This stream is full of native brook trout, stocked and native browns, and stocked rainbows. It is a Class II stream, but with over 28 miles of stocked water, it is anything but marginal.

Early in the season, fly-fishers should try No. 18 black stoneflies, No. 16 beadhead Princes and No. 18 black Copper Johns. Expect to see Baetis hatching, and you can match with about a No. 16 to No. 18 fly. Craneflies, No. 22 Hendricksons and No. 22 Blue-Winged Olives work well as the season progresses.

In the larger water around the Highway 10 bridge, you could catch 12-inch brookies and 18-inch browns.

LOST & CADY CREEKS
Lost Creek, a tributary to the Rush River, is also full of trout. A road parallels this stream, giving anglers ample places to pull the vehicle over to fish.

Cady Creek is another Pierce County stream. It is just minutes from the Rush River in the county’s extreme northeast corner. For a purely native brook trout experience, try the seven miles of Class I trout water. Here you will find smaller water that is likely to be clear when larger waters are muddy. Fish from Highway 29 south to Highway P. Below Highway P, the water is marginal. The creek eventually joins the Eau Galle River.

WILLOW CREEK
Now we are moving much farther south to Richland County and Willow Creek, which is starting to turn some heads.

As you travel up and down Highway 58, you will have several opportunities to check out the main stem of Willow Creek and its six tributaries, all of which hold trout. Overall, there are 20 miles of Class I water to explore.

On the main stem, start at Hollow Road and fish upstream through Loyd. You will find parking at Hollow Road and also at Smyth Hollow Road, both of which are off Highway 58. Concentrate on deep undercut banks and under deadfalls to find trophy trout. There are rumors that large broodstock rainbows have been released into Willow Creek, but otherwise, you should expect to catch native brookies and wild brown trout. Beyond the usual cattle, you’ll find donkeys on the land around the town of Loyd to add to the fun.

The first tributary to Willow Creek that you should try is the Little Willow on Highway NN. Other spots to try are Smith Hollow, Lost Hollow, Wheat Hollow, Jacquish Hollow and Happy Hollow. Fish the small creeks early in the season before the bank vegetation gets too high, and then again in the fall when grasshoppers pelt the water.

If you are in the area, pack a picnic lunch and stop at Pier Natural Bridge Park on Highway 80. The river runs underneath a rock wall, and it is a truly fascinating sight.

BLUE RIVER
The Blue River in Grant County is an excellent trout stream, and it has a catch-and-release section that is hard to beat.

The most famous stretch is near Castle Rock, so named because of a beautiful outcropping of rock atop a bluff. Fishing these streams on weekdays in May can be an absolute joy. Cast a No. 12 or No. 14 Hare’s Ear nymph into the deep pools, and get ready to set the hook.