Bois Brule River Fishing Map & Spots (WI)

Hatch outlook

White mayfly (Ephoron)Active window

Typical here: Jul 15 – Sep 30 · core weeks in August — shares its dusk with the White Miller caddis and gets confused with it

dundusk — the whole life cycle plays out in one evening — females mate, fly miles upstream and fall spent within a couple of hours; when the blizzard is too thick, your fly disappears in the crowd — fish the edges of the swarm
spinnerfull dark, same night

Smallmouth set up in feeding lanes like trout and will not move far — accuracy beats distance.

The best conventional surface window of late summer on smallmouth rivers: small white or bone surface plugs and propbaits in the last hour of light, white inline spinners run upstream through the feeding lanes, or a bubble with a White Wulff.

The event happens over sand- and silt-bottom runs with moderate current, feeding lanes below riffles

Blue-Winged OlivesActive window

Typical here: Mar 15 – Oct 24 · multiple broods — peaks early May and mid-June, again Sept–Oct at #20–24

dunmidday, roughly noon–3pm — the first dry-fly action of March and the last of October

Too small to match with hardware — use the schedule instead: midday, and the slow seams it pods fish into; smallest inline spinners and micro-jigs worked slow, or a bubble with an olive soft-hackle.

The event happens over seams, pool tails and flats

Isonychia (Slate Drake)Active window

Typical here: May 15 – Sep 30 · one of the Au Sable 'Big Five' — sporadic all summer rather than a dated blanket

nymphall day in fast water — often emerges by crawling out on shore or rocks — the fishable moment is the fast shoreward swim; fish the nymph with quick twitches toward the bank
dunevenings, sporadically — big fish stay watchful for the bug all summer, which makes it a searching-dry opportunity
spinnerdusk over the riffles — more concentrated action than the emergence itself

The best conventional crossover of the northern-Michigan summer: fish chase this fast-swimming nymph, so #1–2 inline spinners and small minnow plugs ripped through fast runs toward shoreline rocks duplicate it exactly, evenings May through September.

The event happens over fast riffles, boulder pockets and shoreline rocks

White Miller (caddis)Active window

Typical here: Jul 1 – Sep 30 · core weeks late July to mid-August — NOT the same bug as the white mayfly that shares its evenings

pupalate evening into dark — larvae drift extensively before emerging and the surface emergence comes at last light — swing winged wets and actively stripped pupae through dusk
ovipositingdusk into dark — females dive and swim to the bottom in slow water to lay — a sunk white wet fished deliberately is truer than a dry

The prolific, predictable dusk food-form over sand and slow water in the dog days — primarily a night-fisher's event.

A late-summer dusk window on sand-bottom water: small white or pearl inline spinners fished slow near bottom in slow runs imitate the diving egg-layers surprisingly directly; white micro-jigs after dark.

The event happens over slow sand- and weed-bottom runs and pool edges

TricoActive window

Typical here: Jun 15 – Oct 20 · midsummer spinner falls come early; drifting toward mid-morning by fall

dunearly morning
spinnermornings, roughly 6–10am — the event is the fall, not the hatch

Honest answer: hardware can't match a #24 spinner. Fish the same pools with a bubble and a trico spinner on long fluorocarbon, or work micro-jigs through them after the fall ends.

The event happens over slow flats and pool tails

Terrestrials (hoppers, ants, beetles)Active window

Typical here: Jun 1 – Sep 30 · beetles from June, ants mid-June, hoppers mid-July to the end of September

adultwarm afternoons — wind is the delivery mechanism

The most spin-friendly 'hatch' of summer: 1.5–2" surface plugs and small poppers slapped along grassy, windy banks; a bubble-and-hopper rig out-casts any fly rod.

The event happens over grassy and undercut banks

Next on this water

Hendrickson · mayflyApr 15 – May 20 · in ~8 months

Spring black caddis (Grannom) · caddisApr 20 – Jun 30 · in ~8 months

Brown Drake · mayflyMay 15 – Jul 4 · in ~9 months

Sulphurs · mayflyMay 15 – Jul 31 · in ~9 months

Recommendations come from depth structure and seasonal species behavior. Treat them as a starting point, not a guarantee. Contours on this water are approximations. Never use for navigation. Always check local regulations.

