Lake Wissota Fishing
A 6,148-acre Wisconsin flowage in Chippewa County, down to 64.4 feet.
Pick for muskyPiscifun Viper X spinning reel50% OFFSale $39.99 Photo: TheFugeni, CC BY-SA 4.0
The basics of Lake Wissota for anglers
Lake Wissota is a flowage of 6,148 acres lying in Chippewa County. The bottom drops to 64.4 feet at most. For a home base, Lake Wissota is roughly 3 miles away. It falls in the WDNR West Central Region. Its WDNR lake class is complex riverine.
WDNR tracks a musky population here (natural reproduction plus stocking (cat. 2)). Walleye numbers rest on natural reproduction only, according to the DNR. Being in the ceded territory, it follows the three-walleye bag. Find a Lake shows walleye, catfish, muskellunge, northern pike, smallmouth bass and largemouth bass. Public launching comes through 7 public boat landings. About 5.5 feet of clarity, by the 2017 satellite estimate.
For the musky herePiscifun AlumiX spinning reel46% OFFSale $64.99 The Lake Wissota fishery by species
Abundance labels for Lake Wissota come straight from the WDNR lake page.
| Fish group | WDNR abundance |
|---|---|
| Walleye | Abundant |
| Catfish | Common |
| Musky | Common |
| Northern Pike | Common |
| Smallmouth Bass | Common |
| Largemouth Bass | Present |
| Panfish | Present |
| Sturgeon | Present |
The walleye layer lists Lake Wissota with natural reproduction only. WDNR musky category for Lake Wissota is natural reproduction plus stocking (cat. 2).
WDNR on lakes like Lake Wissota
“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.
Launching on Lake Wissota
- Chippewa River Access near Chippewa Falls (WDNR 994)2 lanes, 16 to 20 trailer stalls, boarding dock, Town of Anson
- Lake Wissota Access2 lanes, more than 25 trailer stalls, boarding dock, restroom, Town of Lafayette
- Lake Wissota Access – Chippewa Rod & Gun Club2 lanes, 11 to 15 trailer stalls, boarding dock, restroom, Northern States Power
- Lake Wissota State Park Boat Ramp2 lanes, more than 50 trailer stalls, boarding dock, restroom, Lake Wissota State Park
- Lake Wissota – County Hwy S Boat Launch1 lane, 6 to 10 trailer stalls, boarding dock, public
- Little Lake Wissota Access1 lane, Town of Lafayette
- Yellow River Access near Chippewa Falls1 lane, 1 to 5 trailer stalls, Facilities & Parks
Piers and shore spots at Lake Wissota
- Lake Wissota State Park Fishing Pierfishing pier, Wisconsin Dnr – Lake Wissota State Park, end depth 8 feet
Other launches near Lake Wissota
- Chippewa River Access near Chippewa Falls (WDNR 1044)Chippewa River, 3 miles southwest
- Chippewa River Access on O'Neil CreekO'Neil Creek, 3 miles northwest
- Glen Lock Lake AccessGlen Lock Lake, 4 miles west
- Tilden Millpond AccessTilden Millpond, 5 miles west
- Popple Lake AccessPopple Lake, 7 miles north
- Old Abe Lake AccessOld Abe Lake, 8 miles north
WDNR Boat Access and Shore Fishing layers and Find a Lake landing table, checked October 2026.
Water quality and bottom at Lake Wissota
By water source, Lake Wissota counts as a drainage lake (a stream flows in and out).
Invasive species the WDNR has confirmed in Lake Wissota: banded mystery snail, chinese mystery snail, curly-leaf pondweed, eurasian water-milfoil and rusty crayfish. Clean boats and drain live wells before leaving the landing.
On Lake Wissota, local rules cover slow-no-wake areas.
WDNR Find a Lake page, WDNR Landsat lake clarity layer, checked October 2026.
Seasons and bag limits on Lake Wissota
For Lake Wissota, the DNR regulation search returns the rows shown here.
| Species | Season | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| Walleye, sauger and hybrids | May 2, 2026 to March 7, 2027 | The minimum length is 13", but walleye, sauger, and hybrids from 16" to 24" may not be kept, and only 1 fish over 24" is allowed. The daily bag limit is 3. |
| 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 | No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is 5. |
| Largemouth and smallmouth bass | May 2, 2026 to March 7, 2027 | 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 | No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is 10. |
| Lake sturgeon | September 5, 2026 to September 30, 2026 | All sturgeon taken with hook and line must be tagged and registered. The minimum length is 60" and season limit is 1 fish. |
| 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. |
| Rough fish | Open All Year | No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is unlimited. |
| Paddlefish | Closed | No fishing allowed. |
| White perch | Open All Year | The daily bag limit is 0, one may be killed and possessed for transport to a WDNR Office. |
The all-species line for Lake Wissota reads: 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.
