St. Croix River
river in Minnesota
A large, mixed river offering excellent smallmouth bass fly fishing in rockbars and current seams, plus spring walleye and fall muskie opportunities along the border corridor.
Cooler fall temperatures have driven most fish
- 01Cooler fall temperatures have driven most fish, including Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, and Muskellunge, to deeper water and structure.
- 02Subsurface presentations mimicking baitfish, leeches, and larger nymphs are proving most effective.
- 03Predatory species are actively keying in on larger food sources as they prepare for winter.
- 04Focus on deeper holes, slack water behind prominent points, and areas with submerged structure.
- 05Retrieve streamers and nymphs slowly to appeal to less active, cold-water fish.
Past reports week by week
7 weeksWhat to tie on
Picked from reports, hatches and the season. Tap a fly for the recipe and where else it works.
Damsel Nymph (Olive)
Damsel nymphs migrate deeper as fall progresses, making this a great pattern to strip slowly along weed edges for opportunistic feeders like Bluegill, Crappie, and Smallmouth Bass.
Hellgrammite Fly
Hellgrammites are a year-round food source in rocky river environments, and this pattern is excellent for enticing Smallmouth Bass and Walleye in the cooling fall water.
Muskie Fly
Fall is prime time for Muskellunge, and this large streamer effectively imitates their preferred baitfish.
Perch Pattern
Perch are a primary forage fish in the St. Croix, and this pattern is particularly effective for larger predators like Walleye, Pike, and Muskellunge in the fall.
Clouser Minnow (Bass) (Chartreuse/White)
This baitfish imitation is effective for Smallmouth Bass and other predatory species keying on minnows in the St. Croix River as water cools.
Squirmy Wormy
Aquatic worms are a consistent food source, especially after any recent precipitation, making this a reliable subsurface choice for various species in the St. Croix.
Buy at AmazonPine Squirrel Leech (Olive)
This small leech pattern accurately imitates sluggish baitfish and annelids, triggering strikes from lethargic fish in the colder fall water of the St. Croix River.
Woolly Bugger (Olive)
A versatile and reliable streamer, the olive Woolly Bugger mimics leeches and baitfish, which are consistent food sources for predatory species in cooling fall waters.
Where to fish and who to ask
St. Croix Falls / Osceola Reach
Lower river stretches with deeper pools—good for early-season walleye and fall muskie fly fishing.
Stillwater - Lift Bridge Access
Large urban access with strong smallmouth numbers and convenient shoreline fishing.
Taylors Falls / Interstate Park
Popular put-in and float section with excellent rock-bar smallmouth habitat and solid riffles.
Fly shops within 40 miles
Thorne Bros Fly Fishing
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Minnesota season by season
What changes on the water through the year, with the flies for each season.
Read before you go
Quick answers
Common questions about St. Croix River.
What flies work best on St. Croix River?
Our top scored fly patterns for St. Croix River right now are Damsel Nymph (Olive) (80% confidence), Hellgrammite Fly (80% confidence), Muskie Fly (80% confidence). These picks are scored from recent fishing reports, hatch data, and seasonal patterns.
What fish species are in St. Croix River?
St. Croix River holds Muskellunge, Walleye, Sauger, Bluegill, Crappie. See the species links on this page for fly recommendations and seasonal behavior for each.
Is St. Croix River fishing well right now?
We publish a fresh bite report for St. Croix River each week based on recent on-the-water intel. The current report — with conditions, hatches, and what's producing — is on this page.