Loading depth chart…

Recent catches at Bois Brule River

Shared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.

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Fishing Bois Brule River: what the data says

The River of Presidents. Wild brook trout and lake-run browns. The river tops out around 6 ft. Bathymetry on this water is estimated from its real outline and maximum depth. Use it to shortlist water, then verify with your electronics — and never navigate by it. The season-by-season read for each species follows, from the map's own numbers.

The drawn water covers 897 acres wrapped in 54.7 miles of bank. The 13 development index tells the story — a convoluted bank whose fishable edge far outruns the acreage. The whole water is littoral — nothing here runs deeper than ~15 ft, so it's all weed-and-bait territory. The basin spans about 20.8 mi end to end and 2.8 mi across at its widest. Douglas County claims this one. If the bite dies, Hoodoo Lake is 5 mi to the south.

Steelhead fishing at Bois Brule River

Spring puts steelhead in skinny water — 1 to 6 ft is the zone. Summer fish stay in 1 to 6 ft, and winter fish hold in 2 to 6 ft. Summer steelhead concentrate at Current seam (mile 10.5), a prime-rated current seam around 3 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. An orange dodger + fly high in the column or a thin spoon off boards covers the summer program.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	1 to 6 ft	dawn & dusk	Current seam (mile 10.5) (3 ft)	Small spoon or spinner at the mouths, Jig + waxworm under float
Summer	1 to 6 ft	dawn & dusk	Current seam (mile 10.5) (3 ft)	Orange dodger + fly high in the column, Thin spoon off boards
Fall	1 to 6 ft	dawn & dusk	Current seam (mile 10.5) (3 ft)	Spinner (silver/blue), Casting spoon
Winter	2 to 6 ft	midday	Current seam (mile 10.5) (3 ft)	Float jig (black/purple), Bead rig

Brown Trout fishing at Bois Brule River

In spring, brown trout run shallow here, mostly 1 to 6 ft. Summer keeps them at 2 to 6 ft, and they winter in 1 to 6 ft. Current seam (mile 10.5) is the standout, a current seam at roughly 3 ft, rated prime for summer brown trout. Time it for after dark and early morning. You won't need more than a spoon at the thermocline or a deep stickbait (night) most summer days.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	1 to 6 ft	dawn & dusk	Riffle & run (mile 0.6) (3 ft)	Stickbait off planer boards (shallow), Small spoon along mud lines
Summer	2 to 6 ft	night & dawn	Current seam (mile 10.5) (3 ft)	Spoon at the thermocline, Deep stickbait (night)
Fall	1 to 6 ft	dusk & dawn	Riffle & run (mile 0.6) (3 ft)	Jerkbait over gravel, Casting spoon
Winter	1 to 6 ft	dawn	Current seam (mile 10.5) (3 ft)	Jigging spoon, Small stickbait (slow)

Brook Trout fishing at Bois Brule River

Early season brook trout use the shallows, holding in 1 to 6 ft. Even in summer they hold at 2 to 6 ft; winter keeps them in 1 to 6 ft. The chart's best answer is Current seam (mile 10.5) — current seam, 3 ft, prime for spring. Best bite is early morning and the evening. Tie on a small spoon fished deep or a trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm and you're in the game.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	1 to 6 ft	dawn & dusk	Current seam (mile 10.5) (3 ft)	Small inline spinner (gold), Tiny spoon
Summer	2 to 6 ft	dawn & dusk	Current seam (mile 10.5) (3 ft)	Small spoon fished deep, Trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm
Fall	1 to 6 ft	midday & dawn	Current seam (mile 10.5) (3 ft)	Small spoon (orange), Spinner
Winter	1 to 6 ft	dawn	Current seam (mile 10.5) (3 ft)	Small jigging spoon, Tungsten jig + plastic