The Chippewa County entry says: Chippewa County is in the ceded territory (see page 13 for additional ceded ter- ritory information). A portion of Chippewa County is in the Northern Bass Zone (see base regulations on page 12). Motor trolling is permitted countywide (three hooks, baits or lures per person).
Pike rules here follow the zone north of Hwy 10; bass follow the Northern or Southern Bass Zone (the county is split; see the guide map).
WDNR Lake Regulation search and the 2026-2027 Guide to Wisconsin Hook and Line Fishing Regulations, checked October 2026.
Fish stocked in Lake Wissota
WDNR crews stocked Lake Wissota 3 times from 2023 to 2025, 4,292 fish counted.
| Year | Species | Size | Avg length | Number |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Muskellunge | large fingerling | 11 in | 1,000 |
| 2024 | Muskellunge | large fingerling | 13 in | 2,467 |
| 2023 | Muskellunge | large fingerling | 11 in | 825 |
WDNR Fish Stocking Summary, stocking years 2023 to 2025. Wisconsin stocking.
Lake Wissota against nearby lakes
| Lake | Distance | Acres | Max depth ft | Landings | WDNR class |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Wissota | 6,148 | 64.4 | 7 | complex riverine | |
| Glen Loch Flowage | 4 miles west | 39 | 17 | 0 | simple riverine |
| Tilden Mill Pond | 5 miles northwest | 48 | 11 | 1 | simple riverine |
| Popple Lake, Chippewa County | 7 miles north | 94 | 25 | 1 | complex warm dark |
| Jim Lake, Chippewa County | 8 miles north | 62 | 29 | 0 | simple warm dark |
| Old Abe Lake | 8 miles northeast | 470 | 36 | 1 | complex riverine |
WDNR Find a Lake, lake classification and boat access layers.
Close to Lake Wissota
More water to try near Lake Wissota
- Glen Loch Flowage4 miles west
- Tilden Mill Pond5 miles northwest
- Popple Lake, Chippewa County7 miles north
- Jim Lake, Chippewa County8 miles north
- Old Abe Lake8 miles northeast
Shops that serve Lake Wissota anglers
- Wissota Dock & Maintenancemarina, Chippewa Falls, 2 miles
- Bill's Sport Shopbait and tackle shop, Chippewa Falls, 4 miles
- Mouldy's Archery & Tacklebait and tackle shop, Chippewa Falls, 7 miles
- Walmart Chippewa Fallsfarm and general store with fishing gear, Chippewa Falls, 7 miles
- Farm & Fleet Of Chippewa Fallsfarm and general store with fishing gear, Chippewa Falls, 8 miles
- Buroker's Taxidermy Bait & Tacklebait and tackle shop, Eau Claire, 13 miles
Communities around Lake Wissota
- Lake Wissota3 miles
- Chippewa Falls4 miles
- Jim Falls6 miles
Counties holding Lake Wissota
- Chippewa Countyseat: Chippewa Falls
Piscifun reels sized for Lake Wissota
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Water close to Lake Wissota in photographs
Photo: Awkwafaba, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: David Jakes, CC BY 4.0
Photo: Wikideas1, CC0 1.0
Photo: Joshua Mayer, CC BY-SA 2.0
Common questions about fishing Lake Wissota
Where in Wisconsin is Lake Wissota?
Chippewa County holds it, WDNR West Central Region, about 3 miles from Lake Wissota.
How deep does Lake Wissota get?
Roughly 6,148 acres and 64.4 feet at the deepest.
Which public landing serves anglers on Lake Wissota?
There are 7 mapped landings; Chippewa River Access near Chippewa Falls (WDNR 994) has the most lanes.
Is Lake Wissota good for panfish?
WDNR lists walleye (abundant), catfish (common), muskellunge (common), northern pike (common), smallmouth bass (common), largemouth bass (present) and panfish (present).
Which WDNR rules cover Lake Wissota?
For Walleye, sauger and hybrids, The minimum length is 13", but walleye, sauger, and hybrids from 16" to 24" may not be kept, and only 1 fish over 24" is allowed. The daily bag limit is 3.
Which Wisconsin license covers fishing Lake Wissota?
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 Wissota?
Satellite clarity about 5.5 feet (2017). WDNR class: complex riverine. Type: drainage.
Where are minnows sold on the drive to Lake Wissota?
Drive 2 miles to reach Wissota Dock & Maintenance.
Which fish are stocked in Lake Wissota?
Latest on file (2025): 1,000 muskellunge.
Trailer up for Lake Wissota
Check the posted rules before keeping fish.