Rush Creek Fishing Guides
A Driftless limestone creek reaching the Root River at Rushford, with wild brown trout and long stretches of state easement water.
Guides on the Rush Creek
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About the Rush Creek
Rush Creek drains a limestone valley in Fillmore and Winona counties and reaches the Root River at Rushford, in the heart of southeastern Minnesota trout country. This is the Driftless Area, the region the last glaciers did not cover, and the landscape of steep wooded bluffs, narrow valleys and exposed carbonate bedrock is the reason the corner of the state holds several hundred miles of coldwater stream while the rest of Minnesota holds very little.
The creek is spring fed and limestone influenced, and the fishery follows directly from that. Groundwater emerging from the carbonate bedrock keeps water temperatures suitable through the summer and prevents the creek from freezing solid in winter, and the dissolved minerals support the heavy scud, sowbug and mayfly populations that drive fast trout growth. The water runs clear over gravel and rubble, with undercut banks and deep bends set against the valley walls.
Brown trout are the main fish and reproduce naturally through most of the creek, which is the standard and the expectation in this part of Minnesota rather than an exception. Brook trout hold in the coldest spring fed tributaries at the heads of the side valleys, and rainbows turn up in the more heavily managed public reaches. The fish are wary rather than large on average, though the deeper bend pools hold browns worth the walk.
Access is the strength of the region and of this creek in particular. Minnesota holds extensive angling easements through the Driftless valleys, marked and legally walkable, and there is state forest and wildlife land in the drainage as well. The easements interleave with private farmland and the boundaries matter, so carrying the state trout stream access maps is the difference between a productive day and an awkward conversation with a landowner.
It fishes like Driftless water everywhere. Clear water, wary wild browns and open pasture banks mean approach matters more than fly selection. Fish upstream, stay low and off the skyline, and work the undercuts and the heads of pools rather than the open middle. Scuds and sowbugs cover most of the year, caddis and small mayflies carry spring and early summer, and terrestrials fished tight to the bank grass are the summer answer.
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The photo at the top of this page is not Rush Creek.
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Access
Rushford - the Fillmore County town at the confluence with the Root River.
Minnesota angling easements - the marked state easements along the valley.
Root River - the larger river receiving the creek, with its own smallmouth fishery.
Root River State Trail - the paved rail trail following the valley with parking areas.
Lanesboro - the Driftless town upriver, the usual regional base for anglers.
Peterson - the village on the Root River below Rushford.
Richard J. Dorer Memorial Hardwood State Forest - the large public forest in the region.
Seasons
Spring: high cold water from snowmelt and rain, with the creek off color after storms.
Summer: stable spring fed flows, dense insect activity and strong terrestrial fishing.
Fall: cooling water and brown trout coloring for the spawn in quiet valleys.
Winter: open water at the springs and a genuine catch and release winter season.
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Questions
What species can you catch on the Rush Creek?
Anglers target Brook Trout, Brown Trout, Rainbow Trout on the Rush Creek in Minnesota.
Where can you access the Rush Creek?
Rushford - the Fillmore County town at the confluence with the Root River. Minnesota angling easements - the marked state easements along the valley. Root River - the larger river receiving the creek, with its own smallmouth fishery. Root River State Trail - the paved rail trail following the valley with parking areas. Lanesboro - the Driftless town upriver, the usual regional base for anglers. Peterson - the village on the Root River below Rushford. Richard J. Dorer Memorial Hardwood State Forest - the large public forest in the region.
When is the best time to fish the Rush Creek?
Spring: high cold water from snowmelt and rain, with the creek off color after storms. Summer: stable spring fed flows, dense insect activity and strong terrestrial fishing. Fall: cooling water and brown trout coloring for the spawn in quiet valleys. Winter: open water at the springs and a genuine catch and release winter season.
Where are the fishing regulations for the Rush Creek?
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