Wade74/100
Wading is in play only where your chosen access has clear footing, legal entry, and no forced crossings.
All Minnesota reports
Fly fishing report · Midwest
St. Croix River
Is St. Croix River worth the trip today? Check flow, weather, hatches, access, and rules for Minnesota before you go.
See the flow chart ↓Photo: The original uploader was The.dharma.bum at English Wikipedia . Opens in a new tab. · CC BY-SA 2.5
Good day to fish?Latest river check
Good
Yes. It looks worth the trip.
74
No clear best access mode. Wade, Bank / edge, and Float have the same top score. Use current access, footing, weather, and local rules to choose.
See update time and confidence
Live data checkHighHow much of the live flow, weather, and alert data came back.
Today's callHighCurrent flow, weather, alerts, and trip-critical signals support this decision.
Score calculated Aug 22, 2026, 11:51 PM CDTUsually checks again about every 45 minutes
Access choicesNo clear best mode
Wade, Bank / edge, and Float have the same top score. Use current access, footing, weather, and local rules to choose.
Bank / edge74/100
Bank and edge fishing remains a practical low-commitment option if access is legal and footing is safe.
Float74/100
A float is in play where this report supports boat access and wind, releases, and shuttle logistics are manageable.
Your plan
Today's St. Croix River plan.
The St. Croix can be a top Minnesota fly-fishing river for smallmouth and warmwater species, but it is also a National Scenic Riverway and boundary water. Check flow, rules, maps, and access first.
- Check first
- Use the St. Croix Falls USGS gauge as the primary flow reference for this page.
- Try
- Fish current seams, boulder edges, island heads, and shaded banks before covering open water.
- Leave when
- Skip or shorten the trip when flows are high, wind makes open water unsafe, rapids exceed the craft plan, cold water raises swim risk, or boundary-water rules are unclear.
Live river check
What the river is doing
Check the latest flow and weather before you go. A quick change can make the river harder or less safe to fish.
Showing the latest stored river check while current readings load.
- Flow
- 1,320 cfs
- From the latest stored river check. Open the official source for the newest reading.Water 72.3°F · 24h high 75.2°F · USGS provisional
- Air now
- 56°F
Current NWS forecast period
- Next 24h high
- 77.0°F
NWS air forecast near
- Rain chance
- 0%
For this forecast period
Latest stored weather check
Mostly Clear
Mostly Clear
- Wind
- 0 mph
- Weather checked
Recent flow chart is loading
The latest stored reading is shown above. Check the official source below if you need the newest value now.
More forecast and source details
National Weather Service
St. Croix River near Taylors Falls
The National Weather Service forecast is temporarily unavailable.
Live data
Where these readings come from
Latest stored USGS gauge: St. Croix River at St. Croix Falls
Water 72.3°F · provisional · 24h high 75.2°F provisionalWater observed · high observed
From the latest stored river check. Open the official source for the newest reading.
How to fish it
How to fish St. Croix River today.
Stable, clear summer and early-fall flows are best for smallmouth poppers, crayfish, and baitfish patterns. High water pushes fish to edges and can make wading or paddling unsafe.
Stable and clear
Fish topwater early, then crayfish and baitfish along rock and current breaks.
High water
Avoid pushy wading. Fish protected banks, backwaters, or postpone the float.
Low summer flow
Look for depth, shade, spring influence, and less-disturbed fish.
Windy big water
Use sheltered reaches or smaller craft plans. Do not cross wide water casually.
Fishing words used on this page
- U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) gauge
- A USGS gauge is an official river station that measures flow or water height.
- Cubic feet per second (cfs)
- Cubic feet per second, or cfs, shows how much water passes the gauge each second.
- Nymph
- A nymph is a young water insect. Anglers also use the word for a fly that copies it.
- Seam
- A seam is the line where fast and slow water meet.
- Caddis
- Caddis are small water insects. The adults look a little like tiny moths.
- Indicator
- An indicator is a small floating marker that can show when a fish takes an underwater fly.
- River reach
- A reach is one named section of a river or stream.
- Soft hackle
- A soft-hackle fly has moving fibers that can look like an insect rising through the water.
- Streamer
- A streamer is a fly that looks like a small fish, leech, or other swimming food.
- Terrestrial
- Terrestrials are land insects, such as ants, beetles, and grasshoppers.
Why this call
Why this score
FlowUse caution
USGS shows 1,320 cfs. The flow has been stable over about 6 hours. USGS marks this reading provisional and may revise it. USGS records for this date (1902-2025, 119 readings) show a median near 2,380 cfs and a low-water marker near 1,410 cfs; today's flow is unusually low for the date. Low water can make fish spooky, warm, pressured, or concentrated; check temperature and handling risk.
SeasonHelps
Summer: Prime smallmouth topwater, crayfish, and streamer season.
