Wisconsin reference
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Wisconsin Inland Waters Limits
Statewide WDNR rows for inland waters, the Highway 10 pike zones, the Northern and Southern Bass Zones, total daily bags and line and hook rules.
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Statewide rows
Wisconsin inland limits by species
| Species | Where | Limit | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Largemouth bass (harvest) | Statewide inland waters (Northern and Southern bass zones) | 5; minimum length 14 inches | May 2, 2026 – March 7, 2027 |
| Smallmouth bass (harvest) | Northern Bass Zone inland waters | 5 in total with largemouth bass; minimum length 14 inches | June 20, 2026 – March 7, 2027 |
| Smallmouth bass (harvest) | Other inland waters (Southern Bass Zone) | 5 in total with largemouth bass; minimum length 14 inches | May 2, 2026 – March 7, 2027 |
| Largemouth and smallmouth bass (catch and release) | Statewide – all inland waters | 0 (catch and release only) | All other times of the year |
| Rock, yellow (striped) and white bass | General inland waters | None; no minimum length | Open all year |
| Panfish (bluegill, pumpkinseed, sunfish, crappie and yellow perch) | General inland waters | 25 in total; no minimum length | Open all year |
| Bullheads and rough fish | General inland waters | None; no minimum length | Open all year |
| Catfish (channel, flathead) | General inland waters | 10 in total; no minimum length | Open all year |
| Cisco and whitefish | General inland waters | 10 in total; no minimum length | Open all year |
| Muskellunge (includes hybrids) | Inland waters | 1; minimum length 40 inches | May 2, 2026 – Dec. 31, 2026 (open water only) |
| Northern pike | Northern Zone: inland waters north of US Hwy 10 (excluding Wis-Mich. boundary waters) | 5; no minimum length | May 2, 2026 – March 7, 2027 |
| Northern pike | Southern Zone: inland waters south of US Hwy 10 | 2; minimum length 26 inches | May 2, 2026 – March 7, 2027 |
| Paddlefish (spoonbill catfish) | General inland waters | 0 | No open season – no fishing for paddlefish |
| Ruffe, white perch, gobies and other nonnative detrimental fish species | General inland waters (see round goby exception for Winnebago System waters) | 0 | Closed all year – one may be killed and possessed for transport to a DNR Service Center or Regional |
| Lake sturgeon (harvest) | Chippewa River (West Fork downstream from Moose Lake Dam and East Fork downstream to the Mississippi River), F | 1 per season; minimum length 60 inches | Sept. 5, 2026 – Sept. 30, 2026 (all lake sturgeon taken with hook and line must be tagged and regist |
| Lake sturgeon (catch and release) | Designated catch and release waters: Namekagon River from the Hayward Dam to the St. Croix River; St. Croix Ri | 0 (catch and release only) | June 6, 2026 – March 7, 2027 |
| Lake sturgeon | Other inland waters | 0 | Closed all year – no fishing for lake sturgeon |
| Shovelnose sturgeon | Lower Wisconsin River from the Prairie du Sac Dam downstream | 3; no minimum length | July 4, 2026 – March 7, 2027 |
| Shovelnose sturgeon | All other inland waters | 0 | Closed all year – no fishing for shovelnose sturgeon |
| Walleye and sauger (includes hybrids) | Most waters in the Ceded Territory | 3 in total; minimum length 15 inches but less than 20 inches may be kept; one may be over 24 inches | May 2, 2026 – March 7, 2027 |
| Walleye and sauger (includes hybrids) | Most other inland waters | 3 in total; minimum length 15 inches | May 2, 2026 – March 7, 2027 |
2026-2027 Guide to Wisconsin Hook and Line Fishing Regulations (WDNR), pages 71 to 76. Checked October 2026.
