Southeast Minnesota stream conditions

Updated 09/25/2024

Current conditions – Water Clarity, Stream Flow

Fishing Report

September 25, 2024 (Wednesday)  – There are only a couple more weeks left for the general southeast Minnesota trout stream season. Hoppers don’t become active until late afternoon, and they are getting direct sun. Trout are beginning to color up and now is the time to prospect for large Brown Trout coming into smaller tributaries for the late October and November spawning time. We are seeing lots of adult caddis recently on our electrofishing assessments.

August 20, 2024 (Tuesday)  – Lower humidities are making for some great time outside fishing. Trico spinner falls happening around the area. Observed small green grasshoppers on Winnebago Creek last week. Flooding may have removed them from some areas last week.

July 15, 2024 (Monday)  – High humidity this last weekend with some serious rains. Middle Branch Whitewater River was off colored but fishable at Cty 9 to Quincy Bridges. Garvin Brook upstream of Stockton Valley Creek was clear.

July 12, 2024 (Friday)  – High humidity this weekend with some chances of rain. Ahrensfeld Creek and Rush Creek upstream of County 25 has been mowed. Angler access is easier. Hoppers are out.

June 8, 2024 (Monday)  – Rain every few days this past month have made stream conditions in and out of fishing condition constantly.  Just when they are getting good we have some rain in one or more watersheds.  Good thing about flooding is that many streams have stream side vegetation laid flat from high flows.  This makes for much easier walking and better stream access.  No rain expected this week but humidity is rising.

June 6, 2024 (Thursday) - Small grasshoppers were observed yesterday on several streams. There were reports of Brown Drakes on South Branch Root River before the rain and high water. It will be cooler and less humid this next weekend but windy. Again, have a Plan B if the water you want to fish is high.

May 31, 2024 (Friday) – It rains here and there this week. Streams are responding quickly and return to a clear condition. Caddis are observed every day out on the streams. Beetles observed in streamside vegetation. They could be a good fly choice. Rains coming this weekend could easily change stream conditions. Have a Plan B.

May 22, 2024 (Wednesday) – Rain early yesterday and again in the late afternoon/evening.  Some streams are in great shape, and others are not so good. Remember to have a Plan B or C because Plan A might be muddy.   

May 3, 2024 (Friday) - It's still Caddis time! There was a lot of rain this last week, so you must have a Plan B or C to find clear water.

April 30, 2024 (Tuesday) – Caddis time! Trout looks heavy, with an abundance of 10-12 inch Brown Trout in our recent surveys.

April 10, 2024 (Wednesday) – Oh my!  This weekend is supposed to be in the low 70s.  Streams are looking good.  Rainbow Trout are being stocked in Preston, Chatfield, and Lanesboro.

Again, blue-winged olives have been noted but only on overcast dreary days.   

March 29, 2024 (Friday): Cool but not too cold. Snow is mostly gone…some just in the woods and on north-facing slopes. Perfect. Lots of midges are still hatching. Blue-winged olives have been noted.   

March 12, 2024 (Tuesday) - Trout are hungry.  Insects are hatching.  Not sure how much more the trout streams could be calling.  Blue-winged olives, midges, and some winter stone flies about.   

February 27, 2024 (Tuesday) – Snow is long gone.  If conditions continue, we should experience some pretty good insect activity this year. If you aren’t trout fishing now, you should be.   

February 15, 2024 (Thursday) – One inch of snow last night. It should all melt today through Sunday. Midges hatching.  Several winter black stoneflies have been observed running around on streambank vegetation.  

January 23, 2024 (Tuesday) – All trout streams are open for angling now.  Reports of midges hatching and anglers catching trout on dries yesterday.  We have about six inches of snow on the ground, and this will be melting slowly, with highs just above freezing each day this week.  It should be great fishing.

December 21, 2023 (Thursday) – Catch-and-release season continues in the streams within the state parks and towns listed above. Starting January 1, 2024, all other area streams will be open to catch-and-release fishing.

