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Namekagon River Fishing Report

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

The Namekagon runs smallmouth and trout through the St. Croix wilderness, a national scenic riverway.

4/5
Good. Solid day ahead.Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up.
Water temp
~73 F est.
Air / High
77 / 77 F
Wind
NNW 6 mph

Sources: 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.

Namekagon River offers the kind of conditions this water was made for. Today brings clear skies, wind NNW around 6 mph, falling pressure near 1011 hPa and a high of 77. 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 80 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.

No live gauge on this water

Conditions here are modeled from weather, season and the nearest stations. Water readings appear when a USGS gauge is available.

4050607080JanMarMayJulSepNovSep, ~73 F now

Right now

Latest readings

Air temp77 F
High / Low77 / 63 F
WindNNW 6-8 mph
Pressure1011.1 hPa, falling
Sky / Rain22% cloud, 26%
Sunrise / Sunset06:30 / 19:39
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, 77/63 F, wind 9 mph, rain 26%

Fair or better. A 9 mph breeze puts a working chop on the banks it hits: fish the wind-blown side.

Species guide

The species that matter on Namekagon 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 Namekagon 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 Namekagon 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 85 F, wind to 8 mph.

Wed, Sep 2

3/5 Fair. Fish the windows. A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day. Muskellunge led the card at excellent. High of 84 F, wind to 4 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 84 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, musky and trout limits per current WDNR regulations; some reaches have special trout rules.

Access

National Park Service landings along the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway; outfitters in Hayward and Trego.

About this water

A 100-mile river through northwestern Wisconsin to the St. Croix, protected within the National Scenic Riverway.

Fishing Namekagon River: the full guide

A river under federal protection

The Namekagon River flows about 100 miles through northwestern Wisconsin to join the St. Croix, protected as part of the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway. The upper river runs cold enough for trout, stocked and wild, while the middle and lower reaches warm into excellent smallmouth water. Musky hold the deeper pools, and the whole corridor stays undeveloped.

Smallmouth and musky

From Hayward downstream the river is smallmouth country: work the current seams, boulder gardens and deeper holes with tubes, small crankbaits and topwater, wading or floating. Fish run good size with light pressure. Musky hold the deeper pools and log jams, taking large baits: a genuine river musky fishery for anglers willing to work for it.

Trout upstream

The upper river above Hayward runs cold and holds brown and brook trout, fished with nymphs, streamers and dries. Wisconsin manages sections with special regulations. Spring and fall are best for trout, while summer belongs to the smallmouth downstream: the two fisheries rarely overlap in the same reach on the same day.

Riverway logistics

National Park Service landings provide access along the entire river, with canoe and kayak floats the standard approach and outfitters serving the popular reaches. Camping is available at riverway sites. Flows vary with rain: the river is shallow in late summer, favoring wading, and higher water in spring favors floating.

Common questions

Trout or smallmouth?

Both, by reach: cold water and trout above Hayward, smallmouth and musky in the warmer river downstream.

Is it good for canoe trips?

Excellent: National Park Service landings and outfitters make multi-day floats through undeveloped country straightforward.

Are there musky in the river?

Yes: a genuine river musky fishery in the deeper pools and log jams, for anglers willing to throw big baits.

Is fishing good at Namekagon 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

Lac Courte Oreilles13 miChippewa Flowage14 miBois Brule River35 miTurtle-Flambeau Flowage62 miGrindstone Lake68 miSaint Croix River72 mi
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