Lake Onalaska Fishing
A 8,391-acre Wisconsin lake in La Crosse County, down to 40 feet.
Pick for panfishPiscifun Carbon X ultralight spinning reel28% OFFSale $57.99 Photo: Seaplane Tennis Match, CC BY-SA 4.0
Lake Onalaska at a glance
Find a Lake puts Lake Onalaska at 8,391 acres, inside La Crosse County. Maximum depth on file is 40 feet, with a mean of 6 feet. Brice Prairie is the nearest community, about 2 miles away. The DNR manages it from the West Central Region. Biologists sort it into the complex riverine lake class.
Species on record are panfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, smallmouth bass, walleye and spotted sucker. You can put in at 7 public boat landings. Satellite readings put average clarity near 7.5 feet (2017).
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For Lake Onalaska, Find a Lake gives each fish group an abundance rating.
| Fish group | WDNR abundance |
|---|---|
| Panfish | Abundant |
| Largemouth Bass | Common |
| Northern Pike | Common |
| Smallmouth Bass | Present |
| Walleye | Present |
The class profile behind Lake Onalaska
“Complex riverine lakes often support great fisheries for riverine species like smallmouth bass, and in some systems, walleye.”
WDNR Find a Lake fish list and abundance, WDNR lake classification and fisheries designation layers, checked October 2026.
Trailering to a landing on Lake Onalaska
- Fred Funk Boat Landing2 lanes, 6 to 10 trailer stalls, boarding dock, restroom, public
- Nelson Park Landing2 lanes, 6 to 10 trailer stalls, boarding dock, restroom, US Fish & Wildlife
- Brice Prairie Walk-In Access1 lane, 6 to 10 trailer stalls, public
- Fishermans Road Boat Landing on Lake Onalaska-Mississippi River near Onalaska (WDNR 669)1 lane, 1 to 5 trailer stalls, Parks & Recreation Dept.
- Fishermans Road Boat Landing on Lake Onalaska-Mississippi River near Onalaska (WDNR 670)1 lane, 6 to 10 trailer stalls, restroom, Parks & Recreation Dept.
- Lake Onalaska Ramp1 lane, 21 to 25 trailer stalls, boarding dock, restroom, Town of Onalaska
- Upper French Island Spillway Landing1 lane, 6 to 10 trailer stalls, restroom, US Fish & Wildlife Service
WDNR shore sites along Lake Onalaska
- Lake Onalaska Fishing Pierdeveloped shore fishing site
Landings within a short drive of Lake Onalaska
- Lower French Island Spillway Boat LandingFrench Slough, 3 miles southeast
- Fisherman Road LandingBlack River-Mississippi River, 3 miles southeast
- Lytle's Landing Canoe LaunchBlack River, 4 miles northwest
- Northside Beach Boat Ramp 2Black River Channel, 5 miles southeast
- West Copeland LandingBlack River-Mississippi River, 5 miles southeast
- Northside Beach Boat Ramp 1Black River-Mississippi River, 5 miles southeast
WDNR Boat Access and Shore Fishing layers and Find a Lake landing table, checked October 2026.
Clarity, bottom and depth at Lake Onalaska
The DNR calls Lake Onalaska a drainage lake (a stream flows in and out).
WDNR records these invasives in Lake Onalaska: curly-leaf pondweed, eurasian water-milfoil, faucet snail, hybrid eurasian / northern water-milfoil, purple loosestrife, water hyacinth and yellow iris. Drain water and remove plants at the landing.
Local boating ordinances on Lake Onalaska cover slow-no-wake areas, speed limits (mph).
WDNR Find a Lake page, WDNR Landsat lake clarity layer, checked October 2026.
Keeper rules for Lake Onalaska
| Species | Limit | Season |
|---|---|---|
| Walleye and sauger | 3 in total; minimum length 15 inches | May 2, 2026 – March 7, 2027 |
| Northern pike (south of Hwy 10) | 2; minimum length 26 inches | May 2, 2026 – March 7, 2027 |
| Largemouth bass | 5; minimum length 14 inches | May 2, 2026 – March 7, 2027 |
| Smallmouth bass (Southern Bass Zone) | 5 in total with largemouth bass; minimum length 14 inches | May 2, 2026 – March 7, 2027 |
| Muskellunge | 1; minimum length 40 inches | May 2, 2026 – Dec. 31, 2026 (open water only) |
| Panfish | 25 in total; no minimum length | Open all year |
| Catfish | 10 in total; no minimum length | Open all year |
| Cisco and whitefish | 10 in total; no minimum length | Open all year |
| Rock, yellow and white bass | No bag limit; no minimum length | Open all year |
| Bullheads and rough fish | No bag limit; no minimum length | Open all year |
Statewide inland rows cover Lake Onalaska, since no lake-specific record exists.
