Early Season is Upon Us!

Hola Friends -
The Buddha was cleaning gear, organizing fly boxes, and prepping for the early trout season here in Wisconsin. The sub-freezing temps may slow me down a bit at first but I'm hopeful for some early trout and spring run Steelies!

Official Information from DNR:Wisconsin early season trout fishing opener March 5, 2011
Trout fishing enthusiasts, the early catch-and-release trout season opens at 5 a.m. on March 5 and runs until midnight May 1.

Wisconsin's official list of classified trout streams contains 58 more identified trout streams since 2002. Find trout and salmon regulations and guide, stream maps, and more resources.

Check out the video from DNR stream ecologist Mike Miller (Official FOB - Friend of the Buddha!) on enhancing your early season experience.

"News" items from the early opener:
State Journal - Madison
Chicago Trout Bum
Wisconsin Outdoor News

Stay warm!
As always - watch your back cast,
Trout Buddha

PS- full disclosure - the photo is a winter fishing outing last year on the Gallatin (didn't have a handy local winter image!)

Buddha Where You Been?

Hola Amigos -

Once again a long time between posts. Below is a fishing report from the Wisconsin DNR for the the Southwest Region - specifically Sheboygan County. Heading out this week. Hope I have as much fun as last year!

Sheboygan County - – In Sheboygan anglers on the Sheboygan River have taken a mixed bag of chinook, coho, rainbows, and browns between Esslingen Park and the Kohler dam. A few northern pike have been taken as well. Most anglers have been fly fishing, but a few fish have been taken on spawn sacs as well.

Tight Lines,

Trout Buddha

The One That Got Away?

Traded emails with a friend today who mentioned breaking off a very large brook trout on a branch at the streams edge (a stream he failed to name by the way) somewhere in northern Wisconsin over the weekend. Oh well, the "one that got away" story is part of the allure. I once got the foreign version of the "one that got away" on the Pitten River outside of Vienna from an Austrian gent with an amazing bamboo rod in his hand.

If you do land a lunker here in the land of cheese go ahead and check it out against the Wisconsin DNR listing for record fish. Found this link on the WDNR Twitter recently. You never know...

Tight lines amigos.

Trout Buddha

Long Time No Post...

Ten days since my last post and I haven't had a chance to comment on the recent Southern Wisconsin Trout Unlimited Annual Ice Breaker event. This has turned into one of the highlights of the long southern Wisconsin winter. I enjoyed two wonderful morning talks from Bob Linseman of the AuSable Angler and Mike Miller from the Wisonsin DNR. Bob's talk on "Streamers for Trophy Trout" presented jaw dropping images from the AuSable. I immediately came home and scoured my fly boxes to get a look at what "large ammo" I had in my possession. On the heels of that search I went browsing through my local maps and books to start thinking about what "overlooked water" might be out there in need my attention. Bob was a wonderful speaker who took the time to chat long after his scheduled talk was done. Bill Engber (a local angler of some reputation himself) strongly recommends Bob's book on trophy streamers. All of his books can be found on his website.

Mike Miller from the WDNR presented a thoughtful and informative talk that covered a wide range of streams, bugs, improvements, and TONS of usable information. Mike is very generous with his time and knowledge. Locally we are so often blessed to hear Mike talk that we risk taking for granted to having such a resource in our own back yard. The highlight for me was his mention of the "University of Wisconsin class" that does stream sampling in the summer - pretty sure that was the UW Fly Fishing class. Mike's video about the Wisconsin early season from 2009 is still available on line and worth a look.

In addition to the talks, raffles, fly tiers, I really enjoyed running into lots of fishing friends and acquaintance. Its great to run into local author John Galligan who is always willing to share his thoughts on writing and fishing. I have commented on John's mystery series in this blog in the past and my opinions have not changed. The perfect books for winter (or summer) reading. Enjoyed seeing Todd Opsal from the new On The Creek fly shop in Cross Plains. Embarrassed that I have not yet stepped foot in the shop - that will change soon.

All in all a great way to spend a Saturday during the deep freeze of winter.
Won't be long now - only 5 weeks until the early season.

Tight lines amigos,
Trout Buddha

Give Some Thought to That Burger!

The Buddha Talks Food. Again?

Thought I would share with the Zen Trout readers (both of you) a recent story I found while reading this months copy of Wisconsin Natural Resources magazine. Anytime I can put food and water quality close together - all the better. During a recent stationary bike workout (yeah 12" of snow will force you indoors) I was able to read how grass fed beef and managed grazing is helping improve trout streams in southwest Wisconsin. Improved pasture practices have a positive impact on erosion, pesticides, and manure run off. Wisconsin DNR Fisheries Biologist Dave Vetrano is quoted in the article saying, "if we could get more farmers into grass-based farming, most if not all of our concerns for waters and trout streams would disappear." Check out the Green Pastures - Green Futures video.

Looking for grass fed beef and other pastured products? Check out Eat Wild.

You can also pick up the December Madison Magazine and find an article about local economic development and how organic farmers are finding local markets for their products. Organic beef producer Bartlet Durand from Black Earth Meats is featured.

Oh well. Shut up and eat your (grass fed) burger! The trout may thank you.

Trout Buddha

Note: Photo compliments of www.publicdomainpictures.net