Sunny, with a high near 13. Wind chill values as low as -20. Light southwest wind becoming south 8 to 13 mph in the morning.
Super crazy cold today. But, the Driftless being the Driftless, the sun will warm the creeks up and keep the fish and bugs happy (there might even be a hatch today, poor midges) Tomorrow the high will be 34. Much better weather for existing on the side of a trout stream.
After these deep freezes, creek choice is very important. Areas that have seen shade will have quite a bit of ice and fish poorly. Choose creeks that are in more wide open areas and receive the most amount of sun during the day. Also, focus on creeks and areas that have springs flowing into them. They are easy to spot when scouting as there will be steam coming from the springs in the cold weather!
Pant waders for the Driftless are where it’s at! They keep your protected and dry while eliminating the unnecessary bulk and warmth of fabric above the waist, and you don’t have pesky suspenders bugging you all day long (especially important on warmer days when you are wearing a lightweight shirt). Our creeks are shallow enough that you just do not need a full chest wader. While selections have been pretty slim in the past, 2020 has you covered with plenty of options for any style fishing and any budget. If you’re looking to have a much more comfortable Driftless experience, grab a pair of pants and go fish! (As an added bonus, you can rock them around town here in Viroqua and no one will bat an eye!) You can check out all the pant wader options on our site here. And never hesitate to drop us a line with any questions.
GOOD: Redington Escape Wading Pants. $189.99
Nothing flashy with these waders. You get a solid, 4 layer material in a simple cut with a hook and loop adjustable belt.
PROS:
Price. Coming in under $200 bucks these are more than affordable
Pockets: Excellent for storing tippet, flotant, your waterproof phone/camera etc. Drain holes will keep water from pooling in pockets
CONS:
Belt System: Just a tad clunky and fits a bit odd, but nothing you will care about once you start fishing
Sizing: Generic sizes which have an inseam that increases as you size up. Make sure you check the size chart and try them on!
BETTER: SIMMS FREESTONE WADING PANT $249.95
This is the best selling pant wader in the shop. Durable, reliable, and a great fit. 4 layer Toray Material, a comfortable belt, and a zippered fly for easy on/off
PROS:
Quality: These waders have passed the test time and time again. Rugged but comfortable and still cool on warmer days.
Pockets: Now a necessity for minimalist fishing, or for quick and easy to grab items. Drain holes are small, but still let out standing water.
CONS:
Zipper fly: While it does help getting the wader on and off, it isn’t easy to zip. Also does not function as an easy way to relieve yourself.
Generic Sizing: Again, why the inseam increases with the waist size is beyond me. Double check sizing and try them on!
BEST: PATAGONIA SWIFTCURRENT WADING PANT $349
This is the most pant like pair of waders out there! Gussets on waist and crotch mean they fit less like a wader, and give you a ton of freedom of movement without feeling like you are pulling at the seams. They are also constructed with a single seam which means far less chances for seam leaks or failures.
PROS:
Comfort: These are seriously comfortable waders! Unlike the other pant waders, they are cut like pants and do not have the ‘old man pant’ look or feel.
Sizing: With an impressive 13 sizes available, you can find a near perfect fit!
Pockets: Slide your bottle of flotant into your pocket and it feels natural just like your favorite pair of jeans! Drain holes on these waders too
Recycled Materials: Outside of the breathable layer, everything else on this wader is made of recycled fabrics!
CONS:
Cost: While there aren’t any performance issues at all, and an incredible warranty on the off chance that anything can go wrong, they are still spendy at $349
HONORABLE MENTION:
Simms G3 guide pant. These are a seriously bombproof pair of waders. While still extremely breathable, they tend to get toasty on warm days relative to the other waders listed. We walk a lot in the Driftless and while we are pushing through some brambles and bared wire, our meadow creeks don’t necessarily need the durability that the G3 has. If you are hard on your gear, or looking for a colder weather wading pant, this is it. $500
Cloudy through mid morning, then gradual clearing and cold, with a high near 4. Wind chill values as low as -21. Northwest wind 10 to 14 mph. Too cold to fish. Yesterday had rising fish and hatches of midges as well as emergences of winter stoneflies. The weekend should bring the same when temperatures warm up. Just make sure you choose your creek carefully. Pick more wide open meadows and creeks with good spring activity. Places like the West Fork have quite a bit of ice on them, while the Timber Coulee is pretty much ice free.
Increasing clouds, with a high near 35. South wind 10 to 14 mph becoming west in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 29 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. Total daytime snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible. A single warm day in the middle of the week today! If you are heading out, look for midges and winter stones mid day. Otherwise tight line nymphing tungsten bead head flies along the bottom, or twitching a leech will get you fish. Very cold the next couple of days, then the weekend and into Monday look great for winter conditions!
A chance of flurries before noon. Partly sunny, with a high near 26. West wind 8 to 11 mph. It’s gorgeous and sunny outside again today. However it is cold and getting around streamside is difficult due to the snow we got on Sunday. Looking ahead, Wednesday will be warm-ish, but unless you are going crazy with cabin fever, or live locally, it doesn’t look like it will be worth the drive until the weekend when temperatures start in the low 30s on Saturday then hit climb to 36 on Sunday and Monday!
Sunny, with a high near 28. Calm wind becoming southwest 5 to 7 mph in the morning. Our area got hit with around 4 inches of snow on Sunday. This means the banksides are full of snow again and can be difficult to get around on if you are not a strong wader. Creeks are in really nice shape for the winter with clear temperatures and low (winter normal) flows. The week ahead look to be chilly, chilly, mild, cold, cold and warming up again on Saturday. Wednesday looks good with temperatures in the mid 30s, but a chance for some wind. We will keep an eye on it. Otherwise, a good week to get gear ready, tie some flies and relax. There is nothing ahead until Saturday and Sunday that look excellent if you do not have a short drive to the creeks.
Scattered flurries after 5pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 29. Light northwest wind. Still wintertime. Fishing remains solid mid day with fish eating midges on the surface, heavy bead heads rolled along the bottom, and leeches twitched through the deep pockets and pools. The key in winter is moving often and finding the happy pods of fish. Cover lots of water and fish rising water temperature and you will catch fish!
Sunny, with a high near 30. Calm wind. Nothing crazy to report. Things look ok today and through Saturday. Saturday night and through Sunday they are predicting a bunch of snow. Might be a weekend to skip if you have to travel far to fish. If you are local, or already here it could be a pretty Sunday to fish in the snow and temperatures at 33. Next week looks about the same. Cold early and 30s mid week.
Cloudy, with a high near 26. Calm wind. Yeah, it is still winter and it can be cold. However, on the sunny days water temperatures climb and fish are active. It is just up to you how cold tolerant you are. The banks are easier than normal to get around on this time of year as there is little snow left bankside. But, it is still winter and temperatures will barely flirt with 30 degrees over the next few days. Nymphs and leech patterns are still the hot flies right now. Fish them slowly! There are still midges and winter stones hatching/emerging where you can find some pods of rising fish mid day too. Your best bet is a heavy competition style bug (perdigon, spanish bullet etc) fished below the riffles or a leech slowly twitched through deeper water.
Mostly cloudy, with a high near 24. North wind 10 to 13 mph. Nothing fantastic weather wise. The creeks are in great shape, but until about Thursday (highs near 30) the weather is just average. Warm enough to get out, but cold enough to be bothersome. Luckily the trout do not care! They will still be eating thin bodied bugs rolled along the bottom as well as swiping at slowly fished leeches and streamers.
