Little Lake Butte Des Morts Fishing
A 1,200-acre Wisconsin lake in Winnebago County, down to 18 feet.
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The basics of Little Lake Butte Des Morts for anglers
Little Lake Butte Des Morts is a lake of 1,200 acres lying in Winnebago County. The bottom drops to 18 feet at most. For a home base, Fox Crossing is roughly 1 mile away. It falls in the WDNR Northeast Region. Its WDNR lake class is complex riverine.
Find a Lake shows catfish, panfish, sturgeon, northern pike, walleye and largemouth bass. Public launching comes through 2 public boat landings. About 3 feet of clarity, by the 2017 satellite estimate.
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Abundance labels for Little Lake Butte Des Morts come straight from the WDNR lake page.
| Fish group | WDNR abundance |
|---|---|
| Catfish | Abundant |
| Panfish | Abundant |
| Sturgeon | Abundant |
| Northern Pike | Common |
| Walleye | Common |
| Largemouth Bass | Present |
| Smallmouth Bass | Present |
WDNR on lakes like Little Lake Butte Des Morts
“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 Little Lake Butte Des Morts
- Fritse Park Boat Ramp2 lanes, 6 to 10 trailer stalls, boarding dock, restroom, Parks & Recreation
- Ninth Street Boat Launch2 lanes, more than 25 trailer stalls, boarding dock, Parks & Recreation Department
Other launches near Little Lake Butte Des Morts
- Smith Park Boat RampMenasha Channel, 1 mile southeast
- Manitowoc Street Boat RampMenasha Channel, 1 mile southeast
- Jefferson Park Boat RampMenasha Channel, 2 miles east
- Doty Park Boat RampLake Winnebago, 2 miles south
- Recreation Park Boat RampLake Winnebago, 3 miles south
- Lutz Park Boat RampFox River, 3 miles northeast
WDNR Boat Access and Shore Fishing layers and Find a Lake landing table, checked October 2026.
Water quality and bottom at Little Lake Butte Des Morts
Expect a bottom of 20% sand, 0% gravel, 0% rock, 80% muck on Little Lake Butte Des Morts.
By water source, Little Lake Butte Des Morts counts as a drainage lake (a stream flows in and out).
Invasive species the WDNR has confirmed in Little Lake Butte Des Morts: chinese mystery snail, curly-leaf pondweed, eurasian water-milfoil, phragmites (non-native), round goby, rusty crayfish and zebra mussel. Clean boats and drain live wells before leaving the landing.
On Little Lake Butte Des Morts, local rules cover behavior-safe riding capacities, racing, slow-no-wake areas.
WDNR Find a Lake page, WDNR Landsat lake clarity layer, checked October 2026.
Seasons and bag limits on Little Lake Butte Des Morts
For Little 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 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 | Only two northern pike may be kept, and pike between 25-35" must be released. |
| 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 | No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is 25. |
| 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. |
| 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 Little Lake Butte Des Morts reads: Hook and line fishing is open all year for fish species except muskellunge, lake sturgeon, trout, paddlefish and threatened or endangered species. Motor Trolling is allowed with up to 3 hooks, baits, or lures, per angler.
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 Little Lake Butte Des Morts
WDNR crews stocked Little Lake Butte Des Morts 1 times from 2024 to 2024, 1,200 fish counted.
| Year | Species | Size | Avg length | Number |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Muskellunge | large fingerling | 6.7 in | 1,200 |
WDNR Fish Stocking Summary, stocking years 2023 to 2025. Wisconsin stocking.
Little Lake Butte Des Morts against nearby lakes
| Lake | Distance | Acres | Max depth ft | Landings | WDNR class |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Little Lake Butte Des Morts | 1,200 | 18 | 2 | complex riverine | |
| Black Otter Lake (Hortonville) | 12 miles northwest | 78 | 9 | 1 | simple riverine |
| Lake Butte des Morts | 13 miles southwest | 8,581 | 9 | 3 | complex warm dark |
| Lake Winnebago | 14 miles south | 131,939 | 21 | 20 | complex warm dark |
| Lake Winneconne | 14 miles west | 4,553 | 9 | 2 | complex warm dark |
| Ox-Bow Lake | 17 miles northwest | 33 | 13 | 0 |
WDNR Find a Lake, lake classification and boat access layers.
Close to Little Lake Butte Des Morts
More water to try near Little Lake Butte Des Morts
- Black Otter Lake (Hortonville)12 miles northwest
- Lake Butte des Morts13 miles southwest
- Lake Winnebago14 miles south
- Lake Winneconne14 miles west
- Ox-Bow Lake17 miles northwest
Shops that serve Little Lake Butte Des Morts anglers
- Menasha Marina & Nautical Gift Shopmarina, Menasha, 1 mile
- Walmart Neenahfarm and general store with fishing gear, Neenah, 3 miles
- Appleton Boatsbait and tackle shop, Appleton, 3 miles
- Sierra, 670 N Casaloma Drbait and tackle shop, Appleton, 4 miles
- Walmart Appleton Westfarm and general store with fishing gear, Appleton, 4 miles
- Fleet Farm Appletonfarm and general store with fishing gear, Appleton, 4 miles
Communities around Little Lake Butte Des Morts
- Fox Crossing1 mile
- Menasha2 miles
- Neenah3 miles
Counties holding Little Lake Butte Des Morts
- Winnebago Countyseat: Oshkosh
Piscifun reels sized for Little Lake Butte Des Morts
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Water close to Little Lake Butte Des Morts in photographs
Photo: popo.uw23, Public domain
Photo: David Wilson, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Ken Lund, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Royalbroil, CC BY-SA 3.0
Common questions about fishing Little Lake Butte Des Morts
Where in Wisconsin is Little Lake Butte Des Morts?
Winnebago County holds it, WDNR Northeast Region, about 1 mile from Fox Crossing.
How deep does Little Lake Butte Des Morts get?
Roughly 1,200 acres and 18 feet at the deepest.
Which public landing serves anglers on Little Lake Butte Des Morts?
There are 2 mapped landings; Fritse Park Boat Ramp has the most lanes.
Is Little Lake Butte Des Morts good for panfish?
WDNR lists catfish (abundant), panfish (abundant), sturgeon (abundant), northern pike (common), walleye (common), largemouth bass (present) and smallmouth bass (present).
Which WDNR rules cover Little Lake Butte Des Morts?
For Walleye, sauger and hybrids, No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is 3.
Which Wisconsin license covers fishing Little 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 Little Lake Butte Des Morts?
Satellite clarity about 3 feet (2017). Bottom: 20% sand, 0% gravel, 0% rock, 80% muck. WDNR class: complex riverine. Type: drainage.
Where are minnows sold on the drive to Little Lake Butte Des Morts?
Drive 1 mile to reach Menasha Marina & Nautical Gift Shop.
Which fish are stocked in Little Lake Butte Des Morts?
Latest on file (2024): 1,200 muskellunge.
Trailer up for Little Lake Butte Des Morts
Check the posted rules before keeping fish.