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.

Sign up to receive updates on the Root River Steelhead Facility.

Root River Fishing Report for Nov. 9, 2026

Flows on the Root River are roughly 55 cubic feet/second (cfs) after peaking at about 100 cfs last week Thursday. Water clarity is normal for the Root, and the temperature in the river has been in the upper-40s the last several days. The salmon run is winding down, but there have been some increasing numbers of brown trout seen in the river downstream of the Root River Steelhead Facility.

Root River Steelhead Facility Report for Nov. 9, 2026

The Root River Steelhead Facility was started for the fall season on Monday, Sept. 28. Our tenth and final fish processing day was Monday, Nov. 9. The water temperature in the weir was 47 degrees Fahrenheit. The river flow continues to drop, and very few salmon moved into the facility in the past week. Today was our final processing day for the fall season. Some sections of stop logs that make up the weir dam have been removed, so fish currently have free passage up and downstream of the facility. This page will be updated again when the facility is operational in the spring for the steelhead run.