Minnesota is home to some of the finest — and often most overlooked — trout fishing in the country. Some anglers think you need to fish the Rockies or Appalachians for decent trout, but Minnesota’s trout streams are healthy and easily accessible.

There may not be many traffic jams during the mid-April trout opener, but this relatively uncelebrated weekend has a dedicated following that is growing. Trout anglers who fish our streams from April’s opener until early June usually outfish their counterparts on the lakes.

The Department of Natural Resources and conservation organizations like Trout Unlimited have worked hard to secure public land adjacent to trout streams to ensure public access to these jewels. Where there is private property, they have worked with generous landowners to obtain easements and allow the public to fish portions of water previously untouchable.

Minnesota streams are home to three main species of trout, including browns, rainbows and brookies. The brook trout is the most sensitive of all species and are usually found in the cool, headwater portions of Minnesota’s streams. Brown trout are the most prevalent, with fishable populations found throughout the state. Rainbow trout are stocked in the southeast but naturally reproduce along some streams of the Arrowhead Region. On tributaries to Lake Superior, rainbow trout from the lake can be caught below the first barrier waterfall.

Before fishing a trout stream, consult the 2005 Minnesota Fishing Regulations for season dates, limits and restrictions. Because trout streams have a special designation, they are carefully managed, and regulations can change depending on what part of the river you are fishing.

Minnesota’s trout streams are sensitive ecosystems and need the diligence of anglers if they are going to stay healthy. Everybody consulted for this article urged catch-and-release for all trout except for those bound for the frying pan.

SOUTHEASTERN MINNESOTA

With 680 miles of designated trout water, a third of which is publicly accessible, the southeastern corner of our state offers your best chance of catching a lot of trout, and some good-sized ones, too. Most of the streams originate from springs and stay cool throughout the summer. Frequent hatches of mayflies, caddis flies and midges provide an excellent forage base.

The DNR often implements special regulations in the southeast to protect the fishery, and recently did so in the fall of 2004. Protected slot limits for trout 12 to 16 inches were put on a total of 14 streams with the goal of improving fishing quality for larger trout while maintaining diverse fishing opportunities. Consult the 2005 regulations for the detailed listing of impacted waters.

Jason Moeckel is an assistant fisheries manager for the DNR’s southern region and one of the people responsible for managing these plentiful waters.

“Regulations are a short-term way to improve the resource, but long-term improvements require a commitment to protecting and improving habitat,” he said.

Two of the most productive, and accessible, streams in the southeast are the Whitewater River system and Root River system. They are referred to as “systems” because each has multiple forks and tributaries that contribute to the flow.

Dave Kolbert, a southeastern Minnesota trout enthusiast and long-time fly-fishing instructor, said he likes to explore the lesser-known trout streams in the area. Like most trout enthusiasts, Kolbert was unwilling to give up his favorite secret locations, but most everywhere he fishes is accessible to the public. “Be open to exploring and you can find some tremendous fishing,” he said.

These river systems, along with other trout streams, flow through state-managed land and acres of easements. The DNR publishes a Trout Fishing Access in Southeastern Minnesota guide with maps showing the publicly fishable sections. This guide was last printed in 1998 and another edition is scheduled for publication in 2006. Moeckel encouraged anglers to obtain a free copy of the book and check the DNR Web site at www.dnr.state.mn.us for the most updated maps and newly acquired easements.