There is an old saying that “trout don’t live in ugly places.” That must mean the St. Croix River region has a lot of beautiful places.

The above map shows the streams and lakes in the watershed that have been designated as trout waters by the Minnesota and Wisconsin Departments of Natural Resources. Some are too small to be seen, and there was not enough room to label each one, but it provides an overview of where trout are found.

There are three species of trout found here: brook, brown, and rainbow trout. Only brook trout are native, while rainbows and browns are regularly stocked in many streams for anglers. All trout prefer cold, oxygenated water, while brook trout can survive in only the coldest and cleanest waters, typically spring-fed streams and lakes.

In 2024, the Wisconsin DNR designated new “Brook Trout Reserves,” which are intended to provide refuge for the fish species in the face of climate change and warming waters. Several are located in the St. Croix basin.