Root River System Info

I was in the Lanesboro today doing some biking and decided to do a little spin fishing while I was in town. To my suprise I C&R’d three browns 15-19″ in a short section of river right in town. In 2003, I also was biking from Lanesboro to Preston and I had quite good fishing when I stopped to fish what seemed to be an low pressured section of that stretch of river. I have an DNR stream guide and it classifies the South Branch as a poor trout fishery?? Did I get lucky both times? I know there are the trout tributary spring creeks, but logic suggests that there should be some larger fish in the main river. What about the North Branch – I have seen reports of a smallmouth fishery. Is there good smallmouth fishing on the North Branch or the Main Branch after the confluence? I am requesting any basic info on the fish makeup within sections of the root and its tribs. I fish Pool 4 smallies and Whitewater trout all the time, but the Root intrigues me. Any info is appreaciated.

It’s probably labeled as such because it has no habitat improvement, little stocking, and it’s a big river system that fluctuates a great deal, so that may be why the DNR classifies it as such. Just a guess here.

The section you speak of is big water, so it comes as no surprise that you caught some nice fish. Big fish = big water with lots of large forage critters for them to snack on: suckers, shiners, chubs, and other trout, etc.

Take care,
D.A.

I’m interested in finding out about the smallmouth fishing, too. I’ve been trying to target them just for a change in pace, but I can’t seem to catch anything other than trout (boohoo, I know). I’d love to know which stretches of the Root I can wade and flyfish for them.

The entire root river system (main branch, middle and north) all have smallmouth. The south branch downstream from lanesboro has very few smallies since it’s colder and a much better trout stream. I have caught a few there though. The main branch is best from the confluence of the middle and north branches downstream to around whalan. After that it starts to become more sandy. The middle branch offers the best chance for a combination trout smallmouth outing. All the branches of the zumbro have smallmouth also. The zumbro river from the power dam down to zumbro falls is all catch & release.

I have done quite a bit of both trout and smally fishing on stretches of the root. Once summer kicks in the smally fish’n is pretty good. I have filled the fry pan up a few times with some good eaters. I’ve also let some hogs go back for another year.

Thanks for the great info. I fished around Whalen again yesterday and found more trout. I didn’t see another soul out fishing – very nice. It’s nice to hear some info on the Zumbro and it being catch and release. I used to fish the Maquoketa River when I lived in Iowa – same deal catch and release – had been for many years. It worked – very nice fish in there!

Thank you very much for the information. I’m heading out to the middle branch tomorrow (unless it absolutely pours rain tonight) to do a little exploring. I appreciate the help.

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The entire root river system (main branch, middle and north) all have smallmouth. The south branch downstream from lanesboro has very few smallies since it’s colder and a much better trout stream.

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He has it right in my book. The north branch and and middle branch are your best bet for smallies, with the Zumbro being the best of them all. If you are looking for a sleeper for smallies you can actually fish the root around Stewartville (very few people fish it up there), not the section that runs through town as it is silted in, but on either side of it. The Cannon river also has some smallies with some walleye and sauger thrown in for fun. Keep an eye out for any articles by Tim Holschagg (?). He is a writer and writes almost exclusively on smallmouth in MN. He writes for MN Sportsman and Midwest Flyfishing magazine, and he is a co-founder of the Smallmouth Alliance I believe. He also gives flyfishing clinics for smallmouth from time to time on the Root River.

I’m sorry Tim Holschlag is the correct spelling.

Hey Nate,

Translation: regardless of your method for smallmouth, find some warmer water reaches of the Root.

And by the way, what do smallmouth taste like and why would you eat one in general, let alone out of the Root??

Going north for sunnies tomorrow,
D.A.

I decided to hit the North Branch instead of the Middle Branch on Monday, and ended up with four trout (two 19″+ on dries, and two 16-17″ on a bugger) and five smallies.

That’s a good day on the water Amp. What did you catch the smallies with?

Four of them on a size 4 conehead olive/brown bugger and one on a light cahill. That last one was a bit of a surprise.

The north branch has the most smallies. Around Chatfield is a good place to fish.

I have a question. After the north branch and middle branch of the root run together, it flows under hwy 52 and eventually joins the south branch a little east of lanesboro. I have seen maps that call that section the north branch and I have seen maps that call it the main branch. What do other people call the river that flows under hwy 52 at parsley bridge and eventually runs into the south branch of the root?

You can call it the north branch. The north branch officially comes down from Chatfield area. I have always found it easier to call it the north branch.The south actually dumps into the north. When you get up and farther west you have dear, bear, kingsley, and spring valley ceeks that dump into the main branch of the root. JLK

Fair enough…

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dear, bear, kingsley, and spring valley ceeks

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this actually forms the middle branch of the root.

Regards all,
D.A.

I was hoping that maybe we could get a concensus on what to call that section of the root from after the middle and north branches run together and before the south branch runs into it. I have found that the majority of the time when someone says north branch of the root they seem to mean the root after the middle branch runs into it. I have always called that the main branch since that’s what my DNR map calls it. Just thought it might be nice to have most of us use the same name so that if someone wants to say where they are fishing, people would at least have a general notion of where they are talking about.