Big Spring Creek: A crease in the earth

Last Sunday my fishing partner and I went to Big Spring Creek south of Muscoda. We had an enjoyable time and caught some fish too.

The first section we fished was below Pine Tree Road where you’re allowed two fish each to catch for a meal. Stephen caught a keeper brookie right off the bat but let it go. His luck ran dry for a good long time after that.

I did all right, landing two Browns and a Brookie.

Big Spring Brook Trout

The author with a Big Spring Brown Trout

Big Spring Brown Trout

We stuck with Panther Martin #6 gold and silver spinners through this entire stretch. We cast into pools and along the water cress on either side of the creek where the fish were hiding out of sight. The fish in the last photo above is a 13-inch Brown that nailed my lure just as it was hitting the water. 

Big Spring Creek, Grant County, Wisconsin

Finally, Stephen landed the beauty below and we had our limit of keepers.

Stephen Rose with a Brookie from Big Spring Creek

We thought we’d try some fishing further downstream, maybe to hook into something bigger. We went to the Blue River below its confluence with Big Spring Creek. The water was very murky and the walking was sloppy.

We decided to turn around and fish Big Spring some more, this time about 1/4 mile downstream of the bridge where Big Spring Road crosses. 

Stephen had success again, finding a beautiful 14-inch Brookie in a deep hole along the hill in the shade. This fish put up an awesome fight, powering its head down into cover and making its displeasure known. But in the end Stephen brought the fish to hand.

Stephen Rose with a 15" Brook Trout from Big Spring Creek

More action was had below the bridge at Big Spring Road. There is an enormous hole above, under, and downstream of the bridge. I’m guessing at least 10-feet deep and as big as a swimming pool. You could do cannonballs off the bridge into this hole.

I had switched to a #4 Panther Martin Brook Trout pattern lure, and got lucky, landing first a Brookie and second a Brown. My approach was to cast under the bridge, count to 10 to be sure the lure was near the bottom, and crank the reel quickly. Both fish were caught the moment I started my retrieve, and they were deep.

A hefty Brook Trout from Big Spring Creek

A Big Spring Brown Trout caught below the bridge at Big Spring Road.

This bridge will be my first stop next time I visit, instead of my last. Fishing this hole at dawn would be fairly incredible, I’m sure.

This catch and release only area makes me wonder when or if the regulations will be adjusted to allow “catch and kill” or as I like to call it, “catch and eat”. There are numerous fish of all sizes, likely thousands per mile. Do the regulations ever get evaluated after Habitat Improvement work has been done on a section of stream? It seems to me this section could handle catch and eat regulations, don’t you think?

Lastly, we hiked up the trail to see the Big Spring itself. Ice cold and beautiful. Looks like a Smoky Mountain Spring Creek according to Stephen. We plan to take our boys back here to have some fun in the water. The fishing wasn’t much upstream of the bridge. Pretty shallow and not many features for trout to hide and feed in.

Big Spring Creek Cascade

View from the top of the cascade at Big Spring

Even though the weather was clear and sunny, as opposed to cloudy and drizzling, we still caught fish. A nice outing all around! Get out there and fish!