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Fly fishing near La Crosse, Wisconsin
145 waters with a page on this site lie within 30 miles of La Crosse, Wisconsin — Kickapoo River, Trempealeau River and South Fork Root River among them. June, July and August carry the most recorded hatches, 21 insects in June, 23 insects in July and 20 insects in August. In range: 8 blocks of public land with a page of their own and 5 fly shops. Everything below is measured or published — no ranking on this page is ours.
The water
| Water | Distance | Miles | July mean |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kickapoo River | 28.3 mi | 134.7 | — |
| Trempealeau River | 20.3 mi | 59.5 | — |
| South Fork Root River — MN | 28.8 mi | 57.5 | — |
| Coon Creek | 12.3 mi | 39.6 | — |
| Riceford Creek — MN | 25.9 mi | 32.7 | — |
| North Fork Bad Axe River | 17.3 mi | 31.8 | — |
| Rush Creek — MN | 27.4 mi | 30.8 | — |
| Money Creek — MN | 20.1 mi | 29.4 | — |
| West Fork Kickapoo River | 24.9 mi | 27.7 | — |
| Pine Creek — MN | 27.3 mi | 25.6 | — |
| Winnebago Creek — MN | 16.2 mi | 24.0 | — |
| Little LaCrosse River | 23.0 mi | 23.9 | — |
| Tamarack Creek | 20.2 mi | 22.8 | — |
| Garvin Brook — MN | 29.7 mi | 21.6 | — |
| Pine Creek — MN | 9.9 mi | 21.4 | — |
| Fleming Creek | 19.5 mi | 19.9 | — |
| North Fork Beaver Creek | 23.2 mi | 19.5 | — |
| Beaver Creek | 20.1 mi | 18.5 | — |
| Mormon Creek | 13.6 mi | 18.0 | — |
| Wisel Creek — MN | 27.7 mi | 17.6 | — |
| Springville Branch Bad Axe River | 17.7 mi | 16.9 | — |
| Bostwick Creek | 15.4 mi | 16.6 | — |
| South Fork Bad Axe River | 14.5 mi | 16.0 | — |
| Hornby Creek | 18.0 mi | 16.0 | — |
| Tainter Creek | 22.0 mi | 15.9 | — |
| Rush Creek | 28.4 mi | 15.7 | — |
| Otter Creek | 23.5 mi | 15.3 | — |
| Farmers Valley Creek | 26.8 mi | 14.8 | — |
| Silver Creek | 29.2 mi | 14.7 | — |
| Halfway Creek | 15.0 mi | 14.6 | — |
| Burns Creek | 20.8 mi | 14.5 | — |
| South Fork Beaver Creek | 21.5 mi | 13.9 | — |
| Gilmore Creek — MN | 25.5 mi | 13.8 | — |
| Beaver Creek West — MN | 22.0 mi | 13.7 | — |
| Brush Creek | 28.1 mi | 13.0 | — |
| Turton Creek | 22.2 mi | 12.7 | — |
| Duschee Creek — MN | 27.8 mi | 12.6 | — |
| French Creek | 29.3 mi | 12.5 | — |
| Timber Coulee Creek | 18.4 mi | 12.4 | — |
| Cedar Creek — MN | 20.6 mi | 12.0 | — |
| Crystal Creek — MN | 15.2 mi | 11.9 | — |
| Dutch Creek | 18.8 mi | 11.7 | — |
| Big Trout Creek — MN | 20.0 mi | 11.6 | — |
| Davis Creek | 24.1 mi | 11.3 | — |
| Cook Creek | 28.0 mi | 11.3 | — |
| Pleasant Valley Creek — MN | 23.3 mi | 10.6 | — |
| Silver Creek — MN | 14.8 mi | 10.4 | — |
| Sand Creek | 23.4 mi | 10.4 | — |
| Crooked Creek — MN | 12.7 mi | 9.9 | — |
| South Fork Crooked Creek — MN | 14.7 mi | 9.8 | — |
| Camp Creek | 29.8 mi | 9.8 | — |
| French Creek | 23.1 mi | 9.7 | — |
| Thompson Creek — MN | 11.5 mi | 9.6 | — |
| Fish Creek | 20.4 mi | 9.4 | — |
| Weister Creek | 27.0 mi | 9.4 | — |
| Stockton Valley Creek — MN | 27.1 mi | 9.2 | — |
| Bridge Creek — MN | 22.5 mi | 9.0 | — |
| Badger Creek — MN | 16.2 mi | 8.9 | — |
| Reads Creek | 22.2 mi | 8.9 | — |
| Diamond Creek — MN | 25.0 mi | 8.8 | — |
| North Fork Crooked Creek — MN | 14.5 mi | 8.6 | — |
| Soper Creek | 28.1 mi | 8.5 | — |