October 23, 2023 (Monday) – Trout are beginning to spawn. Baetis are still around on relatively still days with a little bit of warmth. Midge hatches are mostly the rule from here on out. Maps for the above locations that are open for trout fishing can be found under the “Resources” tab.  All other areas are closed for trout fishing until January 1, 2024.

September 25, 2023 (Monday) – Brown Trouts are beginning to color up and spawn. Grasshoppers everywhere with crickets. Blue-winged olive activity every day we’ve been out.   

August 22, 2023 (Tuesday) – Trico spinners, grasshoppers, crickets, other terrestrials, etc.  Some blue-winged olive activity.  Caddis here and there.   

July 17, 2023 (Monday) – There was rain this past weekend but nothing to create any issues with water conditions. Trico spinner falls are now officially on.   

July 7, 2023 (Friday) – More rain, but the ground is so dry that streams aren’t being bothered. Grasshoppers have been noted on several streams now.

June 28, 2023 (Wednesday) – Recent rains were mostly in the southern part of Fillmore and Houston counties. Because the ground was so dry, for the most part, the rains soaked right in and caused little to no stream water clarity issues.  Some streams have very heavy aquatic vegetation growth because we’ve had no flooding this year.  Caddis and midges with some very small grasshoppers were observed. Brown Drake hatch seems to be mostly over on Spring Valley Creek, Bear Creek, and Deer Creek.  Some Brown Drakes were observed under the street lights in Lanesboro and at the Lanesboro State Fish Hatchery.

June 13, 2023 (Tuesday) – No rains in some time here.  Stream conditions are either normal or low for this time of year.  Some caddis about with abundant midge hatches every day.

April 25, 2023 (Tuesday)  – Conditions from last week's rains are improving.  Lots of great water is available that is clear with normal flows. Some caddis are coming off today.

April 20, 2023  – Big storms through here last night and more rain today. Snow is gone except in just a few spots. We’ve seen several species of caddis, little black stoneflies, and blue-winged olives out on the streams this week.  There should be clearer water somewhere here and in the next day or so.

March 28, 2023 – Very little snow is left on the ground.  Some rain was coming at the end of this week. There are reports of some great Blue-winged Olive hatches with some Winter Black Stoneflies as well. This is one of the easiest times of the year to catch trout and get around the trout streams.

March 1, 2023 – We have several inches of snow on the ground, with rain this past Monday and a little this morning.  Some areas received more than one inch of rain.  This is the time for winter stonefly hatches…keep a lookout.  Some turbidity may help the fishing, but watch water temperatures.  Groundwater/spring temperatures are 48F.  Anything near this is better than closer to 32F for angling.

• NOAA Precipitation Information
• CoCoRaHS Precipitation Maps - Click Minnesota, then your county of interest
• USGS Streamflow data for Southeast Minnesota (Ex. 05383950 for "Root River near Pilot Mound")
• Fall Impacts of Severe Flooding on Trout Populations and Streams in Southeast Minnesota

Description of Information

This site attempts to provide up-to-date information on stream conditions in the Lanesboro Fisheries Management Area. Conditions change quickly, and we will update this page soon. One person’s description of water conditions and how fishable a particular stream is are always different from someone else. “Last Updated” information will always be posted above.

We will use the terms…

• CLEAR – Almost - completely transparent (visibility 2 ft or greater)
• OFF – Slightly off colored, some anglers prefer this condition (visibility 2 ft to 6 inches)
• MUDDY – Unfishable for most anglers (visibility less than 6 inches)
• LOW – Flow is lower than what is typical this time of year
• NORMAL – Flow is normal for what is typical this time of year
• HIGH – Flow is high for what is typical this time of year

We will not post information based on speculation. If water conditions are MUDDY on Camp Creek, for example, one of us has been to Camp Creek on the date reported and observed the condition.

If you need further information, you are welcome to call our office. 507-765-7060.