Prairie River Wisconsin Fly Fishing Report & Options for Selecting Flies: Email us at (sales@perfectflystore.com) with the dates you will be fishing and we will send you a list of our fly recommendations. We can get flies and gear to you within two to three business days from the time you place your order via Priority Mail. If you provide a budget for flies, we will select them to match the budget and get them to you on time for your trip. Your can also call us at 800-594-4726 and we will help you decide what flies and gear to use. All orders are shipped free in the U.S. If under a $100 order requiring Priority mail is a charge of only $8.10. Orders over a $100 are shipped free via Priority Mail.
We have custom Perfect Fly selections in 3 different price ranges for this stream that come with or without fly boxes that make excellent gifts. Click Here To Order or Call us at 800 594 4726 or email us at sales@perfectflystore.com.
Type of Stream
Freestone
Species
Brown Trout
Rainbow Trout
Brook Trout
(Stocked with wild some wild brooks)
Size
Medium
Location
Northeastern Wisconsin
Nearest Towns
Gleason
Season
First Sat. in March through Sept 31
Special Regulations
Catch and Release sections
Access:
Fair
Non-Resident License
State of Wisconsin
Weather
National Weather Service Link
Seasons:
Fly fishing the South Fork of the Priarie River is good all season.
Spring:
Springtime can be a good time provided the water isn’t too high
Summer:
Early summer can be very good. The water can get to warm in most of the stream during late summer and the hottest days.
Fall:
Fall may be the best time to fish the Prairie River.
Winter:
The season is closed.
Recommended Tackle & Gear
Fly Line:
4, 5 or 6 weight
Leaders:
Dry fly: 9 to 12 ft., 5 or 6X Nymphing:
71/2 ft., 3 or 4X, Streamers 0-2X
Tippets:
Dry fly: 5 or 6X, Nymphing: 3 or 4X,
Streamer 0-2X
Best Fly Rods:
Perfect Fly Supreme Four, Superb Five
or Ultimate Six
Fly Reels:
For 4/5/6 fly line
Fly Floatants and Misc Items:
Floatants, KISS Strike Indicators
Tools & Accessories:
Nippers, forceps, retractors, etc.
Copyright 2013 James Marsh
Fly Fishing The Prairie River, Wisconsin (South Fork)
According to its sign, the little Northeastern Wisconsin town of Gleason claims it is the “Trout Fishing Capital of the World”. That is because at one time, the Prairie River may have been one of the best trout streams in the World. Gleason just happens to be sitting right on the river.
During the past fifty years, changes in the water have taken place and Prairie Dell Pond became silted in. Some believe that is responsible for raising the water temperatures. Of course that hurt the cold water fishery. Thanks to Trout Unlimited and other organizations, much work has been done on removing silt and other stream improvements and the stream is gradually getting better. During the past several years, two dams were removed and the river now runs free.
The Prairie River has two basic types of water that are very much different. Gleason is also located where the change from the slow moving smooth water to the fast pocket water occurs. Anglers refer to them as the Upper and Lower Prairie River. The river is a fairly large stream, averaging about 60 feet wide. It is a tributary of the Wisconsin River.
Fly Fishing Guide to the Prairie River
Certainly one thing that has a great deal to do with how you fish the Prairie River is which section you fish, the upper or lower river.
The Prairie River comes from three boggy lakes near Elcho. The upper part of the stream has both brown and brook trout. Above the little town of Dudley the fish are mostly brook trout. They exist in both the main stem of the river and the North Fork. Below Dudley, most of the fish are brown trout. The lower section is stocked with brook trout, rainbow trout and brown trout. There is a catch and release only section in the area above Dudley.
Above Gleason, most of the brook trout are wild but there are some stockers also in the area. Most of the river can be reached via highway #17 which flow on or nearby just about its entire length. The state provides several access areas along the river.
As mentioned, the methods you use to fish the Prairie River depend greatly on which sections you are fishing and which species you are pursuing. The brook trout can get very large in this stream. The state record was caught in 1944 and was 9 pounds and 15 ounces. Of course the great majority of the brook trout are not near that large.