The Tribs


Sheboygan River - Sheboygan


Another one of the larger rivers with dependable flows and runs of fish. Though a portion of this watershed flows through the Kohler Company which  is private property, there is still a ton of public access.  Something to note is that there is not nearly the same amount of crowds as you might find when fishing some of the more southern rivers in the state. 




Milwaukee River - Milwaukee


A large watershed with plenty of room for anglers to spread out. Even on those years with low flows, the Milwaukee River still has enough water to take a solid run of fish, even if other rivers don't. Access here is easy with plenty of city parks up and down the river. The Milwaukee has an excellent knack for hiding the fact that its a very urban river. During heavy flows please wade with caution here, there's enough power to take an angler off their feet. 


Oak Creek - South Milwaukee


The smallest and most volatile of all the tributaries. The rain will normally only raise this stream for a day or so. The fish will run this short little creek and be gone within a short couple of days. Just like the Pike River in Kenosha, this place is all about the timing. Catch it right and your a superstar, a few days too late and all your doing is slapping your flyline against empty pools. Learn how to read the stream flows for the Oak to shed some light on prime fishing opportunities. 


Root River - Racine


The Root River in Racine is the crowned jewel of the Wisconsin DNR stocking program for Lake Michigan trout and salmon. This is one of two locations where DNR processes fish for eggs and milt. The Root also receives the most generous numbers for planted fish. This stocking brings a heavy return in fish and draws the most attention from anglers. Fight the crowds and find the fish, solitude normally results in some great catches. 


Pike River - Kenosha 


A long and unobstructed river that flows directly into the lake. No harbor at the end of the Pike just a sandy mouth that has a tendency to silt shut. This river is fast to rise and fast to fall and the runs here can be unpredictable at best. When timed just right this river is a dream and when miscalculated even the slightest its a real heartbreaker. Due to the lack of obstructions anglers do have the chance to really spread out but so do the fish.