| Hemingway Creek — MN | 25.5 mi | 8.2 | — |
| Big Creek | 28.0 mi | 8.2 | — |
| Big Creek | 22.7 mi | 8.0 | — |
| Sullivan Creek — MN | 13.1 mi | 7.9 | — |
| Bear Creek | 25.2 mi | 7.9 | — |
| North Creek | 23.3 mi | 7.8 | — |
| Trout Run | 29.7 mi | 7.8 | — |
| Beaver Creek — MN | 18.4 mi | 7.7 | — |
| Seas Branch | 21.0 mi | 7.7 | — |
| Bee Creek — MN | 21.4 mi | 7.7 | — |
| Trump Coulee Creek | 27.8 mi | 7.7 | — |
| Campbell Creek — MN | 16.8 mi | 7.6 | — |
| Knapp Creek | 24.5 mi | 7.5 | — |
| Shattuck Creek — MN | 25.6 mi | 7.4 | — |
| Jug Creek | 29.3 mi | 7.4 | — |
| Big Springs Creek — MN | 25.9 mi | 7.3 | — |
| Fly Creek | 29.0 mi | 7.2 | — |
| Corey Creek — MN | 18.5 mi | 6.8 | — |
| Gribben Creek — MN | 25.9 mi | 6.6 | — |
| Spencer Creek | 26.9 mi | 6.6 | — |
| Elk Creek | 28.3 mi | 6.6 | — |
| Neshonoc Creek | 18.7 mi | 6.5 | — |
| Bishop Branch | 23.0 mi | 6.5 | — |
| Torkelson Creek — MN | 26.8 mi | 6.5 | — |
| Lakes Coulee Creek | 24.8 mi | 6.4 | — |
| South Bear Creek | 29.0 mi | 6.3 | — |
| Rathbone Creek | 28.3 mi | 6.2 | — |
| Daley Creek — MN | 21.3 mi | 6.0 | — |
| Wildcat Creek — MN | 10.8 mi | 5.9 | — |
| Cox Creek | 14.4 mi | 5.8 | — |
| Rullands Coulee Creek | 20.3 mi | 5.8 | — |
| Ferndale Creek — MN | 21.3 mi | 5.8 | — |
| Skutley Creek | 28.9 mi | 5.8 | — |
| Trout Creek | 26.8 mi | 5.7 | — |
| Storer Creek — MN | 13.9 mi | 5.6 | — |
| Beaver Creek East — MN | 18.8 mi | 5.5 | — |
| Upper Big Creek | 24.3 mi | 5.5 | — |
| Holcomb Coulee Creek | 20.3 mi | 5.1 | — |
| Tappen Coulee Creek | 25.8 mi | 5.1 | — |
| Harrison Creek | 24.1 mi | 5.0 | — |
| Butterfield Creek — MN | 11.7 mi | 4.9 | — |
| Hardies Creek | 20.8 mi | 4.9 | — |
| Bear Creek | 24.1 mi | 4.9 | — |
| Upper Brush Creek | 26.2 mi | 4.9 | — |
| Day Creek | 26.2 mi | 4.7 | — |
| Indian Spring Creek — MN | 14.0 mi | 4.6 | — |
| Dutch Creek | 19.5 mi | 4.5 | — |
| Vesta Creek — MN | 22.9 mi | 4.5 | — |
| Hasley Creek | 15.8 mi | 4.2 | — |
| East Beaver Creek | 25.9 mi | 4.2 | — |
| Jenkins Valley Creek | 28.2 mi | 4.2 | — |
| Frego Creek — MN | 26.9 mi | 4.1 | — |
| Sherry Creek | 22.9 mi | 4.0 | — |
| Sand Creek | 23.4 mi | 4.0 | — |
| West Beaver Creek | 25.1 mi | 4.0 | — |
| Looney Creek — MN | 15.2 mi | 3.9 | — |
| Bailey Creek | 28.8 mi | 3.9 | — |
| Silver Creek | 18.7 mi | 3.8 | — |
| Washington Coulee Creek | 23.9 mi | 3.7 | — |
| Beaver Creek | 24.7 mi | 3.7 | — |
| Elk Run | 25.1 mi | 3.7 | — |
| Dustin Creek | 29.4 mi | 3.7 | — |
| Hall Creek | 24.7 mi | 3.6 | — |
| Middle Bear Creek | 29.6 mi | 3.6 | — |
| Goose Creek | 28.1 mi | 3.4 | — |
| Swede Bottom Creek — MN | 15.6 mi | 3.3 | — |
| Sour Creek | 18.6 mi | 3.3 | — |
| Salzwedel Coulee Creek | 22.6 mi | 3.3 | — |
| Rocky Run | 24.7 mi | 3.3 | — |
| Dakota Creek — MN | 11.6 mi | 3.2 | — |
| Indian Creek | 27.4 mi | 3.2 | — |
| East Upper Big Creek | 24.2 mi | 3.1 | — |
| Joe Coulee Creek | 24.7 mi | 3.1 | — |
| Higgins Creek | 29.8 mi | 3.0 | — |
| Kepler Branch | 29.6 mi | 2.8 | — |
| Peterson Creek — MN | 29.7 mi | 2.6 | — |
| Tenny Spring Creek | 27.0 mi | 2.5 | — |
| Columbus Creek | 24.5 mi | 2.2 | — |
| Hoke Creek | 27.6 mi | 2.1 | — |
| Plum Run | 26.8 mi | 1.9 | — |
| North Branch Douglas Creek | 27.5 mi | 1.8 | — |
