Fishing Season: Spring, Summer, Fall

Milwaukee River - WI

Fishing Outlook & Conditions

Water Temp:

55

Orvis Milwaukee's Tip of the Week

Salmon are dying off and the browns are coming in strong! CFS at 320. We would recommend a sink tip or weighted flies to fish deeper holes, if you happen to go out. Chartreuses/blues/pinks are the colors you need! Egg patterns to float or bright flashy streamers to swing.

Directions open in app

Map of Milwaukee River

Water Flow Data

5-Day Outlook as of 12/13/24

Check www.noaa.gov or your local weather for more updates. Warm pattern through mid-week with moderate pressure dominating.

Techniques & Tips as of 12/13/24

Swinging streamers and indicator fishing with eggs for brown trout and steelhead! LIGHT LINE! Fish are hungry!

Local Species Available Spring, Summer, Fall

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    Chinook/Coho Salmon

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    Brown Trout

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    Steelhead

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    Smallmouth Bass

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    Northern Pike

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    Walleye

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    Carp

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    Panfish

Orvis Milwaukee's Recommended Fly Patterns

"Must-have" fly fishing patterns in descending order of importance:

Name: Colors: Size(s):
Bead Head Woolly Bugger Streamer Black/Orange Any
Schultzy's S3 Sculpin Orange/Chartruese 8, 10, 12
Freshwater Clouser Black/Brown 8,10,12
GD SculpSnack Olive/Black 4,6,8
Cheech Leech White, Olive 4
Bunny Muddler Orange/Purple 1/0
TeQueely Streamer Olive/Black 4,6,8
Nutcracker Tan/Olive 8
Mike's Meal Ticket All Colors 2

Bead Head Woolly Bugger Streamer

Every angler needs an assortment of these weighted attractor Bead Head Woolly Bugger Streamer flies.

2.49

Item #0311

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Orvis Milwaukee's Recommended Gear

Description: About Milwaukee River

The Milwaukee River headwaters start north of West Bend running through Milwaukee, three rivers drain into Lake Michigan under the Hoan Bridge after they meet in the heart of the city. The river offers seasonal steelhead, brown trout, and salmon fishing in the spring and fall, as well as a great warm water fishery for smallmouth bass in the summer along with northern pike, largemouth bass, rock bass, bluegill, carp, catfish and a variety of other species that can be targeted on the fly throughout the watershed. Season by season: Spring: Beginning at ice out Steelhead will begin entering the river. This annual run of fish is rain dependent. The most dependable fishing begins when the water temperature reaches 40 degrees, usually in March, and lasts until the end of April stretching sometimes into early May. Swung streamers and nymphed egg patterns are solid producers. Summer: When the water temperature reaches close to 50 degrees in mid-May, Smallmouth Bass are the main game fish at this time. Big Smallmouth as well as other species of warm water fish can be exciting on a popper or a big streamer. Fall: Around October 1st, large numbers of King Salmon, Coho and sometimes Lake Trout begin to make their way into the tributaries of Lake Michigan. These brutes will test any angler. Lake run Brown Trout and Steelhead will follow when the water temps drop below 50 degrees. This run will last until the river freezes over and into the spring.

Nearest Airport:

General Mitchell International Airport

Hatches:

N/A

Best Time to Fish:

open throughout the day

Best Stretch:

Between North Ave in the City of Milwaukee up to the Grafton Dam in Grafton, WI.

Best Access:

Hubbard Park, Estabrook Park falls, Kletsch Park falls