Freestone · Mixed · Wisconsin, US

Root River

Racine October 2023 023 (Root River)

The Root runs salmon and steelhead right through Racine, with the Wisconsin DNR's steelhead facility on its banks concentrating the run.

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
Brown Trout fly box
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
About this water

The Root runs salmon and steelhead right through Racine, with the Wisconsin DNR's steelhead facility on its banks concentrating the run. Urban, accessible water that delivers chrome from fall through spring for anglers who don't mind a city backdrop.

  • Mixed
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