Bois Brule River
Wisconsin · Douglas County — Brule River State Forest to Lake Superior
SteelheadBrown TroutBrook TroutCoho SalmonChinook Salmon
Top 5 Fishing Locations on the Bois Brule River
Upper River — South of Highway 2 (Resident Trout)
The upper Brule south of Highway 2 is where the fly fishers come. This section holds resident brook trout, resident browns, and resident rainbows in water that ranges from slow spring-fed pools in the headwaters to the excellent pool-riffle-pool structure between County Highway B and County Highway S. The stretch between Hwy B and Hwy S is widely regarded as the best fly fishing on the Brule — slow, wide, clear water with active insect hatches from May through late June. Five presidents fished this stretch for good reason.
💧 Ideal flow: stable spring-fed conditions in the upper river. Best fished May through June for hatches, July through September for terrestrials. This section is closed during the early steelhead season (before first Saturday in May) — check regulations before fishing in spring.
📊 Get Location Flow Report
Cedar Island Estate Area — Middle River
The Cedar Island Estate is where President Calvin Coolidge set up his summer White House in 1928 and where multiple presidents have stayed over the decades. The Stones Bridge to Winneboujou canoe route passes through this area and takes you through Big and Lucius Lakes which hold brown trout worth checking. The middle Brule alternates between pools and riffles and is the transition zone between the calm upper river and the fast lower sections. This stretch is as scenic as any trout water in the Midwest.
💧 Ideal flow: the middle river fishes well across a range of flows. Higher spring flows push fish into the calmer water — look for brown trout in the slower pools near the lakes. Lower summer flows concentrate fish in the deeper runs and pools.
📊 Get Location Flow Report
Lower River — North of Highway 2 (Steelhead and Salmon)
North of Highway 2 the Brule transforms into fast freestone water dropping 200 feet in 12 miles toward Lake Superior. This is the steelhead and salmon section. Long rocky glides, boulder-strewn runs, and deep pools that hold lake-run fish during their spawning migrations. The lower river has many well-marked day-use access points. Spring steelhead, summer and fall lake-run browns, coho in fall, and fall steelhead make the lower Brule a true year-round fishery for migratory fish.
💧 Ideal flow: steelhead and salmon move best during rising water from rain events. Lake Superior tributary fishing improves significantly with water color — clear low water pushes fish out or makes them reluctant. Check flow before making the drive north.
📊 Get Location Flow Report
Spring Steelhead Run — Late March through May
The Bois Brule strain of steelhead is a wild strain maintained by the Wisconsin DNR since the 1890s — fish that have adapted specifically to the Lake Superior ecosystem and the Brule. The spring run starts with overwintered fish in late March and picks up with fresh bright fish arriving in April through May. Deep runs and pools are the holding water. Water temperature drives movement — fish move actively in rising temps between 38 and 48 degrees. The entire lower river and accessible upper sections all hold spring steelhead.
💧 Ideal flow: steelhead move best with slightly elevated and slightly off-color flows. After a rain event that pushes flows up 20 to 30 percent is often the best timing for fresh fish moving in from the lake.
📊 Get Location Flow Report
Fall Migrations — Lake-Run Browns, Coho, and Fall Steelhead
Fall on the Brule is arguably the most productive season for big fish. Lake-run brown trout start arriving in early July and peak mid-July through mid-September with fish averaging 3 to 8 pounds and occasionally reaching 10 pounds or more. Coho salmon show up in late August and peak in September. Fall steelhead arrive in mid-August and continue through late November with the largest runs between mid-September and late October. Three distinct migrations overlap in fall to create one of the most diverse migratory fisheries on any Wisconsin river.
💧 Ideal flow: fall migrations are triggered by rain events and cooling temperatures. The lake-run browns in particular prefer night fishing and low-light periods in slower deeper water during their migration. Salmon prefer faster runs and tail-outs.
📊 Get Location Flow Report
About Bois Brule River Fishing
The Bois Brule River in Douglas County, Wisconsin is 44 miles of water that has attracted anglers from across the country for over a century. Five US presidents fished the Brule from the Cedar Island Estate along its banks: Grant, Cleveland, Coolidge, Hoover, and Eisenhower. The river shares its source with the St. Croix River, which flows in the opposite direction south to the Mississippi. The Brule flows north to Lake Superior and that connection to a great lake is what makes this river unlike any other in Wisconsin. Highway 2 essentially divides the river into two distinct fisheries: the upper spring-fed section for resident trout and dry fly fishing, and the lower fast freestone section for steelhead and salmon migrating from Lake Superior.
Best Time to Fish the Bois Brule
Spring steelhead from late March through May on the lower river. May on the upper river for the Hendrickson and early mayfly hatches on resident trout. Summer hatches of Sulphurs, Brown Drakes, and Hex in the upper section from May through late June. Lake-run browns arriving in early July through October on the lower river. Coho salmon in September. Fall steelhead from mid-August through November. The Brule fishes well across every season. The species you are targeting determines where on the river you go and what gear you bring. Roughly 33,000 anglers visit annually.
Species
The upper river holds resident brook trout, resident brown trout, and resident rainbow trout. The lower river sees spring steelhead, lake-run brown trout from early summer through fall, coho salmon in fall, Chinook salmon in late summer and fall, and fall steelhead. The Bois Brule strain of steelhead is a wild strain maintained by the Wisconsin DNR since the 1890s — fish that adapted specifically to the Lake Superior ecosystem over 130 years of natural selection. Occasional Atlantic salmon and pink salmon have been observed but are rare.
Access and Regulations
The Brule River State Forest provides access throughout the river corridor. The lower river north of Highway 2 has well-marked day-use access points. The upper river south of Highway 2 is closed to fishing before the first Saturday in May, protecting steelhead during spawning. Box Car Hole is closed July 15 through October 31. Mays Ledges is closed September 1 through May 31. Wisconsin fishing license and inland trout stamp required for anglers 16 and older. The regulations on the Brule are complex with four different regulation sections. Read the current Wisconsin DNR trout fishing regulations carefully before fishing any section of this river.
Live River Data
Streamflow data is pulled in real time from the USGS National Water Information System where available. The Brule's lower river flows respond to rain events quickly — elevated and slightly off-color conditions often trigger steelhead and salmon movement. Check flows before making the drive north especially for migratory fish trips.