Lake Poygan Fishing
A 14,024-acre Wisconsin lake in Winnebago County and Waushara County, down to 11 feet.
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Lake Poygan by the numbers
In Winnebago County and Waushara County, Lake Poygan spreads over 14,024 acres of open water. Expect water as deep as 11 feet. Tustin lies about 3 miles from the lake. It is a Northeast Region water for the WDNR. The DNR groups it as a complex warm dark lake.
The DNR musky layer includes it: self-sustaining via natural reproduction (cat. 1). The DNR fish list names catfish, panfish, sturgeon, largemouth bass, northern pike and walleye. There are 7 public boat landings on its shore. A 2017 satellite estimate puts clarity at 3.5 feet.
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Each species group in Lake Poygan carries a WDNR abundance word.
| Fish group | WDNR abundance |
|---|---|
| Catfish | Abundant |
| Panfish | Abundant |
| Sturgeon | Abundant |
| Largemouth Bass | Common |
| Northern Pike | Common |
| Walleye | Common |
| Musky | Present |
| Smallmouth Bass | Present |
Lake Poygan musky status: self-sustaining via natural reproduction (cat. 1). WDNR lists sturgeon around Lake Poygan as naturally reproducing – ansri.
How the DNR describes the Lake Poygan fishery
“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.
Boat landings on Lake Poygan
- Badger Drive Boat Ramp2 lanes, 6 to 10 trailer stalls, boarding dock, public
- Boom Bay Boat Landing2 lanes, more than 25 trailer stalls, boarding dock, Parks Department
- Lake Poygan Boat Landing2 lanes, 16 to 20 trailer stalls, restroom, Parks Department
- Pony Creek Park Canoe Launch1 lane, restroom, Parks Department
- Tustin Boat Launch1 lane, 1 to 5 trailer stalls, boarding dock, Town of Bloomfield
- Center Street Canoe Launchcarry-in, Town of Bloomfield
- Franklin Street Canoe Launchcarry-in, Town of Bloomfield
Fishing from the bank at Lake Poygan
- Pony Creek Shore Fishing Areadeveloped shore fishing site, Waushara County, end depth 0 feet
Boat landings close to Lake Poygan
- Lake Poygan AccessAlder Creek/Lake Poygan, 2 miles north
- Willow Creek AccessWillow Creek, 5 miles southwest
- North First Street Boat RampWolf River, 7 miles east
- Lake Winneconne AccessLake Winneconne, 7 miles east
- Lake Winneconne Park Boat RampLake Winneconne, 7 miles east
- Wolf River Crossing Park Boat RampWolf River, 8 miles north
WDNR Boat Access and Shore Fishing layers and Find a Lake landing table, checked October 2026.
What the water is like in Lake Poygan
The DNR bottom survey for Lake Poygan lists 30% sand, 10% gravel, 0% rock, 60% muck.
WDNR types Lake Poygan as a drainage lake (a stream flows in and out).
Invasives verified in Lake Poygan: chinese mystery snail, curly-leaf pondweed, eurasian water-milfoil, faucet snail, flowering rush, rusty crayfish and zebra mussel. Leave the landing with an empty bilge and live well.
WDNR Find a Lake page, WDNR Landsat lake clarity layer, checked October 2026.
Fishing regulations for Lake Poygan
Each row is the regulation the WDNR app prints for Lake Poygan.
| 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. |
Every species on Lake Poygan also falls under this note: Bag limits are for fish caught in all lakes in the WINNEBAGO CHAIN including CINCOE LAKE, LAKE BUTTE DES MORTS, 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.
From the Winnebago County section of the guide: 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).
For pike Lake Poygan is south of Hwy 10, and the Southern Bass Zone sets its bass dates.
WDNR Lake Regulation search and the 2026-2027 Guide to Wisconsin Hook and Line Fishing Regulations, checked October 2026.
Recent stockings at Lake Poygan
Stocking records for Lake Poygan: 1 entries, 2,500 fish, years 2024 to 2024.
| Year | Species | Size | Avg length | Number |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Muskellunge | large fingerling | 11.4 in | 2,500 |
WDNR Fish Stocking Summary, stocking years 2023 to 2025. Wisconsin stocking.
