Fly Fishing the Root River, Minnesota: Sections, Seasons and Trip Plan
Location Details / Minnesota / Root River
Fly Fishing the Root River, Minnesota: Sections, Seasons and Trip Plan
The Root River is the heart of Minnesota's Driftless trout country, flowing through Fillmore and Houston counties to the Mississippi. Its spring-fed branches, above all the South Branch through Forestville State Park, Preston and Lanesboro and the catch-and-release South Fork, hold wild brown trout and brook trout. The lower main river is smallmouth water you can paddle.
Mel Hayner, owner of The Driftless Fly Fishing Company in Preston, fishes the Root more than anyone in our archive. On the Fly Fishing Insider Podcast in July 2023, he split it into two watersheds: the South Branch, out of Forestville State Park, really a bigger spring creek you can float; and the South Fork, wilder, smaller and usually clearer. Minneapolis guide Joshua Boese, who started guiding the Root out of Lanesboro, added that some floats open up into water where you catch smallmouth and trout together.
Species
Wild brown trout, brook trout in the headwaters, stocked rainbows; smallmouth bass on the lower main river
Best months
April to June and September for trout; June to September for main-river smallmouth
Character
Spring-fed limestone branches feeding a larger, cloudier main river; wade the branches, paddle the main stem
Nearest towns
Preston, Lanesboro, Chatfield, Whalan, Rushford, Houston
Nearest airports
Rochester (RST), La Crosse, Wisconsin (LSE), Minneapolis-St. Paul (MSP)
Rule to know
South Fork is catch and release, flies and lures only, from County Road 12 to the source; 2026 DNR regulations
The Root River Section by Section
Rules come from the 2026 Minnesota Fishing Regulations, geography from the DNR's Root River State Water Trail page. Branch access is mostly DNR angler easements.
Section 1: South Branch in Forestville/Mystery Cave State Park
Boundaries: the South Branch inside the park, plus Canfield and Forestville creeks.
Access: state park land; wade.
Best for: numbers of wild browns. Trout from 12 to 16 inches are released on a 4.8-mile posted section, and park water has a longer catch-and-release season.
Section 2: South Branch, Preston to Lanesboro
Boundaries: from below the park through Preston and down to the Lanesboro Dam and the main river confluence.
Access: in-town reaches, easements and kayak or drift boat floats. In October 2026 the DNR reported trees down at river miles 67 and 63.4 below Preston; check before you float.
Best for: bigger pools, and late-fall catch-and-release reaches in Preston and Lanesboro.
Section 3: The South Fork Root River
Boundaries: catch and release, flies and lures only, on 7.7 miles from County Road 12 to the source; it joins the main river near Houston.
Access: easements; wade.
Best for: wild browns in clear, bluff-lined water you stalk rather than cover.
Section 4: Middle and North Branches and the Tributaries
Boundaries: the Middle Branch, the North Branch near Chatfield, and tributaries such as Camp Creek.
Access: easements and road crossings; paddlers should portage the former Brightsdale Dam site on the North Branch, per the DNR.
Best for: quiet small water and headwater brook trout.
Section 5: The Main Root, Whalan to the Mississippi
Boundaries: the main river below the South Branch confluence above Whalan, past Rushford and Houston to the Mississippi.
Access: state water trail landings; the DNR says the river falls 3.4 feet per mile on average from Chatfield, with gentle to moderate flow.
Best for: smallmouth on a paddle trip in somewhat cloudy water.
Gauges: USGS 05383950, Root River near Pilot Mound (the one the DNR cites), USGS 05385500, South Fork Root River near Houston and USGS 05385000, Root River near Houston.
Reading the flows: no agency publishes fishable flow ranges for the Root, so read the trend with the DNR's Lanesboro clarity reports: Clear is 2 feet or more of visibility, Off 6 inches to 2 feet, Muddy under 6 inches. After rain, Mel heads for spring-fed headwaters, which clear first.
