I
guide on
dozens of streams north and south of the Wisconsin River. Chicago,
the Twin Cities and Milwaukee are all within a 2 ½- to 4-hour drive
of my primary guiding areas detailed below. I guide anglers from around the Midwest and from distant states. If
you’ll be near the Driftless on business or travel, or you’re
looking for a new destination, I invite you to check out this unique
concentration of small, intimate spring creeks with superb public
access.
Rich's
YouTube Videos, click here, will give you a feel for the
fishery.
Viroqua Area: I
do the bulk of my guiding in the Viroqua area, often meeting anglers
in Viroqua or nearby Westby to start the day. Viroqua (½-hour
southeast of La Crosse and 1½ hours west of Madison) is surrounded
by dozens of productive streams in Vernon and neighboring counties.
Having access to many streams helps us avoid other anglers and choose
water that will fish well in current conditions. The Viroqua area,
including nearby Westby, has many lodging and eating options making
it a popular place for visiting anglers to base. Viroqua is also home
to the Driftless Angler,
a full-service fly shop. When I guide the Viroqua area for multiple
days I usually camp at nearby Sidie Hollow County Park (view details
online at Vernon County Parks).
Grant County:Grant County lies south of the Wisconsin
River in the far southwestern corner of the state. For Illinois
anglers, Grant County is a shorter drive than points north of the
Wisconsin River. Grant County has fewer streams than the Viroqua
area, but the county’s better streams are as good as any in the
Driftless. In addition to the major streams, I guide some lesser
known Grant County waters that hold fishable numbers of relatively
large brown trout that are fun to target with Buggers and streamers
if conditions are favorable. Fennimore is the angling hub of Grant
County and, along with nearby Lancaster, has the most lodging and
restaurant options. Anglers can also base out of the smaller towns of
Muscoda or Boscobel situated right on the Wisconsin River in northern
Grant County. Some good streams in southern Crawford County (just
north of the Wisconsin River) are within a ½-hour drive of Boscobel.
When guiding in Grant County and southern Crawford County, I usually
camp at Riverside Park in Muscoda (operated by the village of
Muscoda) or at the Kohout farm—a no-frills cow pasture campground
located right on Castle Rock Creek.
Richland County:
Richland County provides fine Driftless
fishing starting just an hour west of Madison. Many Richland County
streams are within an hour of my home, so I fish them frequently and
know them well. When guiding in Richland County, I often
meet anglers in Richland
Center (a full-service town), or in one of the small streamside
villages scattered throughout the county. Streams in western Richland
County are just a half-hour drive east of Viroqua and are easily
reached by Viroqua-based anglers.
Kickapoo
Reserve/Wildcat Mountain Area:The
streams in and around the Kickapoo Reserve and Wildcat Mountain State
Park are actually the closest Driftless streams to my home, so I
personally fish them often, know them well, and jump at the chance to
guide these waters that are far enough off the beaten path that they
attract relatively few fly fishers. Ontario and LaFarge are area
towns. Wildcat Mountain State Park has a beautiful bluff top
campground. The area offers other outstanding recreational
opportunities, including canoeing/kayaking on the Kickapoo River
(rentals and shuttles available), biking through old train tunnels on
the Elroy/Sparta state trail, and horseback riding and hiking on the
extensive Kickapoo Reserve/Wildcat Mountain trail system.
