Root River Report update
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 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.
Root River Fishing Report for October 13, 2019
Even though the Root River saw another increase in water levels this week, anglers were out in large numbers hoping to catch some salmon.
Upstream of the Weir: Even with elevated water levels, the river north of the Steelhead facility saw another increase in fishing activity this week. Anglers are still hoping to catch some salmon before the fall spawning run ends. Most anglers are targeting King and Coho salmon, with a few hoping for Steelhead or Brown trout as well. The most popular style of fishing among the anglers has been fly fishing. Even with the large numbers of anglers trying their luck, only a few had success. Only two King salmon were caught during survey times. The few lucky anglers were using flies to catch their fish. Water clarity is still low while water levels remain high.
Downstream of the Weir: The river south of the Steelhead facility also saw an increase in fishing activity this week. While still not as popular as parts of the river north of the facility, many anglers were still reported. Anglers were mainly targeting salmon along with Brown trout or Steelhead. Fly fishing was the most popular style here as well. Like those fishing upstream, only limited success was reported among the anglers. Only two King salmon were caught on flies and fake spawn. Water levels were high and water clarity was low downstream of the facility as well. The water temperature in the river was about 52 degrees.
Root River Steelhead Facility Report
Our seventh and eighth Fall 2019 processing days at the Root River Steelhead Facility were Saturday, October 12 and Monday, October 14.
The river level and water temperature have dropped significantly in the last couple of days. The river has dropped from almost 800 cfs on Friday to 270 cfs on Tuesday morning, and the weir is down to 48 degrees.
| TOTALS as of:October 14, 2019 | ||||
| Rainbow Trout | Chinook Salmon | Coho Salmon | Brown Trout | |
| Total Captured | 5 | 813 | 266 | 2 |
| Passed Upstream | 3 | 491 | 266 | 2 |
| Taken to Hatchery | ||||
| Spawned at Facility | 202 | |||
| Egg Take |
549,000 (for WI and IL hatcheries) |
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