Wisconsin offers exceptional fishing across 15,000 lakes and 33,000 miles of streams. Lake Superior provides lake trout, coho salmon, and steelhead, Lake Michigan offers Chinook salmon and brown trout, and the inland lakes provide outstanding muskie, walleye, and bass fishing. The Mississippi River forms the western border with excellent channel catfish and sauger, and the Northwoods feature classic canoe country fishing.
Fishing Regulations
- Total daily bag limit = max fish from all waters in one day; daily bag limit per waterbody also applies.
- Opening day is traditionally the first Saturday in May.
- Wisconsin has ~2000 special-regulation lakes - ALWAYS check the Special Regulations listed by county for the specific water.
- Catch-and-release for bass is allowed at all other times of the year.
- Species not listed have no open season (e.g., American eel, grass pickerel).
- Paddlefish: no open season in Wisconsin.
11 species limits are shown per spot in the CatchTales app.
Pick a region below to explore its fishing spots.
Central WI & Wisconsin River
Wisconsin River, Lake DuBay, Petenwell Lake, Birch Lake
40 spots
Fox River & Green Bay
Green Bay, Fox River, Winnebago System, Beaver Dam Lake
40 spots
Lake Michigan & Door County
Lake Michigan, Sturgeon Bay, Kewaunee, Europe Lake
40 spots
Lake Superior & North Woods
Lake Superior, Apostle Islands, Bois Brule River, Balsam Lake
52 spots
Mississippi River & Western
Mississippi River, Lake Pepin, Chippewa River, Lake Onalaska
40 spots
Southeast & Milwaukee
Lake Michigan Milwaukee, Lake Geneva, Kettle Moraine, Lake County
40 spots
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