Record-book fish caught in Lake Poygan
| Species | Weight | Date | Method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drum (Sheepshead) | 33 lbs. 0 oz. | 2020-05-14 | alternate method |
WDNR record fish list, revised September 2026; angler names left out. All Wisconsin records.
Contests held on Lake Poygan
Upcoming Lake Poygan events and past winners sit on a separate page.
Lakes near Lake Poygan compared
| Lake | Distance | Acres | Max depth ft | Landings | WDNR class |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Poygan | 14,024 | 11 | 7 | complex warm dark | |
| Lake Winneconne | 5 miles east | 4,553 | 9 | 2 | complex warm dark |
| Hogers Bayou | 8 miles southeast | 51 | 4 | 0 | complex riverine |
| Poy Sippi Millpond | 8 miles west | 62 | 7 | 1 | simple riverine |
| Partridge Lake, Waupaca County | 9 miles north | 1,185 | 4 | 0 | complex riverine |
| Miller Bayou | 9 miles north | 18 | 3 | 0 | complex riverine |
WDNR Find a Lake, lake classification and boat access layers.
Around the area of Lake Poygan
Lakes next door to Lake Poygan
- Lake Winneconne5 miles east
- Hogers Bayou8 miles southeast
- Poy Sippi Millpond8 miles west
- Partridge Lake, Waupaca County9 miles north
- Miller Bayou9 miles north
Minnows and tackle close to Lake Poygan
- Noffke's Bait & Landing LLCbait and tackle shop, Winneconne, 2 miles
- Anchor Point Marinamarina, Fremont, 5 miles
- Critters Wolf River Sportssporting goods store, Winneconne, 6 miles
- Gypsy Rose Bait & Tacklebait and tackle shop, Berlin, 6 miles
- Fort Fremont Marinemarina, Fremont, 6 miles
- Wolf River Outfittersbait and tackle shop, Fremont, 8 miles
Towns within reach of Lake Poygan
- Tustin3 miles
- Winneconne7 miles
- Poy Sippi8 miles
Lake Poygan by county
- Winnebago Countyseat: Oshkosh
- Waushara Countyseat: Wautoma
Piscifun spinning and casting reels for Lake Poygan
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Know the fish of Lake Poygan
Photo: USFWS Mountain-Prairie, Public domain
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Photo: Engbretson, Eric / U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Public domain
Photo: Nick Tobler (Cowturtle), CC BY 4.0
Photo: USFWS Mountain Prairie, Public domain
Lake Poygan: what Wisconsin anglers want to know
Which Wisconsin county is Lake Poygan in?
Look in Winnebago County and Waushara County, WDNR Northeast Region, about 3 miles from Tustin.
How many acres does the WDNR give Lake Poygan?
14,024 acres of water and 11 feet at the deepest.
Can I back a trailer into Lake Poygan at a public landing?
7 mapped landings, led by Badger Drive Boat Ramp.
Which fish does the WDNR list for Lake Poygan?
On file: catfish (abundant), panfish (abundant), sturgeon (abundant), largemouth bass (common), northern pike (common), walleye (common) and muskellunge (present).
What size limits apply on Lake Poygan?
Walleye, sauger and hybrids: No minimum length limit and the daily bag is 3, only one of which may be a sauger or hybrid.
What does a nonresident pay to fish Lake Poygan?
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.
How clear does the water in Lake Poygan run?
Satellite clarity about 3.5 feet (2017). Bottom: 30% sand, 10% gravel, 0% rock, 60% muck. WDNR class: complex warm dark. Type: drainage.
Which bait counter sits closest to Lake Poygan?
Noffke's Bait & Landing LLC is about 2 miles from the lake.
When did WDNR crews last stock Lake Poygan?
WDNR stocked 2,500 muskellunge in 2024.
Hitch up the boat and haul it to Lake Poygan
The license page has every Wisconsin fee and season.