Wisconsin Fish Species

24 game fish species found in Wisconsin waters. Each guide covers where to find them, best baits and lures, seasonal patterns, regulations, and links to the best lakes.

Centrarchidae

Bluegill

Lepomis macrochirus

Best: May, Jun, Jul

Limit: No minimum / 25 (combined panfish) per day

Crappie (Black Crappie)

Pomoxis nigromaculatus

Best: Apr, May, Jun

Limit: No minimum (lake-specific exceptions) / 25 (combined panfish) per day

Green Sunfish

Lepomis cyanellus

Best: May, Jun, Jul

Limit: No minimum / 25 (combined panfish) per day

Largemouth Bass

Micropterus salmoides

Best: May, Jun, Jul

Limit: 14 inches minimum (northern zone), no minimum (southern zone) / 5 per day

Pumpkinseed / Sunfish

Lepomis gibbosus

Best: May, Jun, Jul

Limit: No minimum / 25 (combined panfish) per day

Rock Bass

Ambloplites rupestris

Best: May, Jun, Jul

Limit: No minimum / 25 (combined panfish) per day

Smallmouth Bass

Micropterus dolomieu

Best: May, Jun, Jul

Limit: 14 inches minimum (northern zone), no minimum (southern zone) / 5 per day

Salmonidae

Brook Trout

Salvelinus fontinalis

Best: Apr, May, Jun

Limit: 8 inches minimum (varies by stream classification) / 5 (combined trout, inland streams) per day

Brown Trout

Salmo trutta

Best: Apr, May, Sep

Limit: Varies by stream and Lake Michigan / 5 (combined trout, inland streams); varies on Great Lakes per day

Chinook Salmon (King Salmon)

Oncorhynchus tshawytscha

Best: Jun, Jul, Aug

Limit: Varies by port and season / 5 (combined trout/salmon on Lake Michigan) per day

Cisco (Lake Herring)

Coregonus artedi

Best: Nov, Dec, Jan

Limit: No minimum / 25 (combined panfish on inland waters) per day

Coho Salmon (Silver Salmon)

Oncorhynchus kisutch

Best: Apr, May, Sep

Limit: Varies / 5 (combined trout/salmon on Lake Michigan) per day

Lake Trout

Salvelinus namaycush

Best: May, Jun, Sep

Limit: Varies by water / 3 (inland), varies on Great Lakes per day

Rainbow Trout / Steelhead

Oncorhynchus mykiss

Best: Mar, Apr, May

Limit: Varies by water / 5 (combined trout, inland); varies on Great Lakes per day

Lotidae

Burbot (Eelpout)

Lota lota

Best: Dec, Jan, Feb

Limit: No minimum / No limit on most waters per day

Ictaluridae

Channel Catfish

Ictalurus punctatus

Best: Jun, Jul, Aug

Limit: No minimum / 10 (combined catfish) per day

Flathead Catfish

Pylodictis olivaris

Best: Jun, Jul, Aug

Limit: No minimum / 10 (combined catfish) per day

Acipenseridae

Lake Sturgeon

Acipenser fulvescens

Best: Feb, May, Jun

Limit: Spearing season on Winnebago system only (February) / 1 (spearing tag required) per day

Esocidae

Muskellunge

Esox masquinongy

Best: Jun, Jul, Aug

Limit: 40 inches minimum statewide / 1 per day

Northern Pike

Esox lucius

Best: May, Jun, Sep

Limit: 26 inches minimum (varies by water) / 5 per day

Percidae

Sauger

Sander canadensis

Best: Mar, Apr, Oct

Limit: 15 inches (combined with walleye on most waters) / 5 (combined with walleye) per day

Walleye

Sander vitreus

Best: May, Jun, Sep

Limit: 15 inches minimum (varies by water) / 5 (combined with sauger) per day

Yellow Perch

Perca flavescens

Best: May, Jun, Dec

Limit: No minimum / 25 (combined panfish) per day

Moronidae

White Bass

Morone chrysops

Best: Apr, May, Jun

Limit: No minimum / 25 (combined panfish) per day

Wisconsin Fishing Regulations

The size limits and bag limits shown are statewide defaults. Many individual lakes and rivers have special regulations. Always check the current Wisconsin DNR regulations before fishing. A Wisconsin fishing license is required for ages 16+ — buy online at dnr.wisconsin.gov.

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