Kinnickinnic River
Wisconsin · Driftless Area — St. Croix and Pierce Counties
Brown TroutBrook Trout
Top 5 Fishing Locations on the Kinnickinnic River
Upper Kinni — Spring Pond Area
The Kinni starts from a series of spring holes in St. Croix County pastures north of I-94. The upper river is narrow, slow, and cold with a sandy silty bottom. This is brook trout country. Native brookies hold tight to undercut banks and the shade of overhanging grass. Access is good with 17 DNR entry points between the spring ponds and Highway 35. A 3wt and a careful approach is all you need up here.
💧 Ideal flow: spring-fed and stable year-round. Upper sections don't fluctuate much. Fish it when air temps are moderate and avoid after heavy rain when siltier conditions reduce visibility.
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River Falls Canyon Section
The Kinni cuts through a 200-foot deep gorge right through the city of River Falls — one of the more dramatic pieces of urban trout water anywhere. Waterfalls, moss-covered cliffs, and ferns frame a stretch that holds some of the largest brown trout in the river. Access is from River Falls city parks. The canyon concentrates fish and is worth the short walk down to the water. This section sees pressure but the fish are there.
💧 Ideal flow: best at normal to low flows when the canyon pools are clear and readable. High water pushes fish into the canyon walls and makes wading difficult on the slippery rock bottom.
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Mid-River — Main Access Stretches
Between the spring pond area and River Falls the Kinni fishes classic spring creek style — clear water, educated fish, precise presentations. Browns up to 20 inches are realistic. The river runs at a manageable width that lets you cover water efficiently on foot. DNR easements and road crossings provide good walk-in access throughout this stretch. The fish see a lot of flies in here so get your presentations right.
💧 Ideal flow: spring-fed and consistent. Fish are most active during evening caddis and sulphur hatches in spring and summer. Early morning Trico spinner falls are reliable from July onward.
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Lower River — Below River Falls
Below River Falls the Kinni transitions to more freestone character as it flows toward the St. Croix River. The fish density drops compared to the upper sections but the size goes up — larger, older browns that are harder to catch but worth the hunt. Access is tighter on the lower stretch and some sections require landowner permission. If you can find a way in, the lower river gives you a shot at fish that the crowds upstream never see.
💧 Ideal flow: the lower river is more influenced by runoff than the spring-fed upper sections. Check conditions after rain before making the trip. Best at stable low flows when clarity is high.
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Kinnickinnic State Park — Confluence Area
The Kinni dumps into the St. Croix River at Kinnickinnic State Park in Pierce County. The confluence and the final mile of the Kinni above it are accessible through the state park. Browns stack up in this section especially in fall when they stage before moving upriver. The St. Croix itself holds smallmouth bass and walleye but the lower Kinni is pure trout water right to the end.
💧 Ideal flow: check both the Kinni and St. Croix levels. Backwater from St. Croix floods can push up into the lower Kinni and muddy the confluence area. Best fished when both rivers are running clear.
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About Kinnickinnic River Fishing
The Kinnickinnic River — the Kinni to anyone who fishes it — is a 25-mile spring-fed stream in western Wisconsin that most people outside the Midwest have never heard of and most people inside it treat as a closely guarded secret. It starts from a series of spring holes north of I-94 in St. Croix County and runs southwest until it hits the St. Croix River at Kinnickinnic State Park. Stocking stopped in 1974. Everything in here reproduces on its own. Brown trout density in the best sections runs 8,000 fish per mile. Brook trout hold in the upper reaches. A 200-foot canyon cuts through the middle of River Falls and the fish that live in it see a lot of flies.
Best Time to Fish the Kinni
Spring is prime time. The first hatches come off in April with early caddis and blue-winged olives on overcast days. May and June bring the best dry fly fishing of the year with consistent evening hatches. July Trico spinner falls start early in the morning and can be exceptional. Get on the water by 7am. Hex hatches occur on some sections in late June and July and bring the biggest fish of the year to the surface after dark. Fall is underrated on the Kinni. Brown trout get aggressive in September and October and smaller attractor patterns work well in the cooler air temps. The spring-fed water stays cold enough for fish to be active even on warm summer days.
Species
Brown trout and brook trout. The upper river above River Falls holds native brook trout in the spring-fed headwaters and feeder creeks. Brown trout take over as you move downstream and dominate from mid-river through the canyon and below River Falls. Fish of 18 to 22 inches are caught regularly in the better sections. The lower river below River Falls gives up larger individual fish with less frequency than the upper sections but the ones you find are memorable.
Access and Regulations
Wisconsin trespass law allows wading navigable rivers provided you enter at a bridge or with landowner permission and keep your feet wet. The Kinni has good access through DNR easements with 17 entry points between the spring ponds and Highway 35 in the upper section. Kinnickinnic State Park provides access at the lower end. Some middle and lower sections require landowner permission — ask before you wade through private land. Check current Wisconsin DNR regulations. Parts of the river have special regulations including artificial-only and size limits.
Live River Data
Streamflow data is pulled in real time from the USGS National Water Information System where available. The Kinni is a stable spring-fed stream that doesn't fluctuate dramatically, but checking levels after heavy rain is always a good idea before making the drive.