By Topf Wells

The DNR lends a helping hand.

The DNR has recently published regional Wadable Trout Stream Reports for wide swaths of SW and NC WI – including counties such as Crawford and Vernon in the SW and Waupaca and Marquette in the NC.

These are quantitative summaries of DNR surveys of dozens and dozens of trout streams in these areas over the last 1-2 years. While the reports don’t offer narratives, analysis, or management recommendations. they include the streams surveyed, the locations of the surveys, and the species, numbers and size of trout the DNR teams found. The report also lists the percentiles  of each stream for the different classifications of trout species, numbers and size. In other words, you have the basis for judging the relative quality of the fishery for each stream, at least near the location of the survey.

The reports do not indicate which locations offer public fishing. The reports are easy to find by googling WI DNR trout stream surveys or going to https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/Fishing/trout/TroutSurveys.

Some healthy populations of trout out there. Our chapter members seem not to fish the Waushara, Waupaca, Marquette County streams as much as many used to. Might be time to pay a visit to some of those.