Root River
Minnesota · Driftless Area — Fillmore County, Lanesboro and Preston
Brown TroutRainbow TroutBrook Trout
Top 5 Fishing Locations on the Root River
Forestville State Park — South Branch Upper
The South Branch rises from Mystery Cave and enters Forestville State Park, where it fishes as a wild brown trout stream managed without stocking. Canfield Creek and Forestville Creek both join the South Branch inside the park with special regulations on both. Year-round catch-and-release inside park boundaries. This upper stretch holds the most wild fish on the entire Root River system and the browns are genuinely selective. Worth the state park permit fee to access.
💧 Ideal flow: spring-fed and stable inside the park. The upper South Branch through Forestville clears quickly after rain. Fish are most active at dawn and dusk — midday fish are tight to cover in the pools and undercut banks.
Preston — Town Access and TU Habitat Stretch
Preston calls itself the Trout Capital of Minnesota and backs it up with real access and habitat improvements. A collaborative project by Trout Unlimited, the City of Preston, and the Driftless Area Restoration Effort completed in 2017 improved both the fishing and the access through town. Year-round catch-and-release in the city limits. The Driftless Fly Fishing Company on the main street is the local resource for conditions, flies, and guide services. Start here before fishing anywhere on the Root River system.
💧 Ideal flow: fishes well across a range of flows through the town stretch. The habitat improvements created good holding water even at lower summer levels. Access is easy from multiple pull-offs and park areas within Preston.
Lanesboro — South Branch Below Dam
Below the dam in Lanesboro the South Branch fishes differently than the upper river — wider, slower, with deeper pools. Year-round catch-and-release in the town of Lanesboro. The Root River State Trail follows the river through town giving good walking access to the best pools. Canoes and kayaks share the water after Memorial Day which pushes fish into the banks and makes early morning the prime window. The largest fish on the lower South Branch come from the outside bends and deep structure near log jams.
💧 Ideal flow: best fished at stable low flows when the deep pools clear up. After heavy rain wait a day or two for the lower South Branch to clear. Summer canoe traffic requires early morning or weekday fishing for best results.
South Fork — County Roads 12 and 118
The South Fork is a separate branch from the South Branch, starting above Forestville State Park and flowing through rolling Driftless farmland. Access via County Roads 12 and 118 — two bridges where CR 12 crosses the South Fork both provide walk-in access. Wild brook trout hold in the upper sections with brown and rainbow trout throughout. The South Fork runs over limestone beds with cold spring input keeping temperatures down. Less pressure than the South Branch and worth the extra driving to find good water without competition.
💧 Ideal flow: spring-influenced but responds to rain. Best at stable low flows when trout are visible in the clear limestone water. Ask at the Driftless Fly Fishing Company in Preston about current South Fork conditions before making the drive.
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Root River State Trail Access Points
The Root River State Trail follows the South Branch from Preston through Lanesboro and beyond, giving anglers on foot access to miles of river that would otherwise be hard to reach. The trail allows walking long distances to pools that don't see pressure from road-accessible spots. If you see a pool from the trail that looks productive, it probably is — the trail anglers who walk past the first few obvious spots consistently find better fish. This is one of the best access systems for fly fishers on any Minnesota trout river.
💧 Ideal flow: the trail access is most valuable at lower flows when wading is safe and fish are readable in the clearer water. Higher flows push fish to the edges and make the walk along the trail worthwhile even if wading is limited.
About Root River Fishing
The Root River drains 80 miles through the Driftless Area of southeastern Minnesota, forming from the confluence of the North, Middle, and South branches before flowing into the Mississippi River near La Crosse, Wisconsin. The South Branch is the flagship fishery — a limestone spring creek that starts at Mystery Cave near the town of Spring Valley, winds through Forestville State Park, flows through Preston and Lanesboro, and meets the North Branch a mile and a half north of Lanesboro. Preston calls itself the Trout Capital of Minnesota. That's not just a chamber of commerce claim — the South Branch holds wild brown trout up to 25 inches and fish populations in the best sections exceed 200 fish per mile. Stop at the Driftless Fly Fishing Company in Preston before fishing anything in this watershed.
Best Time to Fish the Root River
Spring is prime. Little Black Caddis (Grannom) hatches in mid-April are the opener — fish lose caution when Grannoms are hatching and it's one of the easier times to catch selective browns on dries. March Browns and Hendricksons follow in late April and May. Sulphurs run through June and into July. Trico spinner falls from July through September are excellent on the slower pools near Lanesboro — get on the water by 7am. Fall streamer fishing in September and October is the best shot at the largest fish in the system. The Root River Special and Cone Head Woolly Bugger swung through deep holes near log jams is the fall tactic that the local guides push.
Species
Brown trout dominate throughout the South Branch system. The upper section above Preston through Forestville State Park holds the most wild fish. Brook trout hold in the colder upper tributaries — Seven Springs area at the upstream end of the designated trout water is brook trout country. Rainbow trout are stocked in the lower sections below Preston and below the Highway 52 bridge. The wild browns in the park and upper river sections are genuinely selective and require precise presentations. Stocked fish below Preston are more cooperative but the lower river also holds large holdover browns that aren't pushovers.
Access and Regulations
Year-round catch-and-release fishing is permitted inside Forestville State Park, in the city of Preston, and in the town of Lanesboro. State park vehicle permit required for Forestville. The Root River State Trail follows the South Branch from Preston through Lanesboro providing excellent walking access. Numerous state angling easements exist throughout the watershed — consult DNR stream maps before driving to private sections. Camp Creek is catch-and-release only. Watson Creek is mostly private — get permission before fishing. Check current Minnesota DNR regulations carefully as rules vary significantly by section and tributary.
Live River Data
Streamflow data is pulled in real time from the USGS National Water Information System where available. The Root River system is spring-influenced but also responds to rain. Give it a day or two to clear after heavy rain before making the drive to Preston or Lanesboro.