Classical Angler Fly Fishing and Guide Service — Local services in Soldiers Grove

I highly recommend Erik Helm, the Classical Angler, as your guide for fishing the Driftless Region of Southwest Wisconsin. My wife and I drove 450 miles to fish with Erik for three days with Erik in June. I made the drive again in September with my son to fish two more days. Here are a few things you can expect.

• Professional, discerning, and responsive to your skills and needs. Erik is excellent working with experienced, beginner and 1st time fly fishers. We all became more capable casters and fly fishers during our time with Erik! He is a patient, forthright encourager, and a great teacher. If you can listen, you will learn.

• Fishing for trout in small spring creeks is a delight. Without Erik’s experience we would have clumsily (and literally) walked on dozens of fish that I could not imagine holding in such small bank cuts, shallow riffles, seams, and back eddies. Great to learn how a pro reads the water.

• For the gear geeks like myself, I learned a lot about my rods and fly lines. A few of Erik’s on-the-stream observations have helped more than hours of reading trout magazines and discussing gear in guide shops.

• Finally, Erik is a consummate conservationist and advocate for trout, their habitat, and the ecosystems that support them.

You will enjoy your trip with the Classical Angler, and Erik will make sure you catch some wild Brown Trout as well!

R Mead –...

I first met Erik in his former life as a retail manager and fly fishing maven. After taking his fly fishing school and outfitting myself with rods, reels, waders, boots and "stuff"...oh sooo much stuff I set out to become a fresh water trout fisherman. I can say without a doubt that the task would have been overwhelming and my success rather dubious if not for Erik. I have fished from far northern Canada to Northern MN and WI. I have fished salt water as well as fresh. During all of this I have used guides as a way to enjoy my passion and hobby as well as gaining a deep well of knowledge on how to fish the species I am after as well as where. I say this only to give credence to the fact that when I say Erik is the consummate fishing guide it has some meaning behind it. Since fishing the Driftless area with Erik I have now added Brown and Brook trout on dry and wet fly's to my angling experience. He is patient in his teaching and explanations. He is knowledgeable ( maybe no one more) about the Driftless area. I plan to fish with Erik regularly. If you have not met the man, do so. You may thank me for that advice when we see each other on the...

I have now had the privilege of fishing with Erik on two different trips to Wisconsin's beautiful Driftless Area and would give him six stars if I could! Erik is simply one of the best guides in the business. He knows and cherishes the streams of the Driftless Area and shares his knowledge generously - not only about the streams and where to find trout, but about the region's history, its ecology, and the tireless work done by so many over the years to make the area the treasure that it is. He is a patient teacher and a master with the fly rod, and I came away from each day of fishing with him knowing that not only had I been guided by a consummate professional but that I had learned valuable lessons that will make me a better fly fisherman wherever I am. Through it all, Erik is just a great guy to spend time on the stream with - I feel that I have not only spent time with a terrific guide, but also with a friend. Thank you, Erik, for providing me with several of the best days of trout fishing I've ever had - I'm already looking forward to the next...