For all of La Crosse County the guide reads: Motor trolling is permitted countywide (three hooks, baits or lures per person).
Zone check for Lake Onalaska: south of Hwy 10, Southern Bass Zone.
WDNR Lake Regulation search and the 2026-2027 Guide to Wisconsin Hook and Line Fishing Regulations, checked October 2026.
Wisconsin record fish from Lake Onalaska
| Species | Weight | Date | Method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spotted Sucker | 4 lbs. 10.2 oz. | 2018-02-22 | hook and line |
WDNR record fish list, revised September 2026; angler names left out. All Wisconsin records.
How Lake Onalaska compares nearby
| Lake | Distance | Acres | Max depth ft | Landings | WDNR class |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Onalaska | 8,391 | 40 | 7 | complex riverine | |
| French Lake, La Crosse County | 3 miles south | 157 | 1 | complex riverine | |
| Long Lake, La Crosse County | 8 miles northwest | 54 | 11 | 1 | complex riverine |
| Round Lake, Trempealeau County | 8 miles northwest | 40 | 7 | 1 | complex warm dark |
| Third Lake, Trempealeau County | 8 miles northwest | 35 | 8 | 2 | complex warm dark |
| Second Lake, Trempealeau County | 9 miles northwest | 24 | 7 | 1 | simple warm dark |
WDNR Find a Lake, lake classification and boat access layers.
Around Lake Onalaska
Lakes a few miles from Lake Onalaska
- French Lake, La Crosse County3 miles south
- Long Lake, La Crosse County8 miles northwest
- Round Lake, Trempealeau County8 miles northwest
- Third Lake, Trempealeau County8 miles northwest
- Second Lake, Trempealeau County9 miles northwest
Bait and gear stops around Lake Onalaska
- Schafer's Boat & Baitbait and tackle shop, Onalaska, 2 miles
- Emmas Bait And Tacklebait and tackle shop, Onalaska, 3 miles
- Topps Elite Tent Rentalsbait and tackle shop, Onalaska, 3 miles
- Black's Cove Marinamarina, La Crosse, 4 miles
- Bob's Bait & Tacklebait and tackle shop, La Crosse, 5 miles
- American Marinemarina, La Crosse, 5 miles
Towns close to Lake Onalaska
- Brice Prairie2 miles
- French Island4 miles
- Onalaska5 miles
The county side of Lake Onalaska
- La Crosse Countyseat: La Crosse
A Piscifun kit for Lake Onalaska
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Sport fish found around Lake Onalaska
Photo: United States Fish and Wildlife Services, Public domain
Photo: Engbretson Eric, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Public domain
Photo: Ryan Somma, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Rob Foster, CC BY 4.0
Before a trip to Lake Onalaska, the short answers
Where is Lake Onalaska on a Wisconsin map?
The lake lies in La Crosse County, WDNR West Central Region, about 2 miles from Brice Prairie.
What maximum depth does the WDNR list for Lake Onalaska?
Find a Lake gives 8,391 acres and 40 feet at the deepest.
How many landings does Lake Onalaska have?
7 mapped landings; Fred Funk Boat Landing is the largest.
What species are in Lake Onalaska?
panfish (abundant), largemouth bass (common), northern pike (common), smallmouth bass (present), walleye (present) and spotted sucker, per the WDNR.
What are the walleye rules on Lake Onalaska?
The statewide table covers it.
What does a Wisconsin license cost for a trip to Lake Onalaska?
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 bottom of Lake Onalaska like?
Satellite clarity about 7.5 feet (2017). WDNR class: complex riverine. Type: drainage.
Is there a tackle store near Lake Onalaska?
Schafer's Boat & Bait is nearest at 2 miles.
What invasive species has the DNR found in Lake Onalaska?
WDNR lists curly-leaf pondweed, eurasian water-milfoil, faucet snail, hybrid eurasian / northern water-milfoil, purple loosestrife and water hyacinth.
Make a weekend of Lake Onalaska
Wisconsin license costs and limits are one click away.