Tomorrow River Fishing Guides
A cold, spring-fed central Wisconsin stream of about forty square miles of drainage, carrying wild brook and brown trout and a long-standing reputation among anglers who fish small water well.
Guides on the Tomorrow River
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About the Tomorrow River
The Tomorrow River rises in the sand country of central Wisconsin and drains about forty square miles above the gauge near Nelsonville before it changes its name to the Waupaca River further downstream. That name change is a genuine local quirk and catches out visitors who go looking for the wrong water. The river is fed by groundwater moving through glacial sand and gravel, which delivers the same practical result as a limestone spring creek: cold, steady, year-round flow that barely notices a dry summer.
What the angler finds is a small stream with a great deal of character. The channel runs through alder, tag and undercut banks, with gravel and sand on the bottom and a steady, even current. Water temperatures hold low enough through July and August to keep trout comfortable when nearby freestone streams have become unfishable. Wisconsin has spent decades on habitat work here, and the bank structures, brush bundles and narrowed channels that resulted are visible and effective. The trade is that casting room is scarce, and a short rod, a careful approach and a willingness to crawl will out-fish long casts every time.
Wild brook trout and wild brown trout are both present and both reproduce naturally, which is the point of the place. The brook trout tend to hold in the coldest upper water, the browns further down and in the deeper undercuts, and both run modest in size with the occasional genuine surprise. White suckers share the water. The river rewards patience and punishes haste, and a first visit is usually better spent walking and watching than casting.
Public access is good through state fishing easements and a state natural area. Special regulations apply and change by reach.
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Access
Nelsonville - the village at the gauge, the usual starting point for the upper water.
Amherst - the nearest larger village, with fuel and food.
DNR fishing easements - extensive public access along the river through otherwise private land.
Tomorrow River State Trail - a rail-trail through the valley useful for reaching water on foot.
Stevens Point - roughly twenty minutes west, with tackle shops, lodging and guides.
Waupaca - downstream, where the river takes its second name, with further access.
Mecan River and Emmons Creek - nearby spring-fed alternatives when this water is crowded.
Seasons
Spring: the season opens with high water and good numbers of willing fish before the vegetation closes the banks in.
Summer: groundwater keeps the river cold and fishable, and terrestrials drifted tight to the undercuts do the damage.
Fall: brook and brown trout colour up for spawning and the fishing is at its most visually rewarding.
Winter: Wisconsin's early catch-and-release season reaches parts of the river, and the spring-fed flow stays open.
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Questions
What is the current flow on the Tomorrow River?
As of Oct 18, 6:00 pm, the USGS gauge TOMORROW RIVER NEAR NELSONVILLE, WI reads 39 cfs. Conditions update every 15 minutes.
What species can you catch on the Tomorrow River?
Anglers target Brook Trout, Brown Trout, White Sucker on the Tomorrow River in Wisconsin.
Where can you access the Tomorrow River?
Nelsonville - the village at the gauge, the usual starting point for the upper water. Amherst - the nearest larger village, with fuel and food. DNR fishing easements - extensive public access along the river through otherwise private land. Tomorrow River State Trail - a rail-trail through the valley useful for reaching water on foot. Stevens Point - roughly twenty minutes west, with tackle shops, lodging and guides. Waupaca - downstream, where the river takes its second name, with further access. Mecan River and Emmons Creek - nearby spring-fed alternatives when this water is crowded.
When is the best time to fish the Tomorrow River?
Spring: the season opens with high water and good numbers of willing fish before the vegetation closes the banks in. Summer: groundwater keeps the river cold and fishable, and terrestrials drifted tight to the undercuts do the damage. Fall: brook and brown trout colour up for spawning and the fishing is at its most visually rewarding. Winter: Wisconsin's early catch-and-release season reaches parts of the river, and the spring-fed flow stays open.
Where are the fishing regulations for the Tomorrow River?
Regulations change by season and section. Read the current rules on the Wisconsin agency site: https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/fishing/regulations