Lake Butte des Morts Fishing
A 8,581-acre Wisconsin lake in Winnebago County, down to 9 feet.
Pick for muskyPiscifun Viper X spinning reel50% OFFSale $39.99 Photo: Ken Lund, CC BY-SA 2.0
The basics of Lake Butte des Morts for anglers
Lake Butte des Morts is a lake of 8,581 acres lying in Winnebago County. The bottom drops to 9 feet at most. For a home base, Butte des Morts is roughly 3 miles away. It falls in the WDNR Northeast Region. Its WDNR lake class is complex warm dark.
WDNR tracks a musky population here (self-sustaining via natural reproduction (cat. 1)). Find a Lake shows catfish, northern pike, panfish, sturgeon, largemouth bass and muskellunge. Public launching comes through 3 public boat landings. About 3.4 feet of clarity, by the 2017 satellite estimate.
For the musky herePiscifun AlumiX spinning reel46% OFFSale $64.99 The Lake Butte des Morts fishery by species
Abundance labels for Lake Butte des Morts come straight from the WDNR lake page.
| Fish group | WDNR abundance |
|---|---|
| Catfish | Abundant |
| Northern Pike | Abundant |
| Panfish | Abundant |
| Sturgeon | Abundant |
| Largemouth Bass | Common |
| Musky | Present |
| Smallmouth Bass | Present |
| Walleye | Present |
WDNR musky category for Lake Butte des Morts is self-sustaining via natural reproduction (cat. 1).
WDNR on lakes like Lake Butte des Morts
“Complex warm dark lakes often support great action fisheries for black crappie, and have potential to produced quality walleye, northern pike, and/or muskellunge fisheries.”
WDNR Find a Lake fish list and abundance, WDNR lake classification and fisheries designation layers, checked October 2026.
Launching on Lake Butte des Morts
- Lake Butte des Morts Boat Landing4 lanes, more than 25 trailer stalls, boarding dock, restroom, Parks Department
- Butte Des Morts Village Access1 lane, 1 to 5 trailer stalls, boarding dock, Town of Winneconne
- Rivermoor Road Access1 lane, 1 to 5 trailer stalls, Town of Winneconne
Other launches near Lake Butte des Morts
- Yost Road AccessFox River, 4 miles west
- Rainbow Park Boat RampFox River, 4 miles southeast
- Lake Winneconne Park Boat RampLake Winneconne, 4 miles northwest
- North First Street Boat RampWolf River, 5 miles northwest
- Fred C. Miller Park Boat RampFox River, 5 miles southwest
- Fox and Hounds Park Boat RampFox River, 5 miles west
WDNR Boat Access and Shore Fishing layers and Find a Lake landing table, checked October 2026.
Water quality and bottom at Lake Butte des Morts
Expect a bottom of 40% sand, 10% gravel, 0% rock, 50% muck on Lake Butte des Morts.
By water source, Lake Butte des Morts counts as a drainage lake (a stream flows in and out).
Invasive species the WDNR has confirmed in Lake Butte des Morts: brittle waternymph, curly-leaf pondweed, eurasian water-milfoil, faucet snail, flowering rush, phragmites (non-native), purple loosestrife and rusty crayfish. Clean boats and drain live wells before leaving the landing.
On Lake Butte des Morts, local rules cover slow-no-wake areas, waterway markers.
WDNR Find a Lake page, WDNR Landsat lake clarity layer, checked October 2026.
Seasons and bag limits on Lake Butte des Morts
For Lake Butte des Morts, the DNR regulation search returns the rows shown here.
| Species | Season | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| Walleye, sauger and hybrids | Open All Year | No minimum length limit and the daily bag is 3, only one of which may be a sauger or hybrid. |
| Sauger and hybrids | Open All Year | The daily bag limit is 1. |
| Muskellunge and hybrids | May 2, 2026 to December 31, 2026 on open water | The minimum length limit is 50" and the daily bag limit is 1. |
| Northern pike | May 2, 2026 to March 7, 2027 | The minimum length limit is 26" and the daily bag limit is 2. |
| Largemouth and smallmouth bass | Open All Year | The minimum length limit is 14" and the daily bag limit is 5. |
| Panfish | Open All Year | No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is 25. |
| Catfish | Open All Year | See specific species regulations in this group. |
| Channel catfish | Open All Year | No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is 25 in total, but only 24 if one flathead catfish is included. |
| Flathead catfish | May 2, 2026 to September 30, 2026 | The minimum length is 30, but flathead catfish from 36" to 42" may not be kept.The daily bag limit is 1. |
| Lake sturgeon | Closed | No fishing allowed. |
| Shovelnose sturgeon | Closed | No fishing allowed. |
| Cisco and whitefish | Open All Year | No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is 10. |
| Rock, yellow and white bass | Open All Year | No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is unlimited. |
| Bullheads | Open All Year | No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is unlimited. |
The all-species line for Lake Butte des Morts reads: Bag limits are for fish caught in all lakes in the WINNEBAGO CHAIN including CINCOE LAKE, LAKE POYGAN, LAKE WINNEBAGO, LAKE WINNECONNE, PARTRIDGE CROP LAKE, PARTRIDGE LAKE Catch and release fishing for largemouth and smallmouth bass is open year round unless otherwise noted. Motor Trolling is allowed with up to 3 hooks, baits, or lures, per angler. Open all year for all species except muskellunge, northern pike, flathead catfish and lake sturgeon.
