Root River Report

This page contains the latest fishing information for the Root River and the DNR Root River Steelhead Facility in Racine County. Check back for updates on the number of fish processed at the facility, eggs collected and future processing dates. Please note that fish are typically processed on Mondays and Thursdays, depending on water conditions and the number of fish in the weir. 

Updates are posted at 4 p.m. every Tuesday or Wednesday from September through December and March through May. 

Check out the Lake Michigan Outdoor Report for the latest fishing information on Lake Michigan and the Bay of Green Bay. 

Root River Steelhead Facility

Lake Michigan trout and salmon are unable to reproduce successfully in Wisconsin streams. As a result, DNR fisheries crews collect eggs and milt from spawning fish to create the next generation of steelhead to challenge anglers.

Learn more about steelhead spawning at the Root River Steelhead Facility.

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Root River Fishing Report Sept. 23, 2025

Rain fell throughout the Root River watershed Monday night. Flows should increase in the next couple of days as water from the upper watershed makes its way to Racine. Water temperatures on the Root remain warm, in the upper-60s to low-70s. Some Chinook salmon and small coho have been reported in the lower stretches of the river.

Root River Steelhead Facility Report

The Root River Steelhead Facility was started for the fall season on Tuesday, Sept. 16, and our first fish processing day was Monday, Sept. 22. Flows in the river had been roughly 20 cubic feet per second, which did not draw many salmon upriver. Our next processing day is dependent on how many fish move into the weir, but it is tentatively scheduled for Thursday, Sept. 25.