Petenwell Lake Fishing
A 23,173-acre Wisconsin flowage in Adams County and Juneau County, down to 44 feet.
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About Petenwell Lake
Count on 23,173 acres of flowage water at Petenwell Lake, which sits in Adams County and Juneau County. Its deepest sounding is 44 feet. The closest town on the Census list is Lake Arrowhead, roughly 8 miles off. WDNR places it in its West Central Region. WDNR calls it a complex warm dark lake by class.
Anglers can look for panfish, walleye, catfish, largemouth bass, muskellunge and northern pike, per the WDNR. 15 public boat landings serve the lake. Landsat estimates give about 5.7 feet of clarity (2017).
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The Petenwell Lake fish groups below carry their WDNR abundance rating.
| Fish group | WDNR abundance |
|---|---|
| Panfish | Common |
| Walleye | Common |
| Catfish | Present |
| Largemouth Bass | Present |
| Musky | Present |
| Northern Pike | Present |
| Smallmouth Bass | Present |
| Sturgeon | Present |
What the lake class means for Petenwell Lake
“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.
Public ramps at Petenwell Lake
- Petenwell County Park4 lanes, more than 25 trailer stalls, boarding dock, restroom, fish cleaning, Petenwell Park
- Petenwell Wilderness Park2 lanes, 1 to 5 trailer stalls, boarding dock, Land, Forestry & Parks Dept.
- Armenia Landing1 lane, 6 to 10 trailer stalls, boarding dock, Wisconsin River Power Co.
- Barnum Bay Boat Landing1 lane, 6 to 10 trailer stalls, Wisconsin River Power Co.
- Chester Creek Boat Launch1 lane, 16 to 20 trailer stalls, boarding dock, restroom, Wisconsin River Power Co.
- Devil's Elbow/Wood Day Use Area Boat Landing1 lane, 1 to 5 trailer stalls, boarding dock, restroom, Wisconsin River Power Co.
- Petenwell Flowage – Blackhawk Drive/Bighorn Access1 lane, Wisconsin River Power Co.
- Petenwell Flowage Access1 lane, 1 to 5 trailer stalls, Wisconsin River Power Co.
- Petenwell Lake – 3rd St. Access1 lane, 1 to 5 trailer stalls, boarding dock, Wisconsin River Power Co.
- Petenwell Lake Fourteen Mile Creek Access1 lane, Wisconsin River Power Co.
- Petenwell Park – 20th Drive Access1 lane, 1 to 5 trailer stalls, Petenwell Park
- Plank Hill Ramp1 lane, 16 to 20 trailer stalls, boarding dock, restroom, Wisconsin River Power Co.
- Town of Monroe Park1 lane, 1 to 5 trailer stalls, Town of Monroe
- Van Kuren Landing1 lane, 1 to 5 trailer stalls, boarding dock, Wisconsin River Power Co.
- Wisconsin Rapids Flowage Access1 lane, 6 to 10 trailer stalls, boarding dock, restroom, Consolidated Papers
More boat ramps around Petenwell Lake
- Petenwell Powerhouse and LandingWisconsin River, 6 miles southwest
- Wayside Park Boat LaunchWisconsin River, 7 miles southwest
- Arrowhead Lake Access near NekoosaArrowhead Lake, 7 miles northeast
- Wisconsin River Carry-in Boat Landing near NecedahWisconsin River, 8 miles south
- Big Roche A Cri Lake Access near Friendship (WDNR 733)Big Roche A Cri Lake, 9 miles southeast
- Lake Sherwood AccessLake Sherwood, 9 miles northeast
WDNR Boat Access and Shore Fishing layers and Find a Lake landing table, checked October 2026.
The water in Petenwell Lake
The WDNR describes the bottom of Petenwell Lake as 65% sand, 20% gravel, 0% rock, 15% muck.
In WDNR terms Petenwell Lake is a drainage lake (a stream flows in and out).
Confirmed invasive species at Petenwell Lake include eurasian water-milfoil and zebra mussel. Inspect trailers before moving to another lake.
WDNR Find a Lake page, WDNR Landsat lake clarity layer, checked October 2026.
WDNR rules posted for Petenwell Lake
This table repeats the WDNR rule set filed under Petenwell Lake.
| Species | Season | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| Walleye, sauger and hybrids | Open All Year | The minimum length is 15", but walleye, sauger, and hybrids from 20" to 28" may not be kept, and only 1 fish over 28" 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 | Open All Year | The minimum length limit is 32" and the daily bag limit is 1. |
| 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 10. |
| 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. |
A blanket rule for Petenwell Lake: 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 guide adds for Adams County: Motor trolling is permitted countywide (three hooks, baits or lures per person).