The Winnebago County entry says: The countywide daily bag limit on catfish is 25, except on Winnebago system waters (see page 94). Motor trolling is permitted countywide (three hooks, baits or lures per person).
Pike rules here follow the zone south of Hwy 10; bass follow the Southern Bass Zone.
WDNR Lake Regulation search and the 2026-2027 Guide to Wisconsin Hook and Line Fishing Regulations, checked October 2026.
Fish stocked in Lake Butte des Morts
WDNR crews stocked Lake Butte des Morts 1 times from 2024 to 2024, 3,900 fish counted.
| Year | Species | Size | Avg length | Number |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Muskellunge | large fingerling | 6.7 in | 3,900 |
WDNR Fish Stocking Summary, stocking years 2023 to 2025. Wisconsin stocking.
Heaviest Wisconsin fish from Lake Butte des Morts
| Species | Weight | Date | Method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shortnose Gar | 5 lbs. 1 oz. | 2018-05-27 | alternate method |
WDNR record fish list, revised September 2026; angler names left out. All Wisconsin records.
Event permits for Lake Butte des Morts
WDNR tournament permits and posted results for Lake Butte des Morts are collected on one page.
Lake Butte des Morts against nearby lakes
| Lake | Distance | Acres | Max depth ft | Landings | WDNR class |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Butte des Morts | 8,581 | 9 | 3 | complex warm dark | |
| Lake Winneconne | 7 miles northwest | 4,553 | 9 | 2 | complex warm dark |
| Hogers Bayou | 7 miles west | 51 | 4 | 0 | complex riverine |
| Lake Poygan | 11 miles northwest | 14,024 | 11 | 7 | complex warm dark |
| Lake Winnebago | 12 miles east | 131,939 | 21 | 20 | complex warm dark |
| Rush Lake, Winnebago County | 13 miles southwest | 2,729 | 5 | 2 | simple warm dark |
WDNR Find a Lake, lake classification and boat access layers.
Close to Lake Butte des Morts
More water to try near Lake Butte des Morts
- Lake Winneconne7 miles northwest
- Hogers Bayou7 miles west
- Lake Poygan11 miles northwest
- Lake Winnebago12 miles east
- Rush Lake, Winnebago County13 miles southwest
Shops that serve Lake Butte des Morts anglers
- Skipperbud's-Oshkoshmarina, Oshkosh, 4 miles
- The Reel Shot, 2755 Algoma Blvdbait and tackle shop, Oshkosh, 4 miles
- Dick's Sporting Goods, 1015 N Washburn Stbait and tackle shop, Oshkosh, 4 miles
- Marinamarina, Oshkosh, 4 miles
- Fox River Bait & Tacklebait and tackle shop, Oshkosh, 4 miles
- Fleet Farm Oshkoshfarm and general store with fishing gear, Oshkosh, 4 miles
Communities around Lake Butte des Morts
- Butte des Morts3 miles
- Winneconne5 miles
- Oshkosh5 miles
Counties holding Lake Butte des Morts
- Winnebago Countyseat: Oshkosh
Piscifun reels sized for Lake Butte des Morts
Piscifun and Amazon links are affiliate links; the site earns a commission on qualifying purchases.
Water close to Lake Butte des Morts in photographs
Photo: David Wilson, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Royalbroil, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: self, CC BY-SA 2.5
Photo: saccodent, CC BY 2.0
Common questions about fishing Lake Butte des Morts
Where in Wisconsin is Lake Butte des Morts?
Winnebago County holds it, WDNR Northeast Region, about 3 miles from Butte des Morts.
How deep does Lake Butte des Morts get?
Roughly 8,581 acres and 9 feet at the deepest.
Which public landing serves anglers on Lake Butte des Morts?
There are 3 mapped landings; Lake Butte des Morts Boat Landing has the most lanes.
Is Lake Butte des Morts good for panfish?
WDNR lists catfish (abundant), northern pike (abundant), panfish (abundant), sturgeon (abundant), largemouth bass (common), muskellunge (present) and smallmouth bass (present).
Which WDNR rules cover Lake Butte des Morts?
For Walleye, sauger and hybrids, No minimum length limit and the daily bag is 3, only one of which may be a sauger or hybrid.
Which Wisconsin license covers fishing Lake Butte des Morts?
Anglers 16 and older need a Wisconsin fishing license: $20 a year for residents and $55 for nonresidents, with a $5 first-time buyer rate for residents.
What is the water like in Lake Butte des Morts?
Satellite clarity about 3.4 feet (2017). Bottom: 40% sand, 10% gravel, 0% rock, 50% muck. WDNR class: complex warm dark. Type: drainage.
Where are minnows sold on the drive to Lake Butte des Morts?
Drive 4 miles to reach Skipperbud's-Oshkosh.
Which fish are stocked in Lake Butte des Morts?
Latest on file (2024): 3,900 muskellunge.
Trailer up for Lake Butte des Morts
Check the posted rules before keeping fish.