Root River Steelhead Facility Open House
From Hatchery to Hook - Supporting Lake Michigan's Fishery
Join us on October 8, 2022, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. for an open house [PDF] at the Root River Steelhead Facility in Racine, where we collect eggs from trout and salmon to produce the next generation of fish to test Lake Michigan anglers.
Everyone is encouraged to attend this fun-filled event, whether you're a novice angler, a veteran angler, or just like to see fish! Enjoy guided tours of the facility with DNR crews demonstrating fish spawning procedures, and fishing rod casting lessons, knot tying, fly-tying and more.
Come on out to the Root River Steelhead Facility Open House for tours, demonstrations, and much more!
The Root River Steelhead Facility is located in Lincoln Park along the beautiful Root River in Racine, WI. The facility was built in 1992-1993 by the DNR and in partnership with the Salmon Unlimited fishing club, to aid in the capture and egg collection of migrating trout and salmon. Millions of trout and salmon are stocked annually into Lake Michigan tributaries, where they spend their young lives before entering Lake Michigan as adults to live and grow, and eventually returning to the same stream that they were stocked to perform their annual spawning rituals.
The DNR, Salmon Unlimited, and Trout Unlimited strongly encourage people of all ages to take part in a great day at a great place along the great Root River. We hope to see you all there!
Activities
- Salmon spawning demonstrations
- Tour of the spawning facility
- Kid's casting
- Knot tying
- Fly casting
- Fly tying
- Lake Michigan fishing boat on display
- DNR law enforcement
- Aquatic and water conservation area
Directions to Facility
To get to the Root River Steelhead Facility from I-94, go east on Highway 20 to Highway 31. Go north on Highway 31 to Highway C (Spring Street). Turn right onto Spring Street to Domanik Drive. Turn left on Domanik Drive and go to Lincoln Park. Follow the DNR signs to the Facility.
Another route would take you south on Hwy 38 to Spring Street. Take a right on Spring Street and then travel about 2 blocks to the entrance of Lincoln Park. A large sign denoting the Root River Steelhead Facility will direct you into the park. Take Domanik Drive through the park to the facility.