The Best Fishing Spots in Wisconsin
Wisconsin offers diverse recreational fishing across its Great Lakes, thousands of inland lakes and winding rivers, with year‑round opportunities including popular ice fishing in winter and open-water angling in summer. Anglers commonly target walleye, smallmouth bass and largemouth bass, as well as northern pike, trophy muskellunge and plentiful panfish such as bluegill and crappie; coldwater streams and tributaries produce brook, brown and rainbow trout, while the Great Lakes and larger inland waters offer chinook and coho salmon, steelhead and lake trout, with channel catfish found in warmer rivers.
Top Cities For Fishing
Lake Fishing
Lake Michigan
Lake Winnebago
Petenwell Lake
River Fishing
Other
Top Freshwater Fishing Spots
Menominee River
Forming the Wisconsin–Michigan border, the Menominee River offers strong smallmouth bass and walleye action, plus seasonal salmon/trout near the mouth at Marinette ; anglers target rocky runs, dams, and harbor areas by boat and from extensive public shorelines.
Lake Michigan
Wisconsin’s Lake Michigan shoreline produces salmon, lake trout, and brown trout much of the open-water season, with summer trolling and spring/fall pier casting around Port Washington , Milwaukee , Kenosha , and Sheboygan ; nearshore baitfish pushes create windows for shore anglers while boaters work temperature breaks, reef edges, and harbor mouths.
Castle Rock Lake
Downstream of Petenwell, Castle Rock Lake offers walleye, white bass, and pike across sand flats, submerged timber, and rock bars; crawler harness trolling and jigging wing-dam style current seams are common, with shore opportunities at county parks near Friendship and New Lisbon .
Chequamegon Bay
This protected Lake Superior bay is famous for trophy smallmouth bass and seasonal trout/salmon, with expansive flats, weedlines, and rock piles accessible from shore in Ashland and by boat out to the Second Landing and Houghton Point ; spring and fall shine for bass and browns.
Fox River
Lower Fox River near De Pere is a renowned early-season walleye trophy fishery, with casting and jigging below the dam and trolling downstream flats; throughout the valley, parks and trails provide shore access while boaters work current breaks, eddies, and channel edges.
Green Bay
A national destination for walleye and smallmouth bass, Green Bay offers pre-spawn trophy action on expansive flats and post-spawn structure bites from Oconto to Little Sturgeon ; anglers mix trolling crawler harnesses and crankbaits with finesse plastics along reefs, shoals, and current seams, with shore access at causeways and public piers.
Geneva Lake
Clear, deep Geneva Lake offers smallmouth bass, lake trout, walleye, and coho-stocked opportunities, with steep breaks and offshore humps; shoreline piers in Lake Geneva and Fontana complement boat tactics like drop-shotting, jigging, and open-water trolling.
Lake Wisconsin
This Wisconsin River reservoir produces steady walleye, sauger, and crappie action, with spring river channels and summer breaks, points, and weed edges fishing well; anglers troll crankbaits and harnesses or jig current seams, with shore access near Merrimac and Prairie du Sac .
Lake Mendota
Madison’s largest lake is known for quality walleyes, pike, and bluegills, plus standout smallmouth on rock bars and points; anglers fish weed edges and deep structure from boat, while shore action is strong at Warner Park , Tenney Park , and campus piers.
Namekagon River
A Wild and Scenic River prized for smallmouth bass and cool-water trout sections, the Namekagon features riffles, deep bends, and woody cover from Hayward country downstream; float trips with light tackle and flies excel, with numerous landings and wade-in access points.
Petenwell Lake
Wisconsin’s second-largest inland water, Petenwell Lake produces consistent walleye, crappie, and catfish; anglers troll expansive flats and target river-channel edges and wood, with shore access at parks and dams near Necedah and Arkdale .
Pewaukee Lake
A metro Milwaukee standout for muskellunge alongside solid largemouth bass, walleye, and panfish, Pewaukee features weedy bays, breaks, and mid-lake bars; anglers troll big blades or cast rubber in summer, with ample shore spots at parks and multiple public launches.
Sturgeon Bay
Famed for record-class smallmouth bass and seasonal salmon/trout passes, Sturgeon Bay’s points, ship canal, and rock humps fish well with jerkbaits and tubes in spring, then deep-water presentations in summer; shore opportunities include canal walkways and park piers near Sunset Park and the Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal .
Lake Superior
The Wisconsin slice of Lake Superior holds lake trout, brown trout, coho, and steelhead, with shoreline casting near Superior and Ashland and trolling the cold-water breaks outside the Apostle Islands ; spring coho and summer lakers are standout patterns.
Lake Winnebago
Wisconsin’s largest inland lake is renowned for walleye, white bass, and perch, with spring river runs in the Fox River and Wolf River system, then mud-flat trolling, reef jigging, and shoreline casting through summer; numerous public launches and parks provide extensive access.
Wisconsin River
The Wisconsin River offers versatile fishing for muskellunge, walleye, smallmouth bass, and sturgeon from Tomahawk to Wisconsin Dells , with flowages, rocky runs, and sandbars suited to trolling, casting, and float presentations; shore access abounds at parks, dams, and sand landings.
Wolf River
The Wolf River is famous for spring walleye and white bass runs plus summer smallmouth and catfish; popular stretches around Fremont and Shawano feature current seams, eddies, and wood where anglers drift jigs, cast plastics, or slip-float live bait, with ample shore piers and bridges.