Rising some 350 feet above the river are the Ocooch Mountains, named for a small band of Indians called the Ocoche who once made these hills home.

It stretches some 50 miles through the Arkansas River Valley and has more than 34,000 acres of boating and fishing waters. It’s also one of the most popular lakes in Arkansas for fishing tournaments because of large populations of catfish, white and largemouth bass, bream and crappie. Other fish in the LA River include minnows, mosquitofish and sunfish. Because this urban river runs for 51 miles, people can fish from several designated areas. Elysian Valley remains a popular spot, at the end of Ripple Place and along Harwood Street and Shoredale Avenue. You can also try fishing on the LA River near Long Beach. Fisherman’s Choice Charter fishes Alaska’s Little Susitna River, Deshka River and Talkeetna River in Mat-Su Valley, an easy drive north of Anchorage. We start fishing Alaska’s Little Susitna River (“Little Su”) in Mid-May for Alaskan King Salmon. The Little Su River is a 90 minute drive north of Anchorage, or 45 minutes from Wasilla.

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At 125 miles, the Kickapoo River is the longest tributary of the Wisconsin River, meandering from its source in Wilton to Wauzeka, where it joins the Wisconsin. The proverbial crow flying between these two towns would only cover 65 miles. But Kickapoo is an Algonquin word meaning “one who goes there, then here,” an accurate description of a river that manages to flow north, south, east and west for some portion of its 125 mile length. Because the glaciers that missed the Driftless Area did not change its natural course, the Kickapoo River Valley is one of the oldest river systems in the world.

Rising some 350 feet above the river are the Ocooch Mountains, named for a small band of Indians called the Ocoche who once made these hills home. The “mountains” are really a region of forested hills, lush valleys and sandstone cliffs that stretch beyond the Kickapoo River watershed roughly from Spring Green to Viroqua. You won’t find the Ocooch Mountains on a Wisconsin map, but that’s immaterial. What you will find is that nearly every deep valley has a pristine trout stream running through it.

A trip down the Kickapoo River can be accomplished by canoe, by automobile, or by biking along State Highway 131. Beginning at Wilton, the center of the Elroy-Sparta Bike Trail, the river is slightly more than a stream. At Ontario, the river has carved out vertical sandstone cliffs covered with mosses, ferns, hemlocks and wildflowers. Ontario is a popular spot to launch a canoe, your own or one rented from a local livery. And here, on a steep ridge, you will find the 3,600-acre Wildcat Mountain State Park, which offers 25 miles of hiking, horseback riding, and cross-country ski trails plus well-equipped camp sites.

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Between Ontario and La Farge stretches the 8,600-acre Kickapoo Valley Reserve. The Reserve offers a variety of recreation: fishing and hunting; horseback riding and hiking trails; cross-country skiing and snowshoeing; canoeing and camping. In the center of the Reserve on its western edge is Rockton, another popular canoe launching site. Near Avalanche, the West Fork of the Kickapoo River is cited by anglers as some of the best trout fishing in the Midwest. At its southern tip, the Village of La Farge, home of Organic Valley, the country’s largest organic farming cooperative, calls the Reserve its “big backyard.”

Continuing south, you reach Viola, famous for its fall Horse and Colt Show; then Readstown, the center point of the river; and Soldiers Grove, whose downtown was flooded on so many occasions that the residents relocated it in the 1970s, erecting the nation’s first solar village. Next is Gays Mills, the “Apple Capital” of Wisconsin.

Near Steuben the river valley widens further. In a few miles, the road along the Kickapoo River begins to rise and you soon find yourself on a ridge top overlooking the silos, barns, and pastures that typify the area. Then a steep curving downhill brings you to the quiet village of Wauzeka and the end of the Kickapoo as it flows into the Wisconsin River.

Whether on the road or on the river, the Kickapoo Valley is a special place. You can see over 300 species of rare plants and wildflowers; over 100 species of bird, from bald eagles to sandhill cranes to rare Kentucky warblers. You can see muskrats, beaver, white-tailed deer, raccoons, woodchucks, mink, otter and fox. You can see four types of forests, goat prairies, and prairie remnants.

Come see it all. Come meander the Kickapoo River area.

Whether for a weekend, a week, or longer, you’ll enjoy your stay in Driftless Wisconsin.

Los Angeles has a handful of rivers ideal for fishing, and its freshwater rivers are open all year. Fish living in LA's rivers include wild trout, carp, minnows, bass and bluegill. To legally fish in any of the rivers in Los Angeles County, you need a valid fishing license from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (dfg.ca.gov), so be sure to get your license before you start fishing.

Big Tujunga Creek

You can access Big Tujunga Creek from Interstate 210 near Foothill Boulevard and the Angeles Forest Highway near old Wickiup Camp. The creek runs southwest from the San Gabriel Mountains to the San Fernando Valley for about 29 miles. In Pacoima, the stream joins Little Tujunga Creek to form the Tujunga Wash. Droughts occasionally dry out the river bed, so fishing is possible only when there is enough water flowing in the river. The fish caught regularly in Big Tujunga Creek include trout, largemouth and smallmouth bass, and bluegill.

Little Rock Creek

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Little Rock Creek runs through the city of Palmdale in Los Angeles County. To get there, you can take State Route 14 to State Route 138 east. Exit at Chesboro Road, and then make a right turn past Little Rock Reservoir until you see the signs for the river. Fish in Little Rock Creek include bluegill and bass. California's Department of Fish and Wildlife recently stopped rainbow trout 'plants' in several freshwater rivers throughout Los Angeles, including LIttle Rock Creek, so don't expect much rainbow trout in Little Rock Creek.

San Gabriel River

The San Gabriel River is near the city of Azusa in Los Angeles County northwest of LA. To get to the river, take Interstate 210 and exit north at State Route 39. When you pass the second reservoir, you can make a left or right turn and park. The San Gabriel River has populations of wild trout, bass, bluegill and panfish.

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Los Angeles River

Established in 2002, the Ad Hoc Committee on the Los Angeles River aimed to clean up and encourage recreational use of the river. Historically, the LA River has been an important source of steelhead trout for locals. However, since its channelization, nonindigenous species like carp and tilapia have replaced trout. Other fish in the LA River include minnows, mosquitofish and sunfish. Because this urban river runs for 51 miles, people can fish from several designated areas. Elysian Valley remains a popular spot, at the end of Ripple Place and along Harwood Street and Shoredale Avenue. You can also try fishing on the LA River near Long Beach.

References

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About the Author

Jason Cristiano Ramon holds a doctorate in political science and a master's degree in philosophy. He has taught political science in China.

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