There are countless reasons to visit Wisconsin’s Driftless Region. The landscape of steep river valleys, exposed rock formations and forested ridges are ideal for any outdoor enthusiast.
The area is full of meandering streams and rivers with cold, spring-fed water pushing through the rocks – making the Driftless Region one of the best trout-fishing habitats in the country.
Trout season runs through Oct. 15 with some of the best fishing conditions in the fall making it an ideal time to plan a trip to the Driftless to try your hand at fly fishing.
So first, what is fly fishing? Here's how Geri Meyer, co-owner and guide at the Driftless Angler in Viroqua describes it, "fly fishing is the use of primarily all artificial lures or bait. We use a fly rod and fly reel and the idea of this is to aerialist your bait or lures and to basically fool a fish into thinking that what is landed in front of them is a bug."
The Driftless Region has almost no lakes but it is full of narrow streams, creeks and rivers. Those creeks are spring-fed and able to stay at more consistent tempartures.
"This area is ideal for that because the springs keep them a little bit warmer in the winter months and cooler in the summer months typically, so it's basically very, very healthy for cold-water fish, namely trout," Meyer explains.
The ideal time to fly fish the Driftless is May and June when there are bugs on the water the trout become active and again in September and October. The season typically lasts until mid-October.
For those who are new to fly fishing or would like to get some tips from the pros, the Driftless Angler offers guided fly fishing throughout the season.
"I think for us, all the guides that work with us, the goal is to teach you how to do this in hopes that you're going to be able to keep coming back and doing it on your own. So we do fundamentals, we make sure you really have a solid cast...we teach people how to read water and what bugs are going to work. So education is a big part of it," Meyer says.
Meyer says a fly fishing trip to the Driftless doesn't necessarily even need to be about getting a good catch.
"Most people aren't good at it right away. You know it takes some practice but the nice thing about it is that you are in the most spectacular areas. They say that trout don't live in ugly places and as cliche as it is, it's definitely true. And I would say that this area of the Driftless especially is just stunning," Meyer muses.
If fly fishing isn't your thing there's plenty of other things to do in the Driftless Region in the late summer and early fall.
Logan Wroge with Travel Wisconsin recommends outdoor enthusiasts head to Ontario to kayak or canoe the Kickapoo River.
"It's a relatively gentle river, so it makes for a great river to paddle for those who may be new to the sport. Fall is certainly a great time to paddle too with those cooler temperatures and colors reflecting off the water," Wroge explains.
It's getting to be that time of the year for apple picking. Wroge recommends checking out one of the area's many orchards.
"Gays Mills is actually one of Wisconsin's powerhouse apple growing regions. So you're gonna find a ton of orchards there. One you might want to check out is Sunrise Orchards. They actually grow 20 plus varieties of apples. And of course they are using those apples to make delicious pastries and sweets like their famous apple cider donuts," Wroge says.
If the donuts don't satisfy your hunger, Wroge recommends checking out the Driftless Cafe for lunch or dinner.
"The restaurant prioritizes locally grown, seasonal ingredients. They actually work with many of the more than 200 organic farmers in Vernon County to craft these farm fresh flavors. It's kind of like an ode to elevated comfort food," Worge explains.
He also recommends Maybe Lately's for breakfast or lunch or stopping for coffee at the sustainably-run Wonder State Coffee.
