Namekagon River Fishing Guides
A protected National Scenic Riverway in the northwoods, trout up high and smallmouth and musky below.
Guides on the Namekagon River
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About the Namekagon River
The Namekagon is the major tributary of the St Croix and, like the St Croix, it is federally protected as part of the St Croix National Scenic Riverway. That protection has kept development off the banks for nearly a hundred miles, so a river running through settled northern Wisconsin still presents an almost unbroken corridor of forest, and the paddling and fishing experience is far better for it.
The river divides neatly into two fisheries. From its outlet at Namekagon Lake down through Cable and Seeley the water runs cold and the river is managed for trout, with wild brown trout, native brook trout in the spring-fed tributaries, and stocked rainbows in some reaches. This upper water is classic northwoods trout fishing, and the gauge at Leonards reports temperature as well as flow, which is genuinely useful for judging when the upper river is fishing well.
Below Hayward the river broadens and warms, and it becomes one of the better smallmouth bass rivers in the state. Muskellunge are present and the Hayward area is famous for them, though the river fish are a different proposition from the lake fish that built that reputation. Walleye, northern pike and rock bass round out the warmwater mix.
The National Park Service maintains a series of landings, campsites and portages along the riverway, and a canoe or kayak is the natural way to cover water. Many of the best smallmouth stretches are effectively float-only.
Trout regulations on the upper river are reach-specific and include special-management sections, so the current Wisconsin trout regulations should be consulted before fishing above Hayward.
The riverway also has practical advantages for visiting anglers. Campsites along the corridor are free and first-come, the National Park Service publishes detailed river maps showing every landing and rapid, and shuttle services operate out of Hayward and Trego. A two-day float covering the smallmouth water below Hayward is one of the better value trips in the upper Midwest.
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Access
Leonards - the gauge site on the upper trout water.
Cable - upper river access and a common trout starting point.
Seeley - a well-known upper-river landing.
Hayward - the dividing point between the trout and smallmouth reaches.
Trego - lower river access with National Park Service facilities.
Namekagon Lake outlet - the very top of the river.
Riverway landings - National Park Service put-ins spaced along the corridor.
Seasons
Spring: high and cold; the trout season opens on the upper river and fishing improves as levels fall.
Summer: trout up high in the cool water and excellent smallmouth fishing below Hayward.
Fall: strong smallmouth and musky fishing, with brown trout spawning in the upper river.
Winter: cold and snow-covered, with very limited river access through the northwoods.
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Questions
What is the current flow on the Namekagon River?
As of Sep 17, 5:00 am, the USGS gauge NAMEKAGON RIVER AT LEONARDS, WI reads 43 cfs, with water temperature 55 F. Conditions update every 15 minutes.
What species can you catch on the Namekagon River?
Anglers target Brook Trout, Brown Trout, Muskellunge, Northern Pike, Rainbow Trout, Rock Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye on the Namekagon River in Wisconsin.
Where can you access the Namekagon River?
Leonards - the gauge site on the upper trout water. Cable - upper river access and a common trout starting point. Seeley - a well-known upper-river landing. Hayward - the dividing point between the trout and smallmouth reaches. Trego - lower river access with National Park Service facilities. Namekagon Lake outlet - the very top of the river. Riverway landings - National Park Service put-ins spaced along the corridor.
When is the best time to fish the Namekagon River?
Spring: high and cold; the trout season opens on the upper river and fishing improves as levels fall. Summer: trout up high in the cool water and excellent smallmouth fishing below Hayward. Fall: strong smallmouth and musky fishing, with brown trout spawning in the upper river. Winter: cold and snow-covered, with very limited river access through the northwoods.
Where are the fishing regulations for the Namekagon River?
Regulations change by season and section. Read the current rules on the Wisconsin agency site: https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/fishing/regulations