When to Fly Fish the Root River
Our reading of Mel Hayner's episode and DNR rules and reports; shading is our judgment.
| Target | JAN | FEB | MAR | APR | MAY | JUN | JUL | AUG | SEP | OCT | NOV | DEC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Branch browns, nymphs | ||||||||||||
| Hatches and dries | ||||||||||||
| Hoppers | ||||||||||||
| Main-river smallmouth |
LightModerateHeavy
November and December cells mean park water and the posted Preston and Lanesboro reaches only. Mel's calendar: blue-winged olives in sizes 20 and 22 from early March, caddis from about May 1, and hoppers in August and September.
Root River Fishing Rules
- 2026 southeast season: catch and release January 1 to April 10; harvest April 11 to September 14 (5 trout, only 1 over 16 inches); catch and release September 15 to October 15; closed October 16 to December 31 outside the special reaches. Minnesota DNR
- South Branch: 12 to 16 inch trout released on a 4.8-mile posted section in Forestville State Park; special catch-and-release season October 16 to December 31 in Preston (River Place West bridge to the U.S. Highway 52 bridge) and in Lanesboro (Lanesboro Dam to the confluence). Minnesota DNR
- South Fork: catch and release, artificial lures and flies only, County Road 12 to the source. Minnesota DNR
- Middle Branch and tributaries: Middle Branch catch and release on the entire stream; Canfield and Forestville creeks release 12 to 16 inch trout; Camp Creek catch and release on its posted section, except that statewide rules apply on the third Saturday in May. Minnesota DNR
Plan a 3-Day Root River Trip
Day 1: Forestville State Park
Wade the South Branch and Canfield Creek with a bead head Pheasant Tail, Mel's number one nymph.
Day 2: Float the South Branch
Kayak or drift boat from Preston toward Lanesboro once the downed trees are cleared. Beach above each good pool, walk down and fish back up, Mel's way.
Day 3: The South Fork
Stalk the South Fork, or in summer paddle the main river for smallmouth.
Base: Preston or Lanesboro. Bring: our setup is an 8.5- to 9-foot 4- or 5-weight, 5X tippet, small foam indicators, scuds, soft hackles and a box of hoppers for late summer.
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Root River Tips from Podcast Guests
-
Lock a slip strike indicator with a small granny knot
Mel Hayner, The Driftless Fly Fishing Company, Preston -
Approach spring creek pools from downstream, bottom to top
Mel Hayner -
Let a missed cast drift back instead of ripping it out
Mel Hayner -
Approach the water like a predator, not a commuter (transferable)
Jan Axtell, Livingston, Montana spring creek guide
See the Tips Library.
Hear the Root River on the Podcast
Mel Hayner on the South Branch, South Fork and stealth. Read the episode notes.
Joshua Boese on guiding the Root and beyond. Read the episode notes.
Shop the Water: Flies and Gear for the Root River
Bead Head Pheasant Tail Assortment
Olive Beaded Scud, Size 12
Soft Hackle Pheasant Tail, Size 14
Tan X Caddis, Size 16
BWO Classic Dry, Size 20
Dave's Hopper, Size 10
Dark Olive Woolly Bugger, Size 8
Mini Sex Dungeon Streamer, Brown
Root River Fly Fishing Questions, Answered
Where is the best trout water on the Root River?
The best Root River trout water is on the spring-fed branches, not the main river: the South Branch through Forestville State Park, Preston and Lanesboro, and the catch-and-release South Fork. On the main water trail, the Minnesota DNR lists brown trout only for the western end of the South Branch.
Can you float the Root River for trout?
Yes, on the South Branch of the Root River. Mel Hayner runs a drift boat and sit-on-top kayaks there, landing above the best pools and wading them from below. The main Root is a state water trail better suited to smallmouth. Check DNR alerts for downed trees first.
Can you fish the Root River in winter?
Yes. The Root River branches are catch and release from January 1 to April 10. In late fall, Forestville park water and posted reaches in Preston and Lanesboro stay open for catch and release while other southeast Minnesota streams close October 16 to December 31.
South Branch or South Fork: which should you fish?
Fish the South Branch of the Root for bigger water, park access and the option to float; fish the South Fork for wilder, clearer water, catch-and-release rules and flies-and-lures-only fishing on 7.7 miles. Mel Hayner fishes both and says the South Fork usually runs clearer.
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Tight lines, everyone!
By Christian Bacasa, host of the Fly Fishing Insider Podcast. Last reviewed November 2026.
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