Lake sturgeon
Wisconsin's fishing seasons
Be sure to view definitions for help in reading these tables.
| Waters | Dates for Hook & Line Harvest |
|---|---|
| Chippewa River: West Fork downstream from Moose Lake Dam (Sawyer Co.) and East Fork (Ashland Co.) downstream to the confluence of the Mississippi River (Pepin Co.) including sloughs, bayous, and flowages. Flambeau River: N Fork from Turtle-Flambeau Dam (Iron Co.) and S Fork (Price Co.) downstream to the confluence with the Chippewa River (Rusk Co.) including sloughs, bayous, and flowages. Butternut Lake (Price Co.) Jump River from the North and South Forks to the confluence with the Chippewa River (Rusk Co.), Yellow Lake, Little Yellow Lake, Danbury Flowage, Yellow River from Yellow Lake downstream to the Danbury Dam (Burnett Co.) Wisconsin River downstream from the Wisconsin Dells Dam | First Saturday in September to September 30th |
| Other Inland Waters | Closed all year to hook and line fishing. |
| Lake Winnebago system waters | Closed all year to hook and line fishing. |
| Spearing on the Upriver lakes (Lakes Poygan, Winnecone & Butte des Morts) | Second Saturday in February for 16 consecutive days unless harvest cap is triggered (participation dependent on random drawing for license purchase) |
| Spearing on Lake Winnebago | Second Saturday in February for 16 consecutive days unless harvest cap is triggered |
| Boundary & Outlying Waters | Dates for Hook & Line Harvest |
| Lake Superior | Continuous |
| Lake Michigan, Lake Michigan tributaries, Green Bay, Green Bay's tributary streams, rivers and ditches upstream to the first dam or lake | No open season |
| St. Croix River downstreams of St. Croix Falls | First Saturday in September to September 30 (harvest); October 1 to October 15 (catch and release only) |
| Mississippi River, St. Louis River and St. Croix River upstream from the dam at St. Croix Falls | No open season |
| Mississippi River upstream of the Red Wing Dam and St. Croix River from Prescott to Gordon Flowage | June 16 to March 1 (catch and release only) |
| Mississippi River downstream of the Red Wing Dam and St. Louis and Nemadji rivers | June 16 to April 14 (catch and release only) |
| Wisconsin-Iowa boundary waters | No open season |
| Wisconsin-Michigan boundary waters Menominee River below the Grand Rapids Dam - catch and release only |
First Saturday in September to September 30th |
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.