The best wet flies to bring are beadheads, scuds, pheasant tail nymphs, Woolly Buggers, and leech and crayfish patterns. For dry flies, bring Caddis, Blue-Winged Olives, Tricos, Renegades, mosquitoes and terrestrial imitations. At dusk, try a No. 10 Wulff for the really big browns. Some die-hards stay well into the night and use mouse flies and June bugs.

Biodegradable strike indicators can help you set the hook and won’t leave a mess behind. For line, start with 5X and 6X tippets on the end of a floating line. Use 9- or 12-foot tapered leaders down to 5X.

Hip boots are sufficient for most of these western Wisconsin streams. Rarely will the water be chest high, and often you will have better fishing if you stay out of the water altogether. Neoprene is necessary only very early in the season. Otherwise, bring breathable chest waders or hip boots. Felt soles are not necessary and will only cause you to slip in the mud.

It is not uncommon to see fly-fishers kneeling next to a stream while they cast. Keep a low profile and use accurate casts for the best results. Consider putting all flashy clippers, hemostats and zingers inside a pocket to keep them from flashing in the sun. Stealth is a key on these creeks.

The DNR has worked hard with local landowners to obtain easements for public fishing. Look for the public access signs. If you don’t see any, move on. There are hundreds of miles of public stream to choose from, and you will hinder the efforts of the DNR by upsetting the landowners. When in doubt, ask the landowner for permission. If you see stream improvement, take the time to thank the landowner. It will go a long way in increasing the fishable water in Wisconsin.

If you see a car parked at a pull-off or if you see anglers in the stream, go to a different creek. Trouting’s golden rule always applies here. If you have ever risen at 5 a.m. to be the first at a stream and then had a guy walk in front of you and cut you off at 7 a.m., you know what I’m talking about. Treat others as you want to be treated.

As for lodging, you will find traditional hotels in the major towns, but there won’t be a great selection. Instead, get the directory of Wisconsin Bed & Breakfasts, a state publication found in most rest areas along our major highways. For camping, good facilities can be found at Wildcat Mountain State Park by Ontario, Governor Dodge State Park by Dodgeville, Blue Mound State Park between Mt. Horeb and Barneveld, and Nelson Dewey State Park by Cassville.

Detailed maps of all Wisconsin trout streams -- with regulations, minimum-size limits, bag limits and class designation -- are provided by the DNR and can usually be found where you buy your license. The early season starts the first weekend in March in western Wisconsin, but with special regulations, including catch-and-release-only fishing, and the use of barbless hooks. The regular season starts the first weekend in May and goes until the last weekend of September.