By map position Petenwell Lake sits south of the Hwy 10 pike line and in the Southern Bass Zone.
WDNR Lake Regulation search and the 2026-2027 Guide to Wisconsin Hook and Line Fishing Regulations, checked October 2026.
What the DNR has stocked in Petenwell Lake
The WDNR stocking summary shows 4 releases in Petenwell Lake from 2023 to 2025, 2,894 fish in all.
| Year | Species | Size | Avg length | Number |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Muskellunge | large fingerling | 11.6 in | 850 |
| 2025 | Muskellunge | large fingerling | 11.6 in | 258 |
| 2024 | Muskellunge | large fingerling | 13.2 in | 1,208 |
| 2023 | Muskellunge | large fingerling | 11.2 in | 578 |
WDNR Fish Stocking Summary, stocking years 2023 to 2025. Wisconsin stocking.
Measuring Petenwell Lake against nearby water
| Lake | Distance | Acres | Max depth ft | Landings | WDNR class |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Petenwell Lake | 23,173 | 44 | 15 | complex warm dark | |
| Lake Arrowhead | 8 miles northeast | 295 | 30 | 1 | complex warm dark |
| Fish Lake, Juneau County | 8 miles south | 41 | 1 | ||
| Arkdale Lake | 8 miles southeast | 46 | 10.5 | 0 | simple riverine |
| Big Roche a Cri | 9 miles southeast | 217 | 20 | 2 | complex riverine |
| Lake Sherwood | 10 miles northeast | 216 | 27 | 1 | complex warm dark |
WDNR Find a Lake, lake classification and boat access layers.
Next to Petenwell Lake
Nearby lakes to try after Petenwell Lake
- Lake Arrowhead8 miles northeast
- Fish Lake, Juneau County8 miles south
- Arkdale Lake8 miles southeast
- Big Roche a Cri9 miles southeast
- Lake Sherwood10 miles northeast
Bait counters near Petenwell Lake
- Barnum Bay Marinamarina, Nekoosa, 4 miles
- Rome Outdoorssporting goods store, Nekoosa, 10 miles
- Docking Solutionsmarina, Necedah, 11 miles
- Nekoosa Bait and Tacklebait and tackle shop, Nekoosa, 12 miles
- Hoffmans Tackle Boxbait and tackle shop, Nekoosa, 13 miles
- Timberline Archery Bait & Tacklebait and tackle shop, Wisconsin Rapids, 15 miles
Overnight towns handy to Petenwell Lake
- Lake Arrowhead7 miles
- Arkdale9 miles
- Necedah10 miles
Which counties Petenwell Lake touches
- Adams Countyseat: Friendship
- Juneau Countyseat: Mauston
Reels and a scale grip to bring to Petenwell Lake
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Photographs from waters near Petenwell Lake
Photo: Wikideas1, CC0 1.0
Photo: Daniel X. O'Neil, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Warren LeMay, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Pilif12p, CC0 1.0
Petenwell Lake, answered in a line or two
What part of Wisconsin holds Petenwell Lake?
You will find it in Adams County and Juneau County, WDNR West Central Region, about 8 miles from Lake Arrowhead.
What size is Petenwell Lake on the WDNR record?
23,173 acres and 44 feet at the deepest.
Where is the ramp on Petenwell Lake?
15 mapped landings, including Petenwell County Park.
Which fish live in Petenwell Lake?
The DNR list shows panfish (common), walleye (common), catfish (present), largemouth bass (present), muskellunge (present), northern pike (present) and smallmouth bass (present).
What daily bag limits does the WDNR post for Petenwell Lake?
WDNR lists Walleye, sauger and hybrids as The minimum length is 15", but walleye, sauger, and hybrids from 20" to 28" may not be kept, and only 1 fish over 28" is allowed. The daily bag limit is 3.
Do I need a Wisconsin license for Petenwell Lake?
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 kind of lake is Petenwell Lake?
Satellite clarity about 5.7 feet (2017). Bottom: 65% sand, 20% gravel, 0% rock, 15% muck. WDNR class: complex warm dark. Type: drainage.
Who sells bait near Petenwell Lake?
Barnum Bay Marina, about 4 miles away.
How many fish were stocked in Petenwell Lake?
Most recently 2025, with 850 muskellunge and 258 muskellunge.
Mark Petenwell Lake on the Wisconsin calendar
Licenses, stamps and statewide rules are on the license page.