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Fishing Kettle River: what the data says
Banning State Park to Saint Croix mouth. Whitewater rapids in Banning SP â float reach best below Sandstone. The river tops out around 6 ft. The contours are modeled from the water's real shoreline and maximum depth. Treat them as a rough guide, and never use them for navigation. What follows comes from the same scoring engine that paints the spots above.
Smallmouth Bass fishing at Kettle River
Start shallow in spring: smallmouth bass sit in 2 to 6 ft that time of year. Summer fish stay in 2 to 6 ft, and winter fish hold in 2 to 6 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Riffle & run (mile 2.5): a rock pile around 3 ft that scores prime in spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. A drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 6 ft | dawn & dusk | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 2 to 6 ft | dawn & dusk | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 2 to 6 ft | midday & dawn | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 2 to 6 ft | midday | Blade bait, Hair jig |
Walleye fishing at Kettle River
In spring, walleye run shallow here, mostly 2 to 6 ft. Summer fish stay in 2 to 6 ft, and winter fish hold in 2 to 6 ft. The spot to know is Riffle & run (mile 2.5), a rock pile in about 3 ft of water that rates prime for walleye in spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in the evening and early morning. A crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 6 ft | dusk & dawn | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 2 to 6 ft | dusk & dawn | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 2 to 6 ft | dusk & night | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 2 to 6 ft | dusk & dawn | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
Northern Pike fishing at Kettle River
Start shallow in spring: northern pike sit in 2 to 6 ft that time of year. Summer fish stay in 2 to 6 ft, and winter fish hold in 2 to 6 ft. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. Tie on a bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 6 ft | midday & dawn | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 2 to 6 ft | dawn & dusk | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 2 to 6 ft | midday & dawn | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 2 to 6 ft | midday | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
Notable structure
- Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6): creek channel, around 5 ft
- Outside-bend hole (mile 4.4): creek channel, around 5 ft
- Outside-bend hole (mile 6.5): creek channel, around 5 ft
- Outside-bend hole (mile 8.4): creek channel, around 5 ft
- Outside-bend hole (mile 10.3): creek channel, around 5 ft
- Outside-bend hole (mile 12.2): creek channel, around 5 ft
- Outside-bend hole (mile 16.5): creek channel, around 5 ft
- Outside-bend hole (mile 18.4): creek channel, around 5 ft
- Riffle & run (mile 2.5): rock pile, around 3 ft
- Riffle & run (mile 14.3): rock pile, around 3 ft
Common questions
How deep is Kettle River?
Kettle River is about 6 ft 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 Kettle River?
Anglers target smallmouth bass, walleye, northern pike on Kettle River.
Where is the best fishing spot on Kettle River?
Riffle & run (mile 2.5) is the top-rated area: a rock pile in about 3 ft of water that rates prime for smallmouth bass in spring. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.
When is the best time to fish Kettle River?
For smallmouth bass, 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.
Nearby waters
Grindstone · Bass · Cross · Bass · Big Pine · Eleven
See how Kettle River stacks up: best smallmouth bass lakes in Minnesota · best walleye lakes in Minnesota · best northern pike lakes in Minnesota
Browse all Minnesota fishing maps or every water on DepthScout. How we build these maps. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.