The Urban Trout Stream

[Gladiator]

"Back in the day..." this trout stream used to be a very, very good little fishery. A couple years later with no stream maintenance, Beaver dams, kid's play, and a fish kill, it isn't near what it used to be.

I used to go in the dead of winter and at least pull a couple nice 11-12 inch rainbows out. Then, in the spring, it would be hog-heaven as the midges would hatch and I would throw on the smallest of the small, a size 22 Griffith's gnat and a size 22 trico spinner... Those big browns would sip ever so subtly and the brookies would just come up and hammer them...

Well, Jess took Maddox to a playground, which left me enough time to hit up McLoed Run (Iowa's only Urban Trout Stream). A good sized fish was barely to be found...but the one I did see - he gave me great memories of many good fish caught there...oh, and he did find the lightning bug I tied on as well. I think he went around 14-15 inches - skinny - but fun! I kept him on long enough for a quick picture.

I did catch quite a few 4 inch fingerling brown/rainbow trout....so they must be reproducing somewhere. Not sure where their mommy's and daddy's are...

Anyway here are a couple pics of the fish and when I met Maddox and Jess at the bridge...a date with the stream that God knew I needed!

[CamoMan]

Very, very nice Matt. I have never been a fly fisherman, but I have read so many accounts like yours that I feel like I have missed out on an important thing in life. Thanks for the story, photos and nostalgia.

[dbltree]

Very cool Matt! Praise God there is any trout in any streams in Iowa today...

[Matt-K]

if you like them trout, you need too come out too Idaho, some brute's out here, I prefer the ocean run version of Steelhead...
Matt

[dbltree]

I'll bet that is a fight and a 1/2!

[Matt-K]

yea, lets say breaking 10LB. line is not problem, I like light weight gear though, I used too use 8LB. leader and 10LB. main line, but I had 18 break offs in one weekend so I switched too 10LB leader and 12LB main line and made a big difference, I think I only lost 6 after I did that. Unreal fun, but not as fun as spot -n- stalk big Mulies.....
Matt