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Saint Croix River Fishing Report

Updated Fri, Sep 4, 2026 from live gauge and weather data

A national scenic riverway: the St. Croix runs smallmouth and sturgeon along the Minnesota-Wisconsin line.

4/5
Good. Solid day ahead.Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up.
Flow
1,540 cfs
Air / High
84 / 85 F
Wind
NNW 6 mph

Sources: USGS gauge 05340500, Open-Meteo, solunar calculated for these coordinates.

Satellite view
Friday
4
September 2026

Today's Fishing Report

Generated this morning from live readings: gauge, weather model, sun and moon. A fresh report is published here every morning.

4/5Good. Solid day ahead.Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up.

Saint Croix River sits in the sweet spot of the season: active fish and workable weather. The river is running 1,540 cfs, steady over the week. Today brings clear skies, wind NNW around 6 mph, falling pressure near 1011 hPa and a high of 85. Water sits around 73 F for the season (estimated). With the last quarter, the solunar majors run 5:39 AM-7:39 AM and 5:39 PM-7:39 PM: the windows to build the day around.

The plan, species by species

Smallmouth bassExcellent

Peak season. Tubes, jerkbaits and swimbaits around gravel points, boulders and current seams.

WalleyeExcellent

Jig and minnow on rock reefs and points; the evening bite on wind-blown shores is the one to plan around.

MuskellungeExcellent

Bucktails and rubber over cabbage and rock bars; moon majors matter here more than anywhere.

Catfish (blue, channel)Excellent

Drift cut bait across flats near the river channel, or anchor on ledges at dusk.

Tomorrow: Similar at 87 F. The solunar majors shift about 50 minutes later.Next report: Sat, Sep 5, 6:30 AMHow this report is made →

Water and weather

Live readings from St. Croix River at St. Croix Falls.

Flow, last 30 days

USGS gauge 05340500.

1,2771,4201,5631,540 cfs08/0508/1508/2509/04

Right now

Latest readings

Air temp84 F
High / Low85 / 67 F
WindNNW 6-7 mph
Pressure1010.7 hPa, falling
Sky / Rain10% cloud, 14%
Sunrise / Sunset06:36 / 19:42
MoonLast Quarter, 50%
Water temp (seasonal)~73 F est.

Bite planner

Hour-by-hour bite forecast for today. Tap a bar to see why.

5 AM8 AM11 AM2 PM5 PM8 PMsunrisesunsetPRIMEPRIME

Next 7 days

Tap a day for the detailed outlook.

Fri Sep 4 · Showers, 85/67 F, wind 10 mph, rain 14%

Fair or better. A 10 mph breeze puts a working chop on the banks it hits: fish the wind-blown side.

Species guide

The species that matter on Saint Croix River: seasons, structure and how to fish each one. Today's ratings live in the report above.

Smallmouth bass illustration

Smallmouth bass

Best: May-Oct

Current and rock. Finds gravel flats, boulders and drop-offs, and fights far above its weight. Peak season. Tubes, jerkbaits and swimbaits around gravel points, boulders and current seams.

Walleye illustration

Walleye

Best: May-Jun, Oct

The glass-eyed prize of northern lakes. Low light, wind-blown structure and live bait. Jig and minnow on rock reefs and points; the evening bite on wind-blown shores is the one to plan around.

Muskellunge illustration

Muskellunge

Best: Sep-Nov

The fish of ten thousand casts. Weed edges, rock bars and big-water structure. Bucktails and rubber over cabbage and rock bars; moon majors matter here more than anywhere.

Catfish (blue, channel) illustration

Catfish (blue, channel)

Good year-round

The most reliable bite on most southern waters. Blues run big; channels fill the cooler. Drift cut bait across flats near the river channel, or anchor on ledges at dusk.

When to come: the Saint Croix River calendar

Activity by species and month, and how the water warms through the year. Tap any cell.

Species activity by month

1 = slow, 5 = peak. Current month highlighted.

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Smallmouth bass
Walleye
Muskellunge
Catfish (blue, channel)
SlowPeak

Water temperature through the year

Typical surface temperature for this water type; today is around 73 F (estimated, not a reading).

4050607080JanMarMayJulSepNovSep, ~73 F now

Angler reports

Real reports from real anglers, reviewed before publishing. The water log below tracks each day automatically.

No angler reports yet this weekBe the first: your report helps every angler who checks Saint Croix River today, and we feature the best catch of the week.

Water log, last days

Auto-logged from live data
Thu, Sep 3

5/5 Excellent. Go now. Everything lines up: pressure, wind and light are in your favor. Smallmouth bass led the card at excellent. High of 87 F, wind to 12 mph.

Wed, Sep 2

4/5 Good. Solid day ahead. Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up. Smallmouth bass led the card at excellent. High of 88 F, wind to 6 mph.

Tue, Sep 1

4/5 Good. Solid day ahead. Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up. Smallmouth bass led the card at excellent. High of 88 F, wind to 8 mph.

Where roughly, what depth, what bait. Skip anything you want to keep secret.
Only used to send you this water's report each week. No spam, ever.

Before you go

License

Minnesota requires a valid fishing license for adults. Buy online from the state agency; one-day options exist for visitors.

Regulations

Minnesota or Wisconsin license under boundary-water rules: verify current terms. Sturgeon and muskie have specific seasons and limits.

Access

National Park Service landings and state accesses from the upper river through Taylors Falls to Prescott.

About this water

A National Scenic Riverway forming the Minnesota-Wisconsin border, joining the Mississippi at Prescott.

Fishing Saint Croix River: the full guide

A protected border river

The St. Croix River forms much of the Minnesota-Wisconsin border, protected along its length as a National Scenic Riverway. It runs clear over sand and rock through forested bluffs, holding one of the Upper Midwest’s best smallmouth populations, plus walleye, muskellunge, northern pike, catfish and a remarkable lake sturgeon population that draws specialists.

Smallmouth and muskie

Smallmouth are the headline: work the current seams, rock and wood with tubes, crankbaits and topwater by wading, floating or from a boat, with fish running good size and pressure moderate. Muskellunge hold the deeper pools and weed edges, particularly in the lower river below Stillwater, taking large baits in fall.

Sturgeon and walleye

Lake sturgeon are abundant and reach impressive sizes: a catch-and-release fishery mostly, though limited harvest seasons exist. They hold the deep holes and are taken on bottom-fished bait. Walleye hold the current breaks and deeper water, best at low light, with the areas below the dams at Taylors Falls productive.

Riverway logistics

National Park Service landings and state accesses serve the river from the upper reaches through Taylors Falls and down to Prescott, with canoe and kayak floats popular. Boat traffic increases on the lower river near the Twin Cities. Flows vary with rain: the upper river runs shallow in late summer, favoring paddlecraft.

Common questions

Are there really sturgeon?

Yes: a notable lake sturgeon population, mostly catch-and-release, holding the deep holes and reaching impressive sizes.

Which license do I need?

Either state under boundary-water rules: verify the current arrangement before fishing.

Is it good for canoe trips?

Excellent: National Park Service landings and protected shoreline make multi-day floats straightforward.

Is fishing good at Saint Croix River right now?

Check the daily report at the top of this page: it is regenerated every morning from live data. Today's read: Good. Solid day ahead. Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up.

Nearby waters

Leech Lake26 miKinnickinnic River38 miGrindstone Lake52 miLake Minnetonka57 miLake Waconia67 miLac Courte Oreilles68 mi
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