Wade74/100
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
Kinnickinnic River
Is Kinnickinnic River worth the trip today? Check flow, weather, hatches, access, and rules for Wisconsin before you go.
See the flow chart ↓Photo: Tony Webster from Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States Opens in a new tab. · CC BY-SA 2.0
Good day to fish?Latest river check
Good fishing
Yes. Fishing looks good.
74
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 / edge74/100
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 Kinnickinnic River plan.
The Kinnickinnic near River Falls is a cold, technical trout stream. Use the USGS River Falls gauge, DNR trout sources, and public-access checks before choosing a reach or fly size.
- Check first
- The page title uses DNR and USGS spelling: Kinnickinnic River.
- Try
- Approach from downstream and stay low. The water often punishes careless movement.
- Leave when
- Skip or change the plan when stormwater has the river rising or dirty, summer water is warm, the intended bank is not clearly public, pressure is stacked on one pool, or the only flow source being checked is the Milwaukee river gauge.
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
- 86 cfs
- From the latest stored river check. Open the official source for the newest reading.
- Air now
- 70°F
Current NWS forecast period
- Next 24h high
- 78.0°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
- 5 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
Kinnickinnic River near River Falls, Wisconsin
The National Weather Service forecast is temporarily unavailable.
Live data
Where these readings come from
Latest stored USGS gauge: Kinnickinnic River near River Falls
From the latest stored river check. Open the official source for the newest reading.
How to fish it
How to fish Kinnickinnic River today.
Stable clear water is best for dries, scuds, and careful nymphing. Rain bumps can help streamers once the river starts dropping, but muddy or rising water is a poor plan.
Clear and normal
Fish small dries, scuds, and light nymph rigs with long approaches.
Slightly stained and falling
Use small streamers tight to banks and wood.
Rising after rain
Give it time. Stormwater can reduce clarity and safety.
Summer heat
Check temperature and stop if trout handling is 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.
- Technical fishing
- Technical fishing means the fish are hard to fool, so careful casts and natural drifts matter.
- 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.
- 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
FlowUse caution
USGS shows 86 cfs. The flow has been stable over about 6 hours. USGS marks this reading provisional and may revise it. USGS records for this date (1917-2024, 29 readings) show a median near 100 cfs and the lower quartile near 87 cfs; today's flow is below normal for the date. This is below normal, so edge depth, temperature, and pressure matter.
SeasonHelps
Summer: Tricos, terrestrials, and early cool sessions.
WeatherHelps
The current NWS air forecast is about 70F, and the next 24-hour high reaches about 78F. Mostly Clear.
Public alertsHelps
No active NWS alert was returned for this forecast point.
Fishing usefulnessHelps
Skip or change the plan when stormwater has the river rising or dirty, summer water is warm, the intended bank is not clearly public, pressure is stacked on one pool, or the only flow source being checked is the Milwaukee river gauge.
Trip notes
Trip notes
Check these before you choose a reach.
Use USGS 05342000 near River Falls for this page. A Milwaukee Kinnickinnic RiverReports gauge is intentionally not used because it belongs to a different urban river.
Skip or change the plan when stormwater has the river rising or dirty, summer water is warm, the intended bank is not clearly public, pressure is stacked on one pool, or the only flow source being checked is the Milwaukee river gauge.
Start with the DNR fishery-area and trout-map context, then use the River Falls gauge and weather to choose one legal reach, one stealth rig, and one backup water before fishing.
If the Kinnickinnic is muddy, warm, crowded, or access-limited, compare Rush River, Black Earth Creek, or West Fork Kickapoo River before forcing the same reach.
What to try
Kinnickinnic 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
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
Kinnickinnic River 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 trout rules and DNR maps before fishing the Kinnickinnic. Season dates, harvest rules, and access boundaries should be verified for the exact reach.
River Falls area
Core access and flow context for this page.
Road-bridge and public-frontage reaches
Check signs and easements before entering.
Lower Kinni context
Use DNR and local conservation sources for access and habitat awareness.
Public frontage and road crossings do not make every bank public.
Urban stormwater can create sudden clarity and temperature changes.
The slug keeps the old inventory spelling, but the page copy uses official Kinnickinnic spelling.
River sources
Official Kinnickinnic 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.
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.
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.
What this source covers
Open this page for more river information and check when it was last updated.
Quick answers
Quick Kinnickinnic River answers.
What should I check before fishing Kinnickinnic River?
Wisconsin trout rules, USGS flow, recent rain, public access boundaries, and water temperature
Which flow should I use for Kinnickinnic River?
Use USGS 05342000 near River Falls for the live flow trend, then check clarity and recent rain before choosing small flies.
Where should I start on Kinnickinnic River?
Start around River Falls public-frontage and bridge-access options, then confirm signs and easements.
Can I wade Kinnickinnic River?
Yes in many reaches at normal flows, but move slowly and avoid cutting soft banks or undercuts.