Coho Salmon fishing at Bois Brule River

Come spring, look for coho salmon tight to the bank in 1 to 6 ft. Through summer count on 2 to 6 ft; the winter hold is 2 to 6 ft. Start at Current seam (mile 10.5). It's a current seam holding about 3 ft of water and rates prime come spring. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. A dodger + fly or a medium spoon above the thermocline is the honest summer answer here.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	1 to 6 ft	dawn & dusk	Current seam (mile 10.5) (3 ft)	Small orange dodger + peanut fly, Thin spoon (orange/silver)
Summer	2 to 6 ft	dawn & dusk	Current seam (mile 10.5) (3 ft)	Dodger + fly, Medium spoon above the thermocline
Fall	1 to 6 ft	dawn & dusk	Current seam (mile 10.5) (3 ft)	Casting spoon, Spinner (chartreuse)
Winter	2 to 6 ft	midday	Current seam (mile 10.5) (3 ft)	Small spoon, slow troll

Notable structure

The chart marks 13 structure features on Bois Brule River; the deepest is Outside-bend hole (mile 4.3) at about 5 ft.

Outside-bend hole (mile 4.3): creek channel, around 5 ft
Outside-bend hole (mile 6.5): creek channel, around 5 ft
Outside-bend hole (mile 8.7): creek channel, around 5 ft
Outside-bend hole (mile 12.7): creek channel, around 5 ft
Outside-bend hole (mile 14.9): creek channel, around 5 ft
Outside-bend hole (mile 17.1): creek channel, around 5 ft
Outside-bend hole (mile 19.5): creek channel, around 5 ft
Outside-bend hole (mile 21.7): creek channel, around 5 ft
Outside-bend hole (mile 24.2): creek channel, around 5 ft
Outside-bend hole (mile 26.7): creek channel, around 5 ft
Riffle & run (mile 0.6): rock pile, around 3 ft
Riffle & run (mile 2.5): rock pile, around 3 ft
Current seam (mile 10.5): current seam, around 3 ft

Public access & boat ramps

Bois Brule Canoe Landing — carry-in
Copper Range Campground Canoe Launch — carry-in
Highway 13 Canoe Landing — carry-in
Highway 2 Canoe Landing — carry-in
Pine Tree Canoe Landing — carry-in
Winneboujou Canoe Launch — carry-in

Access data: Wisconsin DNR — Boat Access Sites. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.

Bois Brule River fishing regulations

Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Wisconsin waters are set by the Wisconsin DNR — and special regulations can apply to Bois Brule River specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.

Check the official Wisconsin fishing regulations →

Common questions

How deep is Bois Brule River?

Bois Brule River is about 6 ft (2 m) deep at its deepest point. The contours here are modeled from the water's real shape and maximum depth, so treat them as a rough guide.

What fish are in Bois Brule River?

Anglers target steelhead, brown trout, brook trout, coho salmon on Bois Brule River.

Where is the best fishing spot on Bois Brule River?

Current seam (mile 10.5) is the top-rated area: a current seam in about 3 ft of water that rates prime for steelhead in summer. Scroll up to the map for the complete spot list by species and season.

When is the best time to fish Bois Brule River?

For steelhead, the summer bite is best in early morning and the evening. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.

What are the fishing regulations for Bois Brule River?

Fishing on Bois Brule River is regulated by the Wisconsin DNR. Check the official Wisconsin regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.

Nearby waters

Hoodoo Lake 5 mi · Minnow Lake 5 mi · Carroll Lake 6 mi · Bass Lake 6 mi · Spring Lake 7 mi · Crystal Lake 7 mi · Lucius Lake 7 mi · Camp Eleven Lake 7 mi · Spring Lake 7 mi · Deep Lake 8 mi · Rush Lake 8 mi · Lake Nebagamon 8 mi

See how Bois Brule River stacks up: best brown trout lakes in Wisconsin · best brook trout lakes in Wisconsin

More water nearby: Douglas County fishing maps (103 charts). Browse all Wisconsin fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. How we build these maps. Fish here with a sonar unit that logs? Send us your depth data and we'll improve this chart, credited to you. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.