Cannon River Fishing Guides
A designated state water trail through southeastern Minnesota's bluff country, floated for smallmouth bass on its way to the Mississippi.
Guides on the Cannon River
Claimed profiles take booking requests. Unclaimed profiles are built from public records so the river is never empty; the guide can claim or remove one any time.
No guides listed yet
Guide or outfit this water? Create your profile. Listing is free, the commission is 10% or 7% with a premium profile, and premium profiles list first on this water.
About the Cannon River
The Cannon River runs east across southeastern Minnesota, through Faribault and Northfield, over the falls at Cannon Falls, and past Welch to join the Mississippi near Red Wing. It is a designated State Water Trail and a Wild and Scenic river through its lower reach, and the section below Cannon Falls is the one anglers and paddlers care about most.
Below the falls the river drops into the bluff country that characterises this corner of the state, cutting through limestone and dolomite with wooded valley walls rising on both sides. The water runs over gravel, cobble and limestone ledge, with riffles separating pools of reasonable depth. It is more transparent than most southern Minnesota rivers, which run heavy with agricultural sediment, though it still colours hard after rain across the farmed upper basin.
Smallmouth bass are the primary fishery and the lower river holds them well, on the rock, along the ledges and in the riffle tailouts. Walleye are present and move up from the Mississippi, particularly in spring and again in autumn. Northern pike hold in the slower flat water and the backwaters. Channel and flathead catfish work the deeper holes, and rock bass, bluegill, black crappie, freshwater drum, white sucker and carp fill out the community.
It is a float river. Canoes and kayaks handle the whole lower stretch and the water trail publishes accesses and distances. The Cannon Valley Trail runs alongside much of it, which makes shuttling straightforward and gives bank anglers a way in. Summer is the settled season; spring flows can be pushy. Northfield and Cannon Falls both sit on the river and make convenient bases, with the trail providing shuttle options that do not require two vehicles. For an angler based in the Twin Cities this is among the closest genuinely good smallmouth floats.
This water needs a real photo
The photo at the top of this page is not Cannon River.
It is a regional stand-in, honestly captioned but generic — we will not put a name to a river we cannot prove. Send us a photograph you took here and it replaces the stand-in, with your credit on it.
Add a photo of this water
Landscape, not fish — the water itself. Reviewed by hand before it appears. The first one published here earns the Pioneer badge.
Fished this water? Add a photo
Reviewed by hand before it appears. Pick the water, not the spot — we never publish exact locations.
Access
Welch - the gauge reach and a popular access on the lower river.
Cannon Falls - the main upstream access below the falls.
Cannon Valley Trail accesses - bank and walk-in access along the lower valley.
Red Wing and the Mississippi confluence - the downstream end of the river.
Northfield - access on the middle river above the falls.
Anderson Memorial Park - a developed access in the lower valley.
Miesville Ravine Park Reserve - adjoining public land and tributary access.
Seasons
Spring: high coloured water, with walleye moving up from the Mississippi as it settles.
Summer: the prime smallmouth season, with clear low water and easy floating.
Fall: excellent, with aggressive smallmouth and walleye returning to the lower river.
Winter: cold and largely iced over, with limited open-water opportunity.
From the water
No logged trips yet. Be the first to put this water on your map.
Log this water
Fished it or cleaned it? Log in or create a free account to log a trip with photos and earn the waterway badge.
Questions
What is the current flow on the Cannon River?
As of Sep 17, 6:00 am, the USGS gauge CANNON RIVER AT WELCH, MN reads 322 cfs. Conditions update every 15 minutes.
What species can you catch on the Cannon River?
Anglers target Black Crappie, Bluegill, Channel Catfish, Common Carp, Flathead Catfish, Freshwater Drum, Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Rock Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White Sucker on the Cannon River in Minnesota.
Where can you access the Cannon River?
Welch - the gauge reach and a popular access on the lower river. Cannon Falls - the main upstream access below the falls. Cannon Valley Trail accesses - bank and walk-in access along the lower valley. Red Wing and the Mississippi confluence - the downstream end of the river. Northfield - access on the middle river above the falls. Anderson Memorial Park - a developed access in the lower valley. Miesville Ravine Park Reserve - adjoining public land and tributary access.
When is the best time to fish the Cannon River?
Spring: high coloured water, with walleye moving up from the Mississippi as it settles. Summer: the prime smallmouth season, with clear low water and easy floating. Fall: excellent, with aggressive smallmouth and walleye returning to the lower river. Winter: cold and largely iced over, with limited open-water opportunity.
Where are the fishing regulations for the Cannon River?
Regulations change by season and section. Read the current rules on the Minnesota agency site: https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/regulations/fishing/index.html