Wisconsin Fishing License and Regulations
Prices, stamps, exemptions, 2026-27 season dates and the topic pages for every WDNR rule set.
For weighing a catchPiscifun Lip gripper with digital scale27% OFFSale $39.99 Photo of Henrietta Lake: Awkwafaba, CC BY-SA 4.0
Who needs a Wisconsin fishing license
Wisconsin residents who are 16 years old or older need a fishing license to fish in any waters of the state. Nonresidents who are 16 years old or older need a nonresident fishing license to fish in Wisconsin waters with hook and line. In Wisconsin, kids 15 and under fish without a license every day, and so do anglers born before 1927.
Immediately before applying for a license, you have maintained your permanent residence and have lived in Wisconsin for a period of 30 days. Ownership of property and payment of property tax do not alone establish residency.
No state-park license exemption is published in the 2026-2027 guide. The guide (p.9) exempts only an angler fishing a man-made artificial pond not connected to other waters, located entirely on private lands of one owner, with the owner's permission.
2026-2027 Guide to Wisconsin Hook and Line Fishing Regulations (WDNR), pages 5 to 9, and the WDNR fishing licenses page. Checked October 2026.
Wisconsin fishing license prices for 2026-27
| License | Fee | Valid | Who it is for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Resident Annual Fishing | $20 | license year: date of purchase through March 31, 2027 | Fishing all waters of the state; trout and salmon need a stamp |
| Resident First-Time Buyer Fishing | $5 | license year: date of purchase through March 31, 2027 | Residents who have not purchased a license before or last purchased a license 10 or more years ago |
| Resident One-Day Fishing | $8 | 1 day | Fishing; does not include trout and salmon stamp privileges |
| Resident Junior Fishing (16 & 17 years old) | $7 | license year: date of purchase through March 31, 2027 | Ages 16 and 17 |
| Resident Senior Citizen Fishing (65 years & older) | $7 | license year: date of purchase through March 31, 2027 | Ages 65 and older; residents born before 1927 do not need a license |
| Resident Spousal (Combination) Fishing | $31 | license year: date of purchase through March 31, 2027 | Married couple |
| Resident Disabled Fishing | $7 | license year: date of purchase through March 31, 2027 | Proof of disability required annually (see guide) |
| Resident Disabled Veteran Fishing | $3 | license year: date of purchase through March 31, 2027 | Veterans with a service-related disability of 70% or more, or Former POW |
| Resident Armed Forces Fishing & Small Game (active service on furlough or leave) | $0 | license year: date of purchase through March 31, 2027 | Residents in active service home on furlough or leave |
| Resident Sports License | $60 | license year: date of purchase through March 31, 2027 | Fishing and hunting of small game and gun deer |
| Resident Junior Sports License (12-17) | $35 | license year: date of purchase through March 31, 2027 | Ages 12 to 17 |
| Resident Conservation Patron License | $165 | license year: date of purchase through March 31, 2027 | Annual fishing, inland trout, Great Lakes trout and salmon, hook and line lake sturgeon harvest, sma |
| Resident Junior Conservation Patron License (10-17) | $75 | license year: date of purchase through March 31, 2027 | Ages 10 to 17 |
| Nonresident Annual Fishing | $55 | license year: date of purchase through March 31, 2027 | Nonresidents 16 and older (seniors and disabled nonresidents buy the regular license) |
| Nonresident Family Annual Fishing (primary) | $70 | license year: date of purchase through March 31, 2027 | Family |
| Nonresident Family Annual Fishing (secondary) | $0 | license year: date of purchase through March 31, 2027 | Family |
| Nonresident First-Time Buyer Fishing | $28.75 | license year: date of purchase through March 31, 2027 | Nonresidents who have not purchased a license before or last purchased one 10 or more years ago |
| Nonresident One-Day Fishing | $15 | 1 day | Fishing; does not include trout and salmon stamp privileges |
| Nonresident 4-Day Fishing | $29 | 4 days | Fishing |
| Nonresident 15-Day Fishing | $33 | 15 days | Fishing |
| Nonresident 15-Day Family Fishing | $45 | 15 days | Family |
| Nonresident Military Fishing | $20 | license year: date of purchase through March 31, 2027 | Nonresident military (see residency rules) |
| Nonresident Student Fishing | $20 | license year: date of purchase through March 31, 2027 | Full-time nonresident students |
All 2026 annual licenses are valid from date of purchase through March 31, 2027. Prices from the WDNR fishing licenses page (Go Wild) and the 2026-2027 guide pages 5-8.
