Sign inSign up free Sign inSign up free Sign inSign up freeRiver depth chart
Today's read
Recent public catches load as you reach this section.
Banning State Park to Saint Croix mouth. Whitewater rapids in Banning SP. Float reach best below Sandstone. The river tops out around 6 ft. Contours on this water are modeled from its actual shoreline and max depth. Good for finding likely water, never for navigation. Every species below gets its seasonal read from the same numbers driving the chart.
The outline encloses 491 acres, worked by 38.1 miles of shoreline. An index of 12.3 puts the bank firmly in maze territory: point after pocket after cove, every one a casting target. Every acre of it sits shallower than ~15 ft: one big littoral zone, cover and forage throughout. End to end it runs roughly 15.2 mi, about 3.2 mi across. Pine County claims this one. If the bite dies, Grindstone River - Grindstone Reservoir is 6 mi to the west.
Come spring, look for smallmouth bass tight to the bank in 2 to 6 ft. Through summer count on 2 to 6 ft; the winter hold is 2 to 6 ft. Start at Riffle & run (mile 2.5). It's a rock pile holding about 3 ft of water and rates prime come spring. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. A drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig is the honest summer answer here.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 6 ft chart-limited; documented 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Riffle & run (mile 2.5) (3 ft) | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 2 to 6 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Riffle & run (mile 2.5) (3 ft) | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 2 to 6 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Riffle & run (mile 2.5) (3 ft) | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 2 to 6 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 45 ft | midday | Riffle & run (mile 2.5) (3 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
Spring puts walleye in skinny water — 2 to 6 ft is the zone. Summer fish stay in 2 to 6 ft, and winter fish hold in 2 to 6 ft. Spring walleye concentrate at Riffle & run (mile 2.5), a prime-rated rock pile around 3 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around the evening and early morning. A crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) covers the summer program.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 6 ft chart-limited; documented 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | Riffle & run (mile 2.5) (3 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 2 to 6 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 35 ft | dusk & dawn | Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6) (5 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 2 to 6 ft chart-limited; documented 12 to 40 ft | dusk & night | Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6) (5 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 2 to 6 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 40 ft | dusk & dawn | Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6) (5 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
Come spring, look for northern pike tight to the bank in 2 to 6 ft. Through summer count on 2 to 6 ft; the winter hold is 2 to 6 ft. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. A bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage is the honest summer answer here.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 6 ft chart-limited; documented 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | open water | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 2 to 6 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 2 to 6 ft chart-limited; documented 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | open water | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 2 to 6 ft chart-limited; documented 5 to 15 ft | midday | open water | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
The chart marks 10 structure features on Kettle River; the deepest is Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6) at about 5 ft.
Access data: MN DNR Water Access Sites (struc_water_access_sites), Minnesota Geospatial Commons. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Minnesota waters are set by the Minnesota DNR — and special regulations can apply to Kettle River specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Minnesota fishing regulations →
Kettle 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.
Anglers target smallmouth bass, walleye, northern pike 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. The map above holds the full rated-spot list for every species and season.
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.
Fishing on Kettle River is regulated by the Minnesota DNR. Check the official Minnesota regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Grindstone River - Grindstone Reservoir 6 mi · Grindstone 10 mi · Elbow 11 mi · Indian 11 mi · Fish 11 mi · Wilbur 12 mi · Bass 13 mi · Upper Pine 13 mi · Little Pine 13 mi · Little Bass 14 mi · Eleven 14 mi · Bass 14 mi
See how Kettle River stacks up: best smallmouth bass lakes in Minnesota · best walleye lakes in Minnesota · best northern pike lakes in Minnesota
More water nearby: Pine County fishing maps (50 charts). Browse all Minnesota fishing maps. 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.