Trout fishing boosts Driftless economy
Study says it saw $1.6 billion in 2015
Trout fishing had an annual economic impact of $1.6 billion in the Driftless Area in 2015, according to a recently released study.
In part due to continued stream improvements and increasing awareness of the highquality angling opportunities in the region, the value increased 45% since a similar review was done in 2008.
The results are part of “Economic Impact of Recreational Trout Angling in the Driftless Area,” a report authored by Donna Anderson, economics professor at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse.
The study was commissioned by Trout Unlimited, the international cold-water conservation organization, and made public last month.
The Driftless Area is named for its lack of “drift” or “leavings” as glaciers retreated about 10,000 years ago in North America.
The 24,000-square-mile region is marked by scenic coulees, springs and streams. It covers southwestern Wisconsin, southeastern Minnesota, northeastern Iowa and northwestern Illinois.
The region has more than 5,700 miles of trout streams, according to Trout Unlimited.
The objectives of the study were to estimate the economic impact of fishing to the Driftless Area in 2015, summarize information on area angler demographics and opinions, and identify characteristics of a healthy “trout economy.”
The work distinguished between spending by people who traveled to the area primarily to fish and those who were in the region for other reasons, such as visiting friends and family, according to Anderson.
It found the total economic impact of Driftless Area trout fishing was $1.6 billion in 2015, up from $1.1 billion in 2008.
The results were obtained from surveys returned by randomly selected trout stamp holders in Wisconsin, Iowa and Minnesota who lived outside the Driftless Area. Three-hundred ten responses were obtained from 2,000 mail surveys.
The “cold-water economy” is alive and well, said Luke Zahm, chef and owner of the Driftless Cafe in Viroqua and chairman of the Viroqua Main Street Chamber of Commerce.
After he bought the restaurant in 2013, Zahm tracked postal codes of his customers and found 62% were from Chicago, Milwaukee, Madison and Minneapolis-St. Paul. The primary reason for their travel to western Wisconsin: trout fishing.
“We were dumbfounded then, but ever since we have seen the impacts of anglers on our business every year, and they’ve been significant,” Zahm said.
Trout Unlimited’s Driftless Area Restoration Effort is headquartered in Vernon County. The group has obtained funding to restore an average of 12 to 18 miles of streams per year, many in the Viroqua area. Much of the work is done by volunteers, including group members.
According to the study:
The typical angler is a 51year-old male with a college education earning a median income of $90,000.
The typical angler travels with two companions; each trip lasts about 2.5 days.
The typical angler has fished in an average of eight different streams in the Driftless Area for almost 18 years and travels an average of 138 miles one way to fish there.
88.5% reported awareness of efforts to preserve and restore trout streams in the region, and of these people, almost 80% reported they were more likely to fish in the region because of these past efforts.
72.7% said they were more likely to fish in the region if additional trout stream restoration efforts occurred.
Overall satisfaction with the fishing experience in the Driftless Area is very high: 92% of respondents definitely agree or agree they are satisfied with the experience.
“Healthy trout economies are comprised of a mixture of energetic private businesses, active non-governmental organizations and volunteers, and an effective government that all work together to make the most of the gift of miles of clear, cold trout streams,” wrote Anderson, citing Viroqua and the Preston/Lanesboro, Minn., area as examples.
The study detailed the farreaching effects of trout fishing and habitat improvement projects on the area.
Visitors spend money in the local community on goods and services offered by hotels, restaurants, gas stations and shops.
And governmental and nongovernmental organizations help fund habitat and stream restorations in the Driftless Area. These projects included dollars spent at area businesses that provided rocks, heavy equipment, fuel, seed, seedlings, labor, and design and construction expertise.
Birding: The Urban Ecology Center will hold the Brew City Birding Festival from Sunday through next Saturday.
This new, week-long birdthemed event will include field trips, lectures, programs and bird watching opportunities.
On Sunday, activities will include a bird-banding demonstration, bird storytelling, crafts and live raptor viewing.
The center bills the events as “family-friendly and perfect for novices and seasoned birders alike.” Some activities require pre-registration.
For more information or to register, visit urbanecology center.org or call (414) 964-8505.