The following information is the latest fishing information for the Root River in Racine. We will post new information to this site every TUESDAY or WEDNESDAY at 4:00 pm from September through December and from March through May. We will also update the number of fish processed at the Root River Steelhead Facility to give you the exact number of fish passed upstream. Depending on water conditions and the number of fish in the weir, fish are usually processed on Mondays and Thursdays.

In addition, you can check out our Lake Michigan Outdoor Report for the latest fishing information on Lake Michigan and Green Bay.

Root River Steelhead Facility

Lake Michigan trout and salmon don’t successfully reproduce in Wisconsin streams, so DNR gives Mother Nature a hand. Watch fisheries crews collect eggs and milt from spawning fish to create the next generation of steelhead to challenge anglers.

• Steelhead Spawning at Root River Steelhead Facility

Root River Fishing Report for October 12, 2020

The Root River saw another increase in angling activity this past week.  The majority of the activity occurred just above or below the steelhead facility in Lincoln Park.  Most of the anglers were targeting salmon with a few also looking for brown trout or steelhead.  The increase in salmon numbers in the river and lower water levels led to more fishing success.  A sizeable amount of chinook salmon were caught using flies or spawn.  Most anglers were using fly fishing tackle.  Bluegills and largemouth bass were also being caught at the Horlick Dam.  Water levels and water flow on the river both remain extremely low.  Some parts of the river are very difficult for salmon to cross due to the low water levels.  The water temperature closer to the mouth was 60 degrees.

Root River Steelhead Facility Report

Our fourth and fifth processing days for the Fall 2020 season at the Root River weir were October 8 and 12.  Despite the river level remaining very low, we had a lot of Chinooks in the facility, with more seen in the river below the ladder.  The water temperature in the weir was 56 degrees.  Our next processing day is scheduled for Thursday, October 15.

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