Kinnickinnic RiverFishing report · river in Wisconsin
Short, spring-fed sections around River Falls produce aggressive wild trout on dries and nymphs; easy public access and restoration projects make it a top southeast Wisconsin trout stream.
What's working on Kinnickinnic River
- 01Mahogany Duns and Blue-Winged Olives are actively hatching, offering excellent dry fly opportunities.
- 02Ideal cold, clear water conditions are present, with stable flows expected at seasonal average.
- 03Focus on spring-fed sections, deeper runs, slower pockets, and undercut banks for holding trout.
- 04Utilize a two-pronged approach: delicate dry fly presentations to rising fish and weighted nymphs/egg patterns for subsurface feeding.
- 05Expect trout to be looking up for dries on overcast afternoons and feeding actively on nymphs below the surface.
Past reports week by week
10 weeksWhat to tie on
Picked from reports, hatches and the season. Tap a fly for the recipe and where else it works.
Mahogany Dun
Matches the expected Mahogany Dun hatch, bringing trout to the surface during fall.
Buy at AmazonBlood Dot Egg
Essential for fall egg season, attracting trout feeding below any spawning activity.
Buy at AmazonBlue-Winged Olive Comparadun
Effective for selective trout feeding on adult Blue-Winged Olives during fall hatches, especially on overcast days.
Buy at AmazonTravis Hi-Vis BWO Para Emerger
Crucial for targeting trout keying on vulnerable Blue-Winged Olive emergers in the surface film during fall hatches.
PMD (Pale Morning Dun)
Matches the Pale Morning Dun hatches actively occurring in fall, providing a consistent food source for opportunistic trout.
Flashback Pheasant Tail
A versatile year-round nymph that effectively mimics various aquatic insects active in the currents during fall.
Zebra Midge
Midges are a primary and consistent food source in tailwaters year-round, making this a reliable subsurface pattern for fall.
Buy at AmazonWoolly Bugger
A reliable year-round streamer, effective for imitating leeches and baitfish, particularly as water temperatures cool in fall.
Buy at AmazonWhere to fish and who to ask
County Road H Access
Downstream public access often fished for pocket-water trout and holding runs.
Kinnickinnic River Park
Park access with long public banks and productive pocket-water upstream of the downtown reach.
River Falls - Main Street
Downtown reach with popular wading, sight-fishing, and convenient public access near the Main Street bridge.
Fly shops within 40 miles
Lund's Fly Shop
Lund's Fly Shop
Mend Provisions Fly Shop
Mend Provisions Fly Shop
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Every Thursday: conditions, hatches and what's working across Wisconsin, with Kinnickinnic River at the top.
Wisconsin season by season
What changes on the water through the year, with the flies for each season.
Quick answers
Common questions about Kinnickinnic River.
What flies work best on Kinnickinnic River?
Our top scored fly patterns for Kinnickinnic River right now are Hendrickson (80% confidence), Hendrickson Nymph (80% confidence), Pheasant Tail Nymph (80% confidence). These picks are scored from recent fishing reports, hatch data, and seasonal patterns.
What fish species are in Kinnickinnic River?
Kinnickinnic River holds Brown Trout, Rainbow Trout, Brook Trout. See the species links on this page for fly recommendations and seasonal behavior for each.
Is Kinnickinnic River fishing well right now?
We publish a fresh bite report for Kinnickinnic River each week based on recent on-the-water intel. The current report — with conditions, hatches, and what's producing — is on this page.