Wade92/100
Wading is in play only where your chosen access has clear footing, legal entry, and no forced crossings.
All Wisconsin reports
Fly fishing report · Midwest
Black Earth Creek
Is Black Earth Creek worth the trip today? Check flow, weather, hatches, access, and rules for Wisconsin before you go.
See the flow chart ↓Photo: Corey Coyle Opens in a new tab. · CC BY 3.0
Good day to fish?Latest river check
Good fishing
Yes. Fishing looks good.
92
Good fishing based on the verified flow and weather. No official live water-temperature reading is available. Carry a thermometer during warm weather and stop if the water is stressful for trout.
See update time and confidence
Live data checkHighHow much of the live flow, weather, and alert data came back.
Today's callMediumWater temperature not verified; do not use this score to clear warm-water risk.
Score calculated Aug 22, 2026, 9:12 PM CDTUsually checks again about every 45 minutes
Access choicesNo clear best mode
Wade and Bank / edge have the same top score. Use current access, footing, weather, and local rules to choose.
Bank / edge92/100
Bank and edge fishing remains a practical low-commitment option if access is legal and footing is safe.
FloatNot recommended
This report does not recommend floating this reach.
Your plan
Today's Black Earth Creek plan.
Black Earth Creek is a high-value Dane County trout stream, but it can react poorly to storm runoff. Use the Black Earth gauge, DNR trout maps, and fishery-area access before choosing a reach.
- Check first
- Use USGS 05406500 for live flow and trend near Black Earth.
- Try
- Walk slowly and fish from your knees or from back off the bank when water is low.
- Leave when
- Skip or change the plan when storm runoff makes the creek muddy, banks are too soft to protect, summer water is warm, the intended bank is not clearly public, or pressure is heavy at the only access.
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
- 41 cfs
- From the latest stored river check. Open the official source for the newest reading.
- Air now
- 68°F
Current NWS forecast period
- Next 24h high
- 76.0°F
NWS air forecast near
- Rain chance
- 0%
For this forecast period
This is an air forecast, not a river-temperature reading. Check the water with a stream thermometer before fishing in hot weather.
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
Black Earth Creek at Black Earth, Wisconsin
The National Weather Service forecast is temporarily unavailable.
Live data
Where these readings come from
RiverReports gauge: Black Earth Creek at Black Earth
How to fish it
How to fish Black Earth Creek today.
The best windows are stable spring flows, summer mornings with cool water, and fall terrestrial days. Heavy rain can make the creek dirty and less useful even when flow does not look extreme.
Clear and stable
Use small dries, scuds, caddis pupa, and careful bank approaches.
Slight stain after rain
Streamers and heavier nymphs can work once flow is falling.
Muddy runoff
Skip it. Fish other water or wait for the creek to clear.
Warm weather
Check temperature and avoid trout handling when water gets stressful.
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.
- Blue-winged olive (BWO)
- Blue-winged olives, or BWOs, are small mayflies that often hatch in cool or cloudy weather.
- Caddis
- Caddis are small water insects. The adults look a little like tiny moths.
- Emerger
- An emerger copies an insect as it rises from below the water toward the surface.
- Indicator
- An indicator is a small floating marker that can show when a fish takes an underwater fly.
- Midge
- Midges are tiny flies and a common trout food, especially in cold water.
- River reach
- A reach is one named section of a river or stream.
- Scud or cressbug
- Scuds look like tiny freshwater shrimp. Cressbugs are small bugs that crawl along the river bottom.
Why this call
Why this score
FlowHelps
USGS shows 41 cfs. The flow has been stable over about 6 hours. USGS marks this reading provisional and may revise it. USGS records for this date (1954-2025, 72 readings) show a typical middle range of 26 cfs to 43 cfs. Flow is within the typical range for this date, so weather, temperature, and access become the next checks.
SeasonHelps
Summer: Early mornings, tricos, terrestrials, and temperature checks.
WeatherHelps
The current NWS air forecast is about 68F, and the next 24-hour high reaches about 76F. Mostly Clear.
Public alertsHelps
No active NWS alert was returned for this forecast point.
Fishing usefulnessHelps
Skip or change the plan when storm runoff makes the creek muddy, banks are too soft to protect, summer water is warm, the intended bank is not clearly public, or pressure is heavy at the only access.
Trip notes
Trip notes
Check these before you choose a reach.
Use RiverReports and USGS 05406500 at Black Earth for the live trend, then check clarity after storms. Stable clear water is best for small flies. Falling stained water can support streamers.
Skip or change the plan when storm runoff makes the creek muddy, banks are too soft to protect, summer water is warm, the intended bank is not clearly public, or pressure is heavy at the only access.
Start with DNR fishery-area and trout-map context, then pair the RiverReports or USGS trend with one signed public access and a second reach before picking flies.
If Black Earth Creek is muddy, warm, crowded, or access-limited, compare West Fork Kickapoo River, Kinnickinnic River, or Rush River before forcing the same plan.
What to try
Black Earth Creek 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
March to April
What to look forMidges, little black stones, BWOs, scuds, and early caddis
May to June
What to look forCaddis, sulphurs, craneflies, small mayflies, and evening spinners
July to SeptemberCurrent
What to look forTricos, ants, beetles, hoppers, tiny olives, and low-light caddis
October to February
What to look forMidges, scuds, BWOs, small streamers, and winter nymph windows
Each fly name opens its matching Fly Box guide.
Access and safety
Black Earth Creek access and rules.
Use these places as starting points. Open the access link below and check posted signs before you park or enter. Check Wisconsin DNR trout rules, maps, and any posted fishery-area rules before fishing Black Earth Creek. Season dates, harvest rules, and boundaries can change by reach.
Black Earth Creek Fishery Area
Primary DNR public-access anchor for the report.
US 14 and county road crossings
Useful orientation, but check signs before entering.
Cross Plains and Black Earth area
Good planning area for flow, parking, and runoff checks.
Fishery-area access does not mean every bank is public.
Stay on durable paths and avoid cutting soft banks.
Storm runoff is a major condition risk on this watershed.
River sources
Official Black Earth Creek 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.
More helpful links
Use these links for stocking, safety, and other local details.
See all 9 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.
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.
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.
More helpful links
Use these links for stocking, safety, and other local details.
What this source covers
Open this page for more river information and check when it was last updated.
Quick answers
Quick Black Earth Creek answers.
What should I check before fishing Black Earth Creek?
Wisconsin trout rules, USGS flow, recent rain, fishery-area boundaries, easements, and water temperature
Which flow should I use for Black Earth Creek?
Use USGS 05406500 at Black Earth for live trend, then check clarity after rain before fishing small flies.
Where should I start on Black Earth Creek?
Start with the DNR Black Earth Creek Fishery Area and signed public easements near road crossings.
Can I wade Black Earth Creek?
Yes in many reaches, but soft banks and undercuts make careful footing and bank protection important.