If you can plan a several-day trip, stay overnight in River Falls and spend at least one day fishing the Kinnickinnick River, Pierce County's other great trout stream. All Pierce and St. Croix county streams are open during both the regular and early seasons.

Contacts: Partners in Tourism, Ellsworth, 1-800-4-PIERCE; Lund's Hardware, River Falls, (715) 425-2415, online at www.lundshardware.doitbest.com.

MECAN RIVER
The Mecan is a river of surprises, but none so great as what greeted trouters on opening day in 1994 when a dead hippopotamus was found floating in a deep pool. The critter had escaped from a local game farm/zoo, and the owner shot it on the eve of the trout opener when he was unable to recapture it and feared it would attack an angler. More conventional surprises include an excellent population of wild browns, brookies and rainbows. The browns run big, but they are hard to catch. Night-fishing is popular during the annual Hexagenia hatch in summer.

The Mecan begins at Mecan Springs north of Highway 21 and flows southeast into Marquette County to the Fox River north of Lake Puckaway. There are about 10 miles of trout water in Waushara County and another six in Marquette County. There is good access at bridge crossings and state fishery areas.

Waushara County is home to over 30 more trout streams. The best known among them are the White, Pine and Willow. When conditions are not right on one, you should find good fishing on another.

Contacts: Wild Rose Fly Shop, (920) 622-4522; Waushara County Chamber of Commerce, (920) 787-7272.

EAST BRANCH EAU CLAIRE RIVER
Located north of Antigo in Langlade County, the East Branch of the Eau Claire River boasts 17 miles of trout water, most of it loaded with wild brook trout. Abundant holding water and in-stream cover -- together with a rich diversity of invertebrates -- help brookies routinely grow to 12 inches or longer, a rarity these days. Chris Halla, author of Wisconsin Blue-Ribbon Trout Streams and as honest a trout fisherman as you'll ever meet, claims he saw several very large brookies here on a September trip. The most productive waters lie between highways 45/47 and 64, Halla said.

Fly- and spin-fishermen alike should do well in the river's runs and pools. Hatches include Hendrickson, Sulphurs, Blue-Winged Olives, Caddis, Cahills and Tricos. Tiny Mepps spinners in gold and copper should draw strikes from eager brookies.

Contact: Antigo/Langlade Chamber of Commerce, 1-888-526-4523, or www.antigochamber.com.

PLOVER RIVER
The Plover River rises a few miles south of Antigo in Langlade County and meanders southwest through Marathon County and into Portage County, where its trout water pretty much ends. Along the way, it offers 25 miles of good trout fishing, with plenty of access points at bridge crossings and state fishery areas. Much of the river is wide, making casting easy, but there are a few places where muck makes wading difficult.