Wisconsin trout stamps, sturgeon tags and special licenses
| Item | Fee | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Inland Trout Stamp | $10 | Required in addition to your fishing license to fish trout on tributaries to Lake Superior and all inland wate |
| Great Lakes Salmon/Trout Stamp | $10 | Required in addition to your fishing license to fish trout or salmon on Lake Superior, Lake Michigan, Green Ba |
| Two-Day Great Lakes (Sports) Fishing | $14 | Outlying waters of Lake Superior, Lake Michigan and Green Bay, and Lake Michigan and Green Bay tributaries ups |
| Two-Day Inland Lake Trout Fishing | $14 | Lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush) only on inland lakes; a general fishing license or trout stamp is not requir |
| Sturgeon Hook & Line Harvest Tag – Inland (inland waters, St. Croix River, Lake Superior) | $20 | Required before harvesting a lake sturgeon, regardless of age or need for a fishing license; not required for |
| Sturgeon Hook & Line Harvest Tag – Wisconsin/Michigan boundary waters (Menominee River) | $20 | Required before harvesting a lake sturgeon on the Menominee River |
| Military Sturgeon Hook & Line Tag (Inland or WI/MI) | $20 | Nonresident military sturgeon hook and line tag |
| Sturgeon Spearing – Lake Winnebago | $20 | Spearing on Lake Winnebago; purchase deadline Oct. 31 |
| Sturgeon Spearing – Upriver Lakes | $20 | Spearing on Lakes Butte des Morts, Winneconne and Poygan; by drawing |
| Upriver Lakes Sturgeon Spearing Application | $3 | Drawing application or preference point; deadline Aug. 1 |
| Fishing Guide License | $40 | Needed to guide anglers for compensation on any Wisconsin water |
| Sport Trolling License | $100 | Required for guiding any person sport trolling for trout or salmon on outlying waters of lakes Superior and Mi |
Wisconsin has two $10 stamps: the Inland Trout Stamp (inland waters including streams flowing into Lake Superior) and the Great Lakes Trout and Salmon Stamp (Lake Superior, Lake Michigan, Green Bay and Lake Michigan/Green Bay tributaries up to the first dam or lake). Anyone exempt from a fishing license does not need a stamp. One trout or salmon stamp covers all people on a nonresident family license.
Resident Conservation Patron License ($165; nonresident $600) substitutes for separate licenses and stamps for annual fishing, inland trout, Great Lakes trout and salmon, hook and line lake sturgeon harvest and hunting privileges.
To spear sturgeon, residents must purchase a sturgeon spearing license for $20 and nonresidents must purchase a sturgeon spearing license for $65. Only persons 12 years of age and older are eligible to spear sturgeon. Rough fish spearing needs a fishing license (Spearing, Netting and Bait Harvest guide).
Wisconsin anglers exempt from a license
- Residents and nonresidents under 16 (hook and line).exempt
- Residents born before 1927 (carry proof of age).exempt
- Anyone during Free Fishing Weekends.exempt
- An angler in a man-made artificial pond that is not connected to any other waters of the state, located entirely on private lands of one owner, with the owner's permission.exempt
- Participants in fishing excursions led by nonprofits for groups of people with disabilities may not need licenses (sponsor files Form 9400-562A).exempt
- Residents do not need a fishing license to take smelt, rough fish, or minnows with nets and seines of legal size.exempt
Resident anglers who recruit someone new to purchase a first-time buyer license can earn points toward a reduced-price license of their choice.
Wisconsin season dates for 2026-27
| Season | Dates |
|---|---|
| General inland season (walleye, pike, bass) | May 2, 2026 to March 7, 2027 |
| Muskellunge, inland | May 2, 2026 to December 31, 2026 |
| Smallmouth bass harvest, Northern Bass Zone | June 20, 2026 to March 7, 2027 |
| Inland trout streams | April 4, 2026 to October 15, 2026 |
| Inland trout lakes and ponds | May 2, 2026 to October 15, 2026 |
| Early catch and release trout, 2027 | January 2, 2027 to April 2, 2027 |
| Lake sturgeon hook and line | September 5, 2026 to September 30, 2026 |
| Winnebago sturgeon spearing, 2026 | February 14, 2026 to February 23, 2026 |
Opening day for Wisconsin fishing is traditionally the first Saturday in May. Season dates often vary by species and waterbody (WDNR seasons page).