| Timber Coulee — named stretch | 18.1 mi | — | — |
| The West Fork — named stretch | 27.4 mi | — | — |
Straight-line distance from the middle of town to the middle of the water. The roads are not mapped here, so this page does not give you a drive time it did not measure.
A 3-day plan
Kickapoo River
No site in the state's access file falls within twelve miles of this water's centre, so the way in is public ground and road crossings.
Trempealeau River
No site in the state's access file falls within twelve miles of this water's centre, so the way in is public ground and road crossings.
South Fork Root River
No site in the state's access file falls within twelve miles of this water's centre, so the way in is public ground and road crossings.
Assembled, not written: the days are the largest waters in range, longest first, and each one carries the nearest site in Wisconsin's own access file — measured from the middle of the water, so it is a place to start looking rather than a landing on that river. Fish them in whatever order the weather gives you.
Hatches to hit
The months with the most recorded hatches in the Wisconsin driftless: June (21), July (23), August (20).
| Insect | Months | Hook |
|---|---|---|
| Fish Eggs | October–January and April | #10–16 |
| Little Black Stonefly | January–April | #16–18 |
| Little Brown Stonefly | February–April | #12–16 |
| Blue-Winged Olive | March–May and September–November | #16–22 |
| Blackfly | April–June | #18–22 |
| Blue Quill | April–May | #16–18 |
| Cranefly | April–June and September–October | #6–10 |
| Grannom | April–May | #14–16 |
| Hendrickson | April–May | #12–14 |
| Little Black Caddis | April–May | #16–20 |
| Caterpillar | May–September | #8–14 |
| Crayfish | May–October | #4–8 |
| Inchworm | May–June | #12–16 |
| Light Cahill | May–July | #12–16 |
Recorded from the Wisconsin driftless, earliest first. The year-round records sit at the bottom because they are true and they are not news.
Public land in range
- Coulee Experimental Forest — 11.1 mi
- Coon Creek Fishery Area — 15.0 mi
- Van Loon Wildlife Area — 15.7 mi
- North Bend Bottoms Wildlife Area — 20.5 mi
- Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife And Fish Refuge — 22.6 mi
- Sand Creek Streambank Protection Area — 23.2 mi
- West Fork Kickapoo River Watershed — 23.5 mi
- South Beaver Creek Wildlife Area — 24.3 mi
Blocks of ground with a page of their own, nearest first. Ownership from PAD-US as Wisconsin publishes it.
Camping and lodging
We have campground records for Michigan and for no other state, so there is nothing to list here rather than a list somebody guessed. The public land above is where the dispersed camping is, where the state allows it.
Fly shops
- Tri State Bait & Tackle — 3.8 mi, La Crescent
- The Driftless Angler — 24.3 mi, Viroqua
- Hogline Bait & Tackle — 25.2 mi, Winona
- River n Ridge Outdoors — 30.4 mi
- American Outfitters — 31.4 mi
From OpenStreetMap and a curated list, across all five states on this site. Call before you drive — a shop in a file is not a shop that is open.
Before you go
- Wisconsin regulations
- Wisconsin fishing report
- Kickapoo River
- Trempealeau River
- South Fork Root River
- Coon Creek
- Riceford Creek
- North Fork Bad Axe River