Mayflies
Chironomids
Gammarids
A Delaware County creek near Manchester at the southwestern edge of the trout country, spring-fed and stocked, popular and accessible — a good place to start an Iowa Driftless trip.
- Limestone
Water temperature for Brown Trout
Ideal13°C est.ideal 10–16°C
0°14°28°
How to fish it · for Brown Trout
When
Nymphing can work through most of the day.
Where
Cover mixed depths.
Method
Start with tight-line nymphs and adjust if fish rise or drift higher.
Kit
9 ft #4 rod, floating line, 12 ft tapered leader to 4–5 lb fluoro tippet.
Why this works
Excellent — water temperature is right today, though insect activity could be better.
Likely species
Mayflies
Hatch timeline · todayPeak at 12pm
12pm(now) — Eastern Blue-Winged Olive
Stage: On emergersApproach: Emerger or dryActivity: 38%
Peak emergence window
Peak activity at 12pm — Eastern Blue-Winged Olive (Eastern Blue-Winged Olive, Peak emergence window)
Sub-surface · on the nymphunder the surface
Hatch predictions
Supporters see the full sub-surface read.
Start free trial14-day free trial. Cancel anytime.
Beyond the hatch · worth watchingambient prey(1)
Hatch predictions
Top prey shown — see all 2 as a supporter.
Start free trial14-day free trial. Cancel anytime.
Evidence
Records-basedModerate confidence
Based on species-occurrence records, not local invertebrate surveys.
Through the year
0–3 scale · October highlighted
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
SulphurHatch
2
3
2
Trico (Eastern)Hatch
2
3
3
2
Eastern Blue-Winged OliveHatch
2
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
2
Eastern Summer BWO (Drunella)Hatch
2
3
3
2
Numbers are intensity 0 (none) to 3 (peak) — a guide, not a guarantee.
Ranked for today
Brown Trout fly box
8-12 · Pattern
Proven pattern for this period
Local fly shops: Driftless Fly Fishing Co.
Permits & access
Permit required — see local rules.
- Iowa DNR — verify regulations and stocking schedule.
What's coming
Plan ahead
5-day outlook
About this water
The full read · show the working · for Brown Trout · confidence 90%
How the 84 is built — score × weight = contribution
Temperature100 × 28%28.0
Flow80 × 22%17.6
Clarity95 × 18%17.1
Feeding Time70 × 13%9.1
Pressure80 × 7%5.6
Insect activity59 × 12%7.1
Conditions total= 84
Can you trust it?
Water temperatureair-to-water estimateestimated
Level / flowon-river gaugeobserved
Prey activitymodelled from regional profilemodelled
Directions
Seasons & zones
- Trout Open all year → Open all year
Related guides
Booking & contacts
Spring Branch
A Delaware County creek near Manchester at the southwestern edge of the trout country, spring-fed and stocked, popular and accessible — a good place to start an Iowa Driftless trip.
Water temperature for Brown Trout
Ideal13°C est.ideal 10–16°C
0°14°28°
How to fish it · for Brown Trout
When
Nymphing can work through most of the day.
Where
Cover mixed depths.
Method
Start with tight-line nymphs and adjust if fish rise or drift higher.
Kit
9 ft #4 rod, floating line, 12 ft tapered leader to 4–5 lb fluoro tippet.
Why this works
Excellent — water temperature is right today, though insect activity could be better.
Likely species
Mayflies
Hatch timeline · todayPeak at 12pm
12pm(now) — Eastern Blue-Winged Olive
Stage: On emergersApproach: Emerger or dryActivity: 38%
Peak emergence window
Peak activity at 12pm — Eastern Blue-Winged Olive (Eastern Blue-Winged Olive, Peak emergence window)
Sub-surface · on the nymphunder the surface
Hatch predictions
Supporters see the full sub-surface read.
Start free trial14-day free trial. Cancel anytime.
Beyond the hatch · worth watchingambient prey(1)
Hatch predictions
Top prey shown — see all 2 as a supporter.
Start free trial14-day free trial. Cancel anytime.
Evidence
Records-basedModerate confidence
Based on species-occurrence records, not local invertebrate surveys.
Through the year
0–3 scale · October highlighted
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
SulphurHatch
2
3
2
Trico (Eastern)Hatch
2
3
3
2
Eastern Blue-Winged OliveHatch
2
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
2
Eastern Summer BWO (Drunella)Hatch
2
3
3
2
Numbers are intensity 0 (none) to 3 (peak) — a guide, not a guarantee.
Ranked for today
Brown Trout fly box
8-12 · Pattern
Proven pattern for this period
Local fly shops: Driftless Fly Fishing Co.
Permits & access
Permit required — see local rules.
- Iowa DNR — verify regulations and stocking schedule.
What's coming
Plan ahead
5-day outlook
About this water
A Delaware County creek near Manchester at the southwestern edge of the trout country, spring-fed and stocked, popular and accessible — a good place to start an Iowa Driftless trip.
- Limestone
The full read · show the working · for Brown Trout · confidence 90%
How the 84 is built — score × weight = contribution
Temperature100 × 28%28.0
Flow80 × 22%17.6
Clarity95 × 18%17.1
Feeding Time70 × 13%9.1
Pressure80 × 7%5.6
Insect activity59 × 12%7.1
Conditions total= 84
Can you trust it?
Water temperatureair-to-water estimateestimated
Level / flowon-river gaugeobserved
Prey activitymodelled from regional profilemodelled
Directions
Seasons & zones
- Trout Open all year → Open all year
Related guides
Booking & contacts