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Kickapoo River Fishing Report

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

Wisconsin’s crookedest river: the Kickapoo winds smallmouth water through Driftless valleys.

3/5
Fair. Fish the windows.A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day.
Flow
184 cfs
Air / High
87 / 91 F
Wind
SSW 9 mph

Sources: USGS gauge 05408000, 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.

3/5Fair. Fish the windows.A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day.

Kickapoo River sits in the sweet spot of the season: active fish and workable weather. The river is running 184 cfs, steady over the week. Today brings clear skies, wind SSW around 9 mph, steady pressure near 1010 hPa and a high of 91. 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

MuskellungeExcellent

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

Smallmouth bassGood

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

WalleyeGood

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

Catfish (blue, channel)Good

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

Tomorrow: Similar at 88 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 Kickapoo River at La Farge.

Flow, last 30 days

USGS gauge 05408000.

212282351184 cfs08/0508/1508/2509/04

Right now

Latest readings

Air temp87 F
High / Low91 / 75 F
WindSSW 9-17 mph
Pressure1010.2 hPa, steady
Sky / Rain0% cloud, 25%
Sunrise / Sunset06:29 / 19:32
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, 91/75 F, wind 10 mph, rain 25%

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 Kickapoo 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 Kickapoo 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 Kickapoo 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 83 F, wind to 9 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 87 F, wind to 9 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 89 F, wind to 6 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 plus trout stamp for tributaries. Smallmouth and trout limits per current WDNR regulations.

Access

Kickapoo Valley Reserve near La Farge, canoe landings and road crossings throughout the valley.

About this water

A 125-mile Driftless Area river through southwestern Wisconsin to the Wisconsin River, Vernon County.

Fishing Kickapoo River: the full guide

A river that wanders

The Kickapoo River flows about 125 miles through the Driftless Area of southwestern Wisconsin to the Wisconsin River, so sinuous that its name is said to mean the river that goes here then there. It runs through steep valleys and sandstone bluffs, holding smallmouth bass, northern pike, catfish and panfish, with trout in the many spring-fed tributaries.

Smallmouth by canoe

The river is a canoe fishery above all: paddle the meanders working the wood, undercut banks and deeper bends with tubes, small crankbaits and topwater. Smallmouth run modest with better fish in the holes, and the paddling through the Driftless valleys is half the appeal. Outfitters serve the popular reaches around La Farge and Ontario.

Trout in the tributaries

The spring creeks feeding the Kickapoo, including the West Fork and countless smaller branches, hold wild brown trout in classic Driftless water: this is some of the best trout country in the Midwest, with extensive public easements. Anglers often split trips between the main river for smallmouth and a tributary for trout.

Vernon County logistics

Access is via road crossings, canoe landings and the Kickapoo Valley Reserve near La Farge, which protects a substantial stretch. Viroqua and Ontario provide services. The river rises fast with rain in the steep valleys and can flood dramatically, as the valley has learned repeatedly.

Common questions

Is it good for canoeing?

Excellent: the meandering river through Driftless valleys is a paddling destination as much as a fishing one.

Where are the trout?

In the spring-fed tributaries, including the West Fork: some of the Midwest’s best trout country with public easements.

Does it flood?

Yes, dramatically: the steep valleys funnel rain and the valley has repeatedly experienced major floods.

Is fishing good at Kickapoo River right now?

Check the daily report at the top of this page: it is regenerated every morning from live data. Today's read: Fair. Fish the windows. A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day.

Nearby waters

Mississippi River Pool 936 miCastle Rock Lake39 miLake Onalaska41 miUpper Iowa River45 miPetenwell Lake48 miLake Wisconsin52 mi
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