streams, but never put two and two together. Now, with my sister-in-law and her boyfriend wanting to see what the local trout streams looked like, I had my chance to show off my local knowledge and drive them through this road. Hey, I don't know anything about fishing, fly fishing or not, but I do like my local streams and creeks!
It's a special place, in all honesty. The farmers have an agreement with the Wisconsin DNR, wherein fishermen can more or less trespass on private land to fish the streams. As long as folks stay close to the shoreline, there are no problems. From what I've been told, the hobbyist respects the rules and respects the farmland. It's a win-win, and the area is gorgeous.
This area is one of the oldest areas on the planet. Most of the geography of Wisconsin was knocked down by the glaciers of the two Ice Ages, but this area, hence the term "Driftless", was left untouched. Heileman Brewing Company, years ago, coined the area "God's Country." I don't know about that, but it is a wonderful area and I do enjoy sharing images when I can on Hive.
As for my sister-in-law and her boyfriend, were they impressed? Yes and yes. They currently reside in Portland, and with the unrest of that city of late, I can see why the idea of settling down in this area makes sense. Trout streams, good food, good crops, zero urban chaos, and green for miles around. And cheaper real estate too, to boot! I just didn't mention those Januaries and Februaries that are so much fun...
So there it is-our #weekendengagement adventure. It was a whirlwind; fast and furious, hot and humid, but highly enjoyable. As I said, I don't fish, but I won't lie when I think as Hattie gets older how much fun this could be. A couple of rods, some rubber gaters, and hours of relaxation in the water. Better than a beach, right??
Thanks for stopping by and checking out our fun. Until next weekend...hoping everyone also had an enjoyable weekend. Stay cool (or warm, wherever you are) and have a great week!