Share your catch

Chippewa River Fishing Report

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

Wisconsin’s big western river: the Chippewa runs smallmouth, walleye, sturgeon and flatheads to the Mississippi.

4/5
Good. Solid day ahead.Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up.
Flow
1,170 cfs
Air / High
86 / 89 F
Wind
N 4 mph

Sources: USGS gauge 05365500, 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.

Chippewa River sits in the sweet spot of the season: active fish and workable weather. The river is running 1,170 cfs, on the rise. Today brings clear skies, wind N around 4 mph, falling pressure near 1010 hPa and a high of 89. 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 85 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 Chippewa River at Chippewa Falls.

Flow, last 30 days

USGS gauge 05365500.

7721,2281,6841,170 cfs08/0508/1508/2509/04

Right now

Latest readings

Air temp86 F
High / Low89 / 71 F
WindN 4-10 mph
Pressure1009.8 hPa, falling
Sky / Rain23% cloud, 21%
Sunrise / Sunset06:31 / 19:37
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, 89/71 F, wind 8 mph, rain 21%

Fair or better. A 8 mph breeze puts a working chop on the banks it hits: fish the wind-blown side.

Species guide

The species that matter on Chippewa 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 Chippewa 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 Chippewa River today, and we feature the best catch of the week.

Water log, last days

Auto-logged from live data
Thu, Sep 3

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 78 F, wind to 15 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 85 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 9 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

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

Regulations

Wisconsin license. Smallmouth, walleye, sturgeon and musky limits per current WDNR regulations; sturgeon seasons are short and specific.

Access

Public landings and city parks at Chippewa Falls, Eau Claire and Durand; Chippewa River State Trail for bank access.

About this water

A 183-mile river through western Wisconsin to the Mississippi below Durand, Chippewa, Eau Claire and Pepin counties.

Fishing Chippewa River: the full guide

A major Wisconsin river

The Chippewa River runs 183 miles through western Wisconsin from the northern forests to the Mississippi below Durand, a broad river of sand, rock and current with a series of dams through its middle reaches. It holds smallmouth bass in numbers, walleye, muskellunge, lake sturgeon, flathead and channel catfish, plus northern pike in the slower water.

Smallmouth and walleye

Smallmouth work the rock, wood and current seams throughout the free-flowing reaches: tubes, crankbaits and topwater by wading, floating or boat. Walleye hold the deeper holes and the tailwaters below the dams at Chippewa Falls and Eau Claire, taking jigs and crankbaits at low light, with spring the strongest window.

Sturgeon and flatheads

Lake sturgeon inhabit the lower river toward the Mississippi, managed with short seasons. Flathead catfish grow very large in the deeper holes and around wood, taken on live bait at night in summer: an underfished trophy fishery. Muskellunge hold the slower stretches and the flowages upstream.

Eau Claire logistics

Public landings and city parks serve the river through Chippewa Falls, Eau Claire and downstream to Durand, with the Chippewa River State Trail providing bank access. Flows vary with rain and dam operations. The lower river below Durand is broad and braided, joining the Mississippi in backwater country worth exploring.

Common questions

How big do the flatheads get?

Very: the deeper holes and wood hold large fish, taken on live bait at night in summer by a small dedicated group.

Where is the best walleye water?

The tailwaters below the dams at Chippewa Falls and Eau Claire, especially in spring at low light.

Are there sturgeon?

Yes, in the lower river toward the Mississippi, managed with short and specific seasons.

Is fishing good at Chippewa 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

Lake Wissota4 miWolf River23 miLake Pepin50 miKinnickinnic River60 miLac Courte Oreilles65 miChippewa Flowage67 mi
Share your catch