Waters · United States
Pike River (Racine) fishing report
Updated Wednesday, October 21, 2026 · refreshed automatically through the day
A small Lake Michigan stream between Racine and Kenosha, quieter than the Root a few miles north. It only fishes when there is enough water: after rain the run pushes in quickly, and at low flow the river is little more than a trickle.
Today's report: excellent (85/100)
Coho salmon is the most promising species on Pike River (Racine) today. Water temperature is around 56°F (13.3°C) and barometric pressure is stable. Gauge PIKE RIVER NEAR RACINE, WI shows the water level steady.
Pike River (Racine) water temperature and flow
- Discharge: 28 cfs (0.8 m³/s) — down 4% over 24 hours
- Level trend: steady
Measured at gauge PIKE RIVER NEAR RACINE, WI · reading 58 min ago. Published by the national hydrological service, not estimated by us.
Best time to fish today
- 5:00 PM–7:00 PM local time — score 78/100
- 9:00 PM–11:00 PM local time — score 77/100
- 7:00 AM–9:00 AM local time — score 83/100
3-day outlook by species
| Species | Wednesday, Oct 21 | Thursday, Oct 22 | Friday, Oct 23 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steelhead | 74 — good | 71 — good | 68 — good |
| Chinook salmon | 84 — excellent | 78 — good | 82 — excellent |
| Coho salmon | 85 — excellent | 83 — excellent | 81 — excellent |
Why this score
Cast & Scan uses a deterministic, published scoring model — no black box. The strongest influences on today's Pike River (Racine) rating:
- water temperature: helping (+1)
- pressure trend: helping (+1)
- light: helping (+1)
- season: helping (+1)
- wind: helping (+0.9)
- precipitation: helping (+0.9)
Forecast computed Wed, 21 Oct 2026 16:57:46 GMT · data: Open-Meteo + gauge PIKE RIVER NEAR RACINE, WI · refreshed automatically through the day · see our published accuracy
Winter fishing on Pike River (Racine)
The Pike River only fishes in winter when it has water and is not frozen. As a small stream it ices readily, and a thaw or winter rain is what brings steelhead and browns in from Lake Michigan. When that happens, the first days on the falling side of the rise are the window. In a long freeze it is not worth the trip.
Seasons, closed sections and permits are set by the state and change. Check the current regulations before a winter trip, and never trust shelf ice or a forecast for your safety.
Wondering how this stacks up against the apps you already know? Cast & Scan vs Fishbrain vs BassForecast — an honest comparison, including where they beat us.
Read before you go
- Trout stream tactics, read through the forecast
- How river flow trend changes the bite
- Barometric pressure and fishing, explained
More steelhead waters
- Salmon River (Pulaski) — New York, USA
- American River (Fair Oaks) — California, USA
- Au Gres River — Michigan, USA
- Au Sable River (Foote Dam) — Michigan, USA
- Black River (Elyria) — Ohio, USA
Nearby waters
- Root River (Racine) — Wisconsin, USA (15 mi away)
- Milwaukee River (Harbor) — Wisconsin, USA (26 mi away)
- Sheboygan River — Wisconsin, USA (76 mi away)
- Kalamazoo River (New Richmond) — Michigan, USA (89 mi away)
- Grand River (Lower) — Michigan, USA (96 mi away)
- Lake Winnebago — Wisconsin, USA (99 mi away)