Mayflies
Caddisflies
The Sheboygan is a proper salmon-and-steelhead tributary between Milwaukee and the northeast rivers, with city access, fall salmon, cold-season steelhead and lake-run brown potential.
- Mixed
Rules at a glance
- Free fishing
- Fly only
Water temperature for Brown Trout
Warm — slow17°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 — water temperature is right today, though insect activity could be better.
Likely species
Mayflies
Caddisflies
- Green Caddis / Rock WormMost likelyLower confidence#14 · Adult
- Little Black Caddis (East)Also possibleLower confidenceNearest relative#16–18–20 · Adult
- Tan Caddis / Spotted SedgeAlso possibleLower confidenceNearest relative#14–16 · Adult
- October CaddisAlso possibleLower confidenceNearest relative#6–8–10 · Adult
Hatch timeline · tomorrowPeak at 7am
12pm(now) — Reed Smut
Stage: On emergersApproach: Emerger or dryActivity: 38%
Also:Trico (Eastern)25%
Peak emergence window
Peak activity at 7am — Trico (Eastern) (Trico (Eastern))
Sub-surface · on the nymphunder the surface
Hatch predictions
Top nymph shown — see all 2 guilds with Pro.
Start free trial14-day free trial. Cancel anytime.
Beyond the hatch · worth watchingambient prey(1)
Hatch predictions
Top prey shown — see all 2 with Pro.
Start free trial14-day free trial. Cancel anytime.
Evidence
Records-basedModerate confidence
Based on species-occurrence records, not local invertebrate surveys.
Through the year
0–3 scale · September 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 Great Lakes trout/salmon stamp where required; verify WIDNR rules and access before launch.
What's coming
Plan ahead
5-day outlook
Other water nearby · 2
Gallery · 1
Terrain map
About this water
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 'Sheboygan River' (WI10008190), 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) · WI10008190
The full read · show the working · for Brown Trout · confidence 90%
How the 85 is built — score × weight = contribution
Temperature100 × 28%28.0
Flow80 × 22%17.6
Clarity95 × 18%17.1
Feeding Time75 × 13%9.8
Pressure80 × 7%5.6
Insect activity60 × 12%7.2
Conditions total= 85
Can you trust it?
Water temperatureair-to-water estimateestimated
Level / flowon-river gaugeobserved
Prey activitymodelled from regional profilemodelled
Directions
Related guides
Booking & contacts
Sheboygan River
The Sheboygan is a proper salmon-and-steelhead tributary between Milwaukee and the northeast rivers, with city access, fall salmon, cold-season steelhead and lake-run brown potential.
Water temperature for Brown Trout
Warm — slow17°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 — water temperature is right today, though insect activity could be better.
Likely species
Mayflies
Caddisflies
- Green Caddis / Rock WormMost likelyLower confidence#14 · Adult
- Little Black Caddis (East)Also possibleLower confidenceNearest relative#16–18–20 · Adult
- Tan Caddis / Spotted SedgeAlso possibleLower confidenceNearest relative#14–16 · Adult
- October CaddisAlso possibleLower confidenceNearest relative#6–8–10 · Adult
Hatch timeline · tomorrowPeak at 7am
12pm(now) — Reed Smut
Stage: On emergersApproach: Emerger or dryActivity: 38%
Also:Trico (Eastern)25%
Peak emergence window
Peak activity at 7am — Trico (Eastern) (Trico (Eastern))
Sub-surface · on the nymphunder the surface
Hatch predictions
Top nymph shown — see all 2 guilds with Pro.
Start free trial14-day free trial. Cancel anytime.
Beyond the hatch · worth watchingambient prey(1)
Hatch predictions
Top prey shown — see all 2 with Pro.
Start free trial14-day free trial. Cancel anytime.
Evidence
Records-basedModerate confidence
Based on species-occurrence records, not local invertebrate surveys.
Through the year
0–3 scale · September 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 Great Lakes trout/salmon stamp where required; verify WIDNR rules and access before launch.
What's coming
Plan ahead
5-day outlook
Other water nearby · 2
Gallery · 1
Terrain map
About this water
The Sheboygan is a proper salmon-and-steelhead tributary between Milwaukee and the northeast rivers, with city access, fall salmon, cold-season steelhead and lake-run brown potential.
- 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 'Sheboygan River' (WI10008190), 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) · WI10008190
The full read · show the working · for Brown Trout · confidence 90%
How the 85 is built — score × weight = contribution
Temperature100 × 28%28.0
Flow80 × 22%17.6
Clarity95 × 18%17.1
Feeding Time75 × 13%9.8
Pressure80 × 7%5.6
Insect activity60 × 12%7.2
Conditions total= 85
Can you trust it?
Water temperatureair-to-water estimateestimated
Level / flowon-river gaugeobserved
Prey activitymodelled from regional profilemodelled
Directions
Related guides
Booking & contacts