Some people think that you have to take a vacation out west to see something truly special in nature; I think I just have to walk out in my backyard.

Southeast Minnesota and western Wisconsin are home to something unique, unlike the rest of the Midwest, these regions were not affected by drifting glaciers that came by around 14,000 years ago and, therefore, we have pretty cool local  geology. Have you ever wondered why there are absolutely no lakes around Winona? It’s because the glaciers didn’t have the chance to carve out the basins for them like they could for the rest of the state. Lake Winona is a floodplain lake so it doesn’t count.

This phenomenon has caused Southeast streams to be very different from streams of the rest of the state and streams up north mainly rely on precipitation and runoff to maintain their flow while around here streams are self-sufficient of springs that provide water from the ground. You can see this especially in Whitewater as they are littered all along the stream. 

Along with unique stream features, the Driftless area has unique and beautiful bluffs in which the water from streams and runoff have carved through the soft limestone for millions of years creating some really cool cliffs, caves, and valleys.

The Driftless year round is very beautiful, but in the spring it rivals the beauty of national parks. When all the trees start growing leaves and the shrubbery starts peeking out green from the dead plants from the year before and after a good rain it makes everything pop in color,  making the Driftless look like some magical place that only exists in your imagination.

 I frequently daydream about these early spring days during school and often can’t wait for the weekend or after school when I can go out for a couple of hours. In early May all the flowers bloom and it adds patches of red, yellow, blue, white, and others to the already vibrant landscape.

I spoke with several people who also appreciate the Driftless, the first is my friend Max May. Max is an avid fly fisherman and I cannot tell you how many miles that we have traversed through the woods and valleys together.

Max emphasized the many times that he has enjoyed catching the readily available big and beautiful fish

“I have yet to find a spot that doesn’t hold either really pretty fish, very sizeable fish, or both,” Max said. “All my family and friends fish, and it always looked really fun, so when I got to the age when I could go by myself, I went.”

 Although fishing in the Driftless is always appealing, other than the freezing cold days of deep winter, it isn’t always sunshine and rainbows.

“I have really good days followed by really bad ones, and sometimes I want to curse until I can’t anymore and snap my rod on my knee; It’s tough man, but it always keeps me coming back. It’s the thrill of the chase,” Max said. 

I also spoke with my dad. My dad, although not a fly fisherman, has always appreciated the simple glory of a place forgotten by glaciers and most of my earliest memories of trout fishing include him. He has also caught the biggest trout out of anyone  I know at a staggering 27 inches.

“My absolute favorite thing to throw at trout are shallow jointed crankbaits in trout colors, preferably Rapalas,” he said. Although largely a walleye fisherman, my dad still agrees that fishing in general, especially fly fishing, is getting too expensive. “You need to buy an expensive rod, then line, then a backpack to put your lures in, the waders, the list goes on and on; it gets ridiculous,” he said. 

After our rant about boat prices, we then turned to what makes fishing way better, fishing buddies.

“My best friend Tim is by far my favorite person to fish with; whenever we get out into the Driftless, good day or not, we always have a great time,” said my dad.

I also spoke with my friend Logan Banicki. Logan and I frequently go down to Whitewater together and always have a good time. Although not the greatest fisherman, he still knows what it takes to get fish into the net.

Logan started fishing the Driftless when he was about ten or eleven years old with his dad.

“It has just always appealed to me, even if I do not go a ton I always get excited to go back out,” he said.

As we’ve been in some frustrating situations together I then asked him what got him the most frustrated while fishing. “When I get in snags and tangle my line, I have been known to lose it and get really mad,” he answered. I can confirm this. 

Logan’s favorite time to fish the Driftless is when it’s “sunny and cool, spring is usually the best time for this weather. I enjoy it in the fall though too, I have had some great days in late September and early October.”

Every time I fish the Driftless, I thank God for the opportunity to be able to experience such a wonderful and beautiful area that I am so lucky to live in. I am so grateful that I have friends that I can enjoy this with. So next time you want to experience the beauty of God’s creation, look no further than your own backyard.