Water temperatureHelps
USGS water temperature is about 72.3F, and the rolling 24-hour high did not trigger a heat caution. USGS marks the temperature data provisional and may revise it.
Public alertsHelps
No active NWS alert was returned for this forecast point.
Fishing usefulnessHelps
Skip or shorten the trip when flows are high, wind makes open water unsafe, rapids exceed the craft plan, cold water raises swim risk, or boundary-water rules are unclear.
Trip notes
Trip notes
Check these before you choose a reach.
Use USGS 05340500 at St. Croix Falls as the primary trend for this report, then check the specific landing, riverway map, and weather for the reach you plan to fish.
Skip or shorten the trip when flows are high, wind makes open water unsafe, rapids exceed the craft plan, cold water raises swim risk, or boundary-water rules are unclear.
Choose a reach first: St. Croix Falls and Taylors Falls for upper-river structure, NPS riverway landings for floats, or lower river access only after checking boat traffic and wind.
If the St. Croix is high, windy, crowded, or rule-complicated, compare the Mississippi for larger warmwater options or Whitewater and Root system streams for trout water.
What to try
St. Croix River flies through the year.
Match the time of year, then let rising fish and current speed guide the next change.
SeasonWhat to look forFlies to try
April to May
What to look forWarming shallows, early caddis, minnows, crayfish, and pike movement
June to AugustCurrent
What to look forDamselflies, dragonflies, hoppers, cicadas, frogs, and baitfish
September to October
What to look forCooling-water baitfish, crayfish, late terrestrials, and streamer windows
Cold months
What to look forLimited surface feeding; slower holes and warm afternoons matter most
Flies to try
Slow leechLeech Patterns→jig streamerTrout Streamer Patterns→small baitfishBaitfish and Minnow Patterns→
Also try nymph under indicator
Each fly name opens its matching Fly Box guide.
Access and safety
St. Croix River access and rules.
Use these places as starting points. Open the access link below and check posted signs before you park or enter. Minnesota and Wisconsin boundary-water rules, plus NPS riverway guidance, can affect legal fishing and access. Check the current rule PDF and riverway information before fishing.
St. Croix Falls and Taylors Falls
Primary flow and upper-river planning area.
St. Croix National Scenic Riverway
Use NPS maps and fishing guidance for access and riverway rules.
Stillwater and lower river
Bigger water with more boat traffic and different safety planning.
Use official landings, parks, and NPS river maps. Islands, banks, and campsites can have specific rules.
This is boundary water. Check the rules for the license, side, and reach you plan to fish.
Rapids and wind change the float plan. Do not assume a short map distance means an easy day.
River sources
Official St. Croix River sources.
Official agencies and primary river operators come first. Secondary tools are labeled so you know what carries the most weight.
How this report was checked
How this report was checked
Reviewed byBlueStreamFly River Review Team
Trip guidance checked
What was checked: This report is maintained from current regulation, access, flow, weather, and public planning sources so anglers can make better trip decisions than a raw gauge or generic overview would allow.
Live measurements and forecasts keep their provider timestamps. Rules, access, and trip guidance use the source-review date shown here. BlueStreamFly planning advice is editorial interpretation, not an agency notice.
First-hand experience: BlueStreamFly does not claim a first-hand visit or local field test for this report unless a real contributor is explicitly named and linked.
Rules and closures
Check what is allowed, where the rule applies, and whether the river is open.
Flow and weather
Check the latest river reading and forecast before you leave.
Access and land
Check public entry points, land rules, and seasonal access changes.
See all 6 checked sources
Rules and closures
Check what is allowed, where the rule applies, and whether the river is open.
What this source covers
Open the current rules and check the river section, season, and special limits.
What this source covers
Open the current rules and check the river section, season, and special limits.
Flow and weather
Check the latest river reading and forecast before you leave.
What this source covers
Open this page and check the latest safety advice before your trip.
What this source covers
Open this river reading to check the latest level, flow, and update time.
Access and land
Check public entry points, land rules, and seasonal access changes.
What this source covers
Open the land or access page, then check signs before you park or enter.
What this source covers
Open the land or access page, then check signs before you park or enter.
Quick answers
Quick St. Croix River answers.
What should I check first before fishing the St. Croix River?
Check St. Croix Falls flow, NPS riverway maps, Minnesota/Wisconsin boundary rules, weather, and launch conditions.
Are there special fishing rules on the St. Croix River?
Yes. Boundary-water and riverway rules can matter, and seasons or harvest can vary by species.
Is the St. Croix River a good fly-fishing river?
Yes, if you match the reach, season, target species, water temperature, and current access rules. This report is built to help you choose that plan.
What flies should I bring for the St. Croix River?
Bring the hatch-chart flies, confidence nymphs, and a backup streamer or warmwater box so you can adjust to flow, clarity, and temperature.
How should I plan access for the St. Croix River?
Use official NPS, state, and local landings. Plan floats conservatively around rapids, wind, and boat traffic.