What flies are hatching on the Poplar River right now?

Current and seasonal hatches on the Poplar River include Blue-Winged Olive, Caddis, Steelhead runs. Use the AI Hatch Advisor on this page for a live, temperature-aware recommendation.

What's the current flow on the Poplar River?

The Poplar River is running at currently unavailable — check the USGS gauge at the primary station for the latest reading. Readings update every 15 minutes from the USGS Water Services API.

Is the Poplar River fishable today?

Live conditions for Poplar River are unavailable right now. Check the embedded gauge widget on this page for the latest data.

Poplar River Fly Fishing Conditions

No Data

Gauge data unavailable for Poplar River.
Check USGS directly ↗

24-Hr Pressure

28.96 inHg · → High/stable

Falling (good)RisingHigh/stable

Local Weather

47°FClear sky

Wind 13 mph28.96 inHg Low & stable

Tough conditions — fish deep

Today

☀️

Clear sky

56° / 37°

Tomorrow

☁️

Overcast

61° / 46°

Mon

☁️

Overcast

55° / 43°

Tue

🌤️

Partly cloudy

51° / 43°

Cold front incoming — go deep with nymphs, surface activity likely slow.

Weather by Open-Meteo · No API key · Updated every 30 min

What should I fish today?

⚡ AI

AI-powered recommendation using today's live flow, temperature, and hatch data.

Time of Day

Using: BWOs

What should I pack?

Rod, flies, tippet, and safety gear specific to today's Poplar River conditions.

🪰 Hatch Calendar

Poplar River · October · Fall

Full calendar →

Showing typical dates — water temperature data unavailable for live hatch predictions.

Select month

JanDec

BWOs (size 18-20). FALL STEELHEAD beginning. FALL COHO SALMON active. Brook trout spawning — RESPECT REDDS.

Blue-Winged Olive

River Map

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USGS Gauge (click for site ID)Fishing Access / SectionScroll to zoom disabled — use map controls

About Poplar River

The Poplar River flows through Lutsen on Minnesota's North Shore — a small, steep freestone with a strong spring steelhead run and fall coho salmon. Brook trout above the first waterfall barrier. The river drops past Lutsen Mountains ski area and into Lake Superior. Less famous than the Knife or Baptism but a productive small-water steelhead fishery.

Blue-Winged OliveCaddisSteelhead runsPink salmonCoho salmon

Regulations

SPLIT REGULATIONS — above the first waterfall from Lake Superior: standard MN inland trout regulations. Below the falls to Lake Superior: steelhead/salmon regulations, may be open year-round per MN DNR North Shore tributary rules. Pink salmon return on odd years only — next run is 2027. Minnesota fishing license required ($25 resident annual) + $10.75 trout stamp. Verify all section-by-section closures and seasonal dates on the MN DNR North Shore tributary page before fishing.

Learn More

Guides to help you fish Poplar River with more confidence.