Largemouth and smallmouth bass seasons
Fishing Wisconsin
Be sure to view definitions for help in reading these tables.
| General Inland Waters | Dates for Hook and Line Harvest |
|---|---|
| Northern Zone - Largemouth bass harvest | First Saturday in May through the first Sunday in March of the following year |
| Northern Zone - Smallmouth bass harvest | Third Saturday in June through the first Sunday in March of the following year |
| Northern Zone – Largemouth and smallmouth bass catch and release | At all other times of the year |
| Southern Zone - harvest | First Saturday in May through the first Sunday in March of the following year |
| Southern Zone – catch and release | At all other times of the year |
| Lake Winnebago system waters | Continuous |
| Boundary and Outlying Waters | Dates for Hook and Line Harvest |
| St. Louis River | Saturday preceding Memorial Day to March 1 |
| St. Croix River upstream from the dam at St. Croix Falls | Saturday preceding Memorial Day to, but not including, the second Monday in September |
| St. Croix River upstream from the dam at St. Croix Falls - catch and release | Second Monday in September to March 1 |
| St. Croix River downstream from the dam at St. Croix Falls to the Hwy 10 Bridge at Prescott | Saturday preceding Memorial Day to March 1 |
| Mississippi River | Continuous |
| Lake Superior and connected sloughs, Kakagon River - Largemouth bass harvest | First Saturday in May to the first Sunday in March of the following year |
| Lake Superior and connected sloughs, Kakagon River - Smallmouth bass harvest | Third Saturday in June to March 1 |
| Lake Superior and connected sloughs, Kakagon River – largemouth and smallmouth bass catch and release | At all other times of the year |
| Outlying waters of Green Bay and Lake Michigan within 1/4 mile of Washington, Detroit, Plum, Pilot, Hog or Rock Islands | July 1 to March 1 |
| Wisconsin-Michigan boundary waters - Largemouth bass harvest | First Saturday in May to the first Sunday in March of the following year |
| Wisconsin-Michigan boundary waters - Smallmouth bass harvest | Third Saturday in June through November 30 |
| Wisconsin-Michigan boundary waters – largemouth and smallmouth bass catch and release | At all other times of the year |
| Wisconsin-Iowa boundary waters | Continuous |
Exceptions
Not all Wisconsin waters follow the fishing season dates for a species for general inland waters or boundary and outlying waters. Exceptions do exist! You must consult the special county regulations in the current hook and line or trout regulations guides, as appropriate, to determine if any special season dates exist for the particular waters you plan to fish. This is the only way to determine whether or not the waters you plan to fish follow the season dates for general inland or boundary and outlying waters listed below. Dates are inclusive and may be subject to change.
You must also consult the current fishing regulations for information concerning bag and minimum length limits for a species.