 Rank: Dragon Fly
Joined: 5/23/2011(UTC)
Posts: 418
Location: WI, IA
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Jumpsuit wrote:Great reports congrats to you two. Donjuan I don't know if you've fished Bear Creek by Arlington, in Iowa. I've encountered the same thing in the lower stretches, especially during the late summer. When's the last time you fished this stream? I caught lots of tiny smallmouth and some giant creek chubs there last year, but didn't see any trout beyond some zombie-looking rainbow stockers. Past reports indicate this used to be a pretty good place to catch nicer browns, but all the people I gathered that info from say they don't fish it anymore as its not what it used to be. The big pool at the eastern end/confluence intrigues me, but if all that's in the stream are stocker bows, it's not worth the effort to me. Very pretty stream/area, especially in fall. Pics from my last time there:    Edited by user Tuesday, August 12, 2014 10:38:48 AM(UTC)
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 Rank: Midge
Joined: 5/2/2013(UTC) Posts: 80  Location: Eastern Iowa Thanks: 7 times
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That's pretty much dead on with my experience too. I was there last October and accessed it through the northwest and walked in. Only thing we caught were stocker Rainbows, with no signs of any Browns. The last time I caught Smallmouth there was September/October 2012, when I drove down through Delta Road up to the stream. Back when it was a Brown/Brookie exclusive stream we used to do quite well on Smallies in the 10-14" range, although back than it seamed the water levels were higher too. I wish the IA DNR would put less emphasis on announcing stockings and stocking catchable trout into so many streams of our streams, I do love Iowa's waters though. Edited by user Tuesday, August 12, 2014 6:09:55 PM(UTC)
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 Rank: Midge
Joined: 6/12/2014(UTC)
Posts: 25
Location: SE MN
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I've fished Bear Creek 3 times in the last year, and each time I tell myself I'm not going back. I've had very little success there. Lots of chubs and the few trout I caught were stocker rainbows. It's in a beautiful area, and there is lots of good looking water, but in my experience few trout. I wish the fishing was a little better there, because the long walk in keeps a lot of people out.
Have you guys ever fished Brush Creek just a few miles SE of Bear Creek? I've fished in the preserve area once and only caught one small brown. I have access to some private land on Brush Creek downstream a ways. I have heard there are some nice browns in there.
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Rank: Midge
Joined: 5/2/2013(UTC) Posts: 80 Location: Eastern Iowa Thanks: 7 times
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dubbs wrote:I've fished Bear Creek 3 times in the last year, and each time I tell myself I'm not going back. I've had very little success there. Lots of chubs and the few trout I caught were stocker rainbows. It's in a beautiful area, and there is lots of good looking water, but in my experience few trout. I wish the fishing was a little better there, because the long walk in keeps a lot of people out.
Have you guys ever fished Brush Creek just a few miles SE of Bear Creek? I've fished in the preserve area once and only caught one small brown. I have access to some private land on Brush Creek downstream a ways. I have heard there are some nice browns in there. Back when I fished Bear from the Delta Road access I walked up Brush Creek (I believe it's that giant pool that Bear and Brush meet, if my memory is correct). I actually caught a Small mouth there on Brush, but no Browns. It had the same rocky bottom composition as Brush and the water looked good. I turned back pretty shortly as there was a fence not very far up. I haven't tried in the State Preserve (or park, whatever it is) One of favorite spots used to be the area Glover and Otter meet, then directly downstream from there on Otter to the the gravel road bridge on the east end of Echo Valley. I haven't fished it since that fall 2012 but used to do very well on Browns there (including my PR) since it was off the beaten path of the usual areas that get hammered in Echo Valley. I haven't put much attention on the Fayette County streams in the last few years though, so I don't know what it's like nowadays.
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Rank: Midge
Joined: 6/12/2014(UTC)
Posts: 25
Location: SE MN
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All of this talk about Brush and Bear Creek made me decide to head over to Brush Creek after work. The scenery was great, but the water was low, warm and clear, as I suspected. No trout, but I did find one smallie and some giant creek chubs. Nothing big but it was my first smallie on a fly rod. 
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 Rank: Midge
Joined: 7/7/2014(UTC)
Posts: 2
Location: Madison, WI
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Beautiful fish; what a splendid rainbow!
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Rank: Dragon Fly
Joined: 5/23/2011(UTC)
Posts: 418
Location: WI, IA
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 Rank: Dragon Fly
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Location: western wisconsin
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Nice report and photos Donjuan! What kind of camera do you guys use?
My best spot for big browns and my best spot for big brookies both have smallies mixed in.
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 Rank: Stone Fly
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As the season progresses and the water warms, only the samllmouths will stay there. R
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Rank: Dragon Fly
Joined: 5/23/2011(UTC)
Posts: 418
Location: WI, IA
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mmalyuk wrote:Nice report and photos Donjuan! What kind of camera do you guys use?
My best spot for big browns and my best spot for big brookies both have smallies mixed in. Still have my trusty Panasonic Lumix TS3. I usually do some minor filtering to sharpen things up. Thinking about getting something to take video at some point...just not sure if I wanna open that Pandora's box! Big brookies and smallies together, eh? I have not fished to that combination at any point, must be some interesting water. rschmidt wrote:As the season progresses and the water warms, only the samllmouths will stay there. R Latest in the year Ive fished it is first week of June last year and caught 6 browns a few smallmouth and a sauger. I actually think this one runs cold enough that there might be some trout here year round, but definitely agree the smallmouth are much more abundant in summer. Maybe I will give it a try this year and find out.
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