Freestone · Mixed · Wisconsin, US

Root River

Racine October 2023 023 (Root River)
Prime · Brown Trout
Glo Bug · 8-14
Primelive now
About as good as it gets
River dropping into shape after a lift. The kind of afternoon you remember — a weighted nymph through the clearing seams, the dry as it settles.
90% confidence
What moved it
  • Level0.95 mDropping after lift
  • Water temp12.0°C
  • ClaritySlightly colouredClearing
Today's fly
Glo Bug
Glo Bug8-14
High-confidence seasonal pick
Conditions on the water
Live gauge
Level
Steady
0.95 m
Dropping after lift
Water temp12.0°C
ClaritySlightly coloured
Weather7°C
WindW 12 km/h
Pressure1034 hPa
Rain · recent12.9 mm
Rain · ahead0.0 mm

The nearest gauge doesn't record temperatures, so we've estimated it — defer to the river keeper's advice.

Water temperature for Brown Trout
Ideal
12°C est.ideal 10–16°C
0°14°28°
How to fish it · for Brown Trout
When
Nymphing can work through most of the day.
Where
Cover mixed depths.
Method
Start with tight-line nymphs and adjust if fish rise or drift higher.
Kit
9 ft #4 rod, floating line, 12 ft tapered leader to 4–5 lb fluoro tippet.
Why this works
Excellent — conditions well-balanced, with water temperature particularly in your favour.
Likely species
Mayflies
Chironomids
Gammarids
Hatch timeline · todayQuiet day

Hatch predictions

Today's headline hatch shown — see all 6 active hatches hour by hour as a supporter.

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Sub-surface · on the nymphunder the surface

Hatch predictions

Supporters see the full sub-surface read.

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Beyond the hatch · worth watchingambient prey(1)

Hatch predictions

Supporters see what else is on the menu.

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Evidence
Records-basedModerate confidence

Based on species-occurrence records, not local invertebrate surveys.

Through the year
0–3 scale · October highlighted
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Brown DunHatch
2
3
3
3
3
3
3
2
Quill GordonHatch
2
2
Blue QuillHatch
2
3
2
HendricksonHatch
2
2

Numbers are intensity 0 (none) to 3 (peak) — a guide, not a guarantee.

Ranked for today
Fly box · Brown Trout
Permits & access
Permit required — see local rules.
  • Wisconsin licence with a Great Lakes trout/salmon stamp; verify WI DNR reach rules
  • Introduced, harvestable sport fishery.
What's coming
Plan ahead
5-day outlook
Other water nearby · 2
Milwaukee River
38 km
81
Steelhead · Chinook salmon · Coho salmon
Sheboygan River
114 km
82
Steelhead · Chinook salmon · Coho salmon
Gallery · 2
  1. Racine October 2023 023 (Root River)
  2. Terrain map of the venue
    Terrain map
Water quality · US Clean Water Act
  • Aquatic life: Impaired
  • Fish consumption: Impaired
What this classification means

Fish consumption: Consumption advisory (Polychlorinated Biphenyls PCBs) — fish for sport, not the table.

EPA ATTAINS assessment unit 'Root River' (WI10000605), 2024 Integrated Report. Aquatic Life use: Not Supporting. Listed impairment causes: Nutrients, Polychlorinated Biphenyls PCBs. This is a Clean Water Act assessment-unit classification (the US analogue of WFD), not a live reading.

Status is for the Clean Water Act assessment unit covering this reach.

EPA ATTAINS (Clean Water Act) · WI10000605

The full read · show the working · for Brown Trout · confidence 90%
How the 83 is built — score × weight = contribution
Temperature100 × 28%28.0
Flow80 × 22%17.6
Clarity85 × 18%15.3
Feeding Time65 × 13%8.5
Pressure80 × 7%5.6
Insect activity65 × 12%7.8
Conditions total= 83
Can you trust it?
Water temperatureair-to-water estimateestimated
Level / flowon-river gaugeobserved
Prey activitymodelled from regional profilemodelled
What would change the calculation
The dawn and dusk windows score higher than the midday lull.
Related guides
Euro Nymphingsubsurface methods
Booking & contacts