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Fishing Straight River: what the data says
Owatonna to Faribault (Cannon trib) 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 Straight River
In spring, smallmouth bass 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. If you only fish one area, make it Riffle & run (mile 20.5): a rock pile around 3 ft that scores prime in spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Summer baits: a drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig gets it done.
| 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 Straight 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. Riffle & run (mile 20.5) is the standout, a rock pile at roughly 3 ft, rated prime for spring walleye. Plan around the evening and early morning in the warm months. Tie on a crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) and you're in the game.
| 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 |
Channel Catfish fishing at Straight River
In spring, channel catfish 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. If you only fish one area, make it Outside-bend hole (mile 2.8): a creek channel around 5 ft that scores prime in summer. In summer the feeding windows fall in after dark and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 6 ft | dusk | |
| Summer | 2 to 6 ft | night & dusk | |
| Fall | 2 to 6 ft | dusk | |
| Winter | 2 to 6 ft | midday |
Notable structure
- Outside-bend hole (mile 2.8): creek channel, around 5 ft
- Outside-bend hole (mile 7.1): creek channel, around 5 ft
- Outside-bend hole (mile 9.6): creek channel, around 5 ft
- Outside-bend hole (mile 11.5): creek channel, around 5 ft
- Outside-bend hole (mile 14.0): creek channel, around 5 ft
- Outside-bend hole (mile 15.8): creek channel, around 5 ft
- Outside-bend hole (mile 18.0): creek channel, around 5 ft
- Current seam (mile 0.6): current seam, around 3 ft
- Current seam (mile 5.0): current seam, around 3 ft
- Riffle & run (mile 20.5): rock pile, around 3 ft
Common questions
How deep is Straight River?
Straight 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 Straight River?
Anglers target smallmouth bass, walleye, channel catfish on Straight River.
Where is the best fishing spot on Straight River?
Riffle & run (mile 20.5) 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 Straight 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
Kohlmeier · Wells · Cannon · Roberds · Dudley · Kelly
See how Straight River stacks up: best smallmouth bass lakes in Minnesota · best walleye lakes in Minnesota · best channel catfish lakes in Minnesota
Browse all Minnesota fishing maps or every water on DepthScout. How we build these maps. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.