WDNR fishing seasons page, checked October 2026.
New Wisconsin rules for the 2026-27 season
- Muskellunge Inland Season – The statewide inland muskellunge season now opens the first Saturday in May (May 2, 2026) and runs through Dec. 31, 2026 (on open water only).2026-27
- Sturgeon Catch and Release – There are now designated waters for catching and releasing sturgeon. See pages 72-73.2026-27
- Smallmouth Bass Harvest – Smallmouth bass harvest has now changed in Lake Michigan and tributaries to Green Bay and Lake Michigan. See pages 85 and 89.2026-27
- Statewide inland streams, springs and spring ponds trout open season: April 4 – Oct. 15, 2026.2026-27
- Shovelnose sturgeon on the Lower Wisconsin River downstream from the Prairie du Sac Dam: July 4, 2026 – March 7, 2027.2026-27
The WDNR new regulations list for the season names 243 water-specific changes, grouped by district.
Buying a Wisconsin license through Go Wild
- Fishing licenses are sold online at GoWild.wi.gov and at over 1,000 license agents.buying
- A valid driver's license or social security number will be needed to purchase your license online through Go Wild.buying
- Some licenses (disabled, disabled veteran, armed forces, nonresident military and student) are not available for online purchase; visit a sales location or DNR Service Center.buying
- The Go Wild system secures your license and registration information online; an optional conservation card provides access to your license. Anglers must carry a paper copy of their license/stamps when fishing the Great Lakes and boundary waters.buying
Wisconsin regulation pages by topic
- Wisconsin Inland Waters Limitsstatewide rows, bass and pike zones, total daily bags
- Wisconsin Walleye and Ceded Territory Rulesthe three-walleye rule up north
- Wisconsin Trout Rulesstamps, color categories and early season
- Wisconsin Great Lakes RulesLake Michigan, Green Bay and Lake Superior
- Wisconsin Boundary Waters RulesMichigan, Minnesota and Iowa border water
- Wisconsin Sturgeon Ruleshook and line tags and Winnebago spearing
- Wisconsin Ice Fishing and General Ruleshooks, lines, bait, shelters
- Wisconsin Special Regulations Waterscounty by county exceptions
- Free fishing weekendslicense-free dates in January and June
Wisconsin waters, photographed
Photo: Awkwafaba, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Awkwafaba, CC BY-SA 3.0
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Photo: Awkwafaba, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Awkwafaba, CC BY-SA 3.0
Wisconsin license questions, answered
Who needs a Wisconsin fishing license?
Wisconsin residents who are 16 years old or older need a fishing license to fish in any waters of the state. Nonresidents who are 16 years old or older need a nonresident fishing license to fish in Wisconsin waters with hook and line. In Wisconsin, kids 15 and
What does a Wisconsin fishing license cost?
$20 for a resident annual license and $55 for a nonresident annual license, valid through March 31, 2027.
Is there a cheaper license for new anglers?
Residents who never bought one, or last bought one 10 or more years ago, pay $5 for a first-time buyer license.
Which trout stamp does Wisconsin require?
The $10 inland trout stamp for inland waters, including Lake Superior streams, and the $10 Great Lakes trout and salmon stamp for Lake Michigan, Lake Superior, Green Bay and their tributaries to the first dam.
When does the 2026 general inland season open?
May 2, 2026, running to March 7, 2027.
Does Wisconsin sell a short license for visitors?
Nonresidents can buy a one-day ($15), four-day ($29) or 15-day ($33) license.
Where is a Wisconsin license sold?
Online through Go Wild at GoWild.wi.gov or at more than 1,000 license agents.
Does Wisconsin have a walleye stamp?
No; Wisconsin sells no walleye stamp.
What is the Conservation Patron license?
Resident Conservation Patron License ($165; nonresident $600) substitutes for separate licenses and stamps for annual fishing, inland trout, Great Lakes trout and salmon, hook and line lake sturgeon harvest and hunting privileges.