Zones
Wisconsin pike and bass zones
- US Highway 10 divides the state into a northern and southern management zone for northern pike.pike zones
- Inland waters north of Highway 10: May 2, 2026 to March 7, 2027. Five northern pike of any length may be kept.north of Hwy 10
- Inland waters south of Highway 10/Waldo Blvd: May 2, 2026 to March 7, 2027. Two northern pike may be kept and they must be at least 26".south of Hwy 10
- May 2, 2026 to March 7, 2027 – Largemouth bass harvest. Five largemouth bass may be kept and they must be at least 14". June 20, 2026 to March 7, 2027 – Smallmouth bass harvest. Five largemouth or smallmouth bass in combination may be kept and they must be at least 14". All other times of year: catch and release only.Northern Bass Zone
- May 2, 2026 to March 7, 2027 – Largemouth and smallmouth bass harvest. Five largemouth or smallmouth bass in combination may be kept and they must be at least 14". All other times of year: catch and release only.Southern Bass Zone
- Shown on the guide map (page 12); the map labels Highways 77, 27, 64 and 29 along the zone line. Counties with "A portion of … County is in the Northern Bass Zone" or "Northern Bass Zone rules apply" are noted in county_intro.zone line
Total daily bag
Wisconsin total daily bag and possession limits
| Species | Total daily bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|
| Catfish | 25 in total; only one may be a flathead catfish if fishing Winnebago system waters | 50 in total |
| Cisco (lake herring), whitefish and hybrids – inland waters | 10 in total | 20 in total |
| Cisco (lake herring), whitefish and hybrids – outlying waters | 10 in total | 20 in total |
| Lake sturgeon | 1 per season | 2 in total |
| Largemouth and smallmouth bass | 5 in total | 10 in total |
| Muskellunge | 1 | 2 in total |
| Northern pike – all waters north of U.S. Hwy 10 | 5 in total | 10 in total |
| Northern pike – all waters south of U.S. Hwy 10 | 2 in total | 10 in total |
| Panfish (bluegill, pumpkinseed, yellow perch, white and black crappie) | 25 in total | 50 in total |
| Rock bass, white and yellow bass, bullheads, and rough fish | None | None |
| Round gobies from Winnebago System waters | None, but each must be gutted or the head or gills removed | None |
| Ruffe and other gobies (except round gobies from Winnebago System waters) | One of each may be killed and possessed for immediate delivery to a DNR Service Center or regional office | 1 in total |
| Shovelnose sturgeon | 3 | 6 in total |
| Walleye, sauger, and hybrids (saugeye) | 5 in total | 10 in total |
Lines and hooks
Wisconsin line, hook and possession rules
- to fish with more than three hooks, baits or lures.it is illegal
- to leave any fish line unattended, except when using licensed setlines or bank poles. When fishing open water (water not covered by ice), anglers must remain within 100 yards of their line(s). Failure to immediately respond to any line (located in open water or on the ice) upon indication of a bite it is illegal
- to fish with an unmanned aircraft system, such as a drone, or to fish using the technique known as “jug” fishing in all waters of the state. Jug fishing is the use of any free floating, remote-controlled or anchored bouyant device with attached hook and line that is not held or otherwise controlled it is illegal
- to fish with a minnow 8” or longer unless using a “quick-strike rig” or a “non- offset circle hook.” When using a quick-strike rig and a minnow 8” or longer for bait, you must immediately attempt to set the hook upon indication of a bite. A “quick-strike rig” is a bait rig that has one or more treblit is illegal
- to fish by snagging, foul-hooking or attempting to hook fish other than in the mouth.it is illegal
- to possess a fish that is above a maximum length limit or below the minimum length limit established for the waters being fished.it is illegal
- to group bag. For example, if an angler catches a limit of 25 panfish and gives them to another person, the person catching the fish has attained their daily bag limit and can no longer keep panfish that day. Any fish received are con- sidered part of the recipient’s possession limit, but not part oit is illegal
- to possess or fish for more than the daily bag limit of fish while you’re fishing or while you’re on the water, shore of the water, or on the ice, regardless of number of days fished.it is illegal
Photographs
Wisconsin waters, photographed
Photo: Awkwafaba, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0
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Photo: Awkwafaba, CC BY-SA 3.0
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Photo: Awkwafaba, CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers
Questions on Wisconsin’s Inland Waters limits
How many walleye can I keep from an inland Wisconsin lake?
3 in total; minimum length 15 inches on most waters outside the Ceded Territory; 3 there, with a 15 to 20 inch harvest window.
Where is the northern pike zone line?
US Highway 10: north of it 5 pike of any length, south of it 2 pike of at least 26 inches.
When can I keep smallmouth bass up north?
From June 20, 2026 in the Northern Bass Zone; catch and release before that.
What is the general panfish limit?
25 in total (general inland waters); many listed waters cut it to 10.
How many hooks may I use?
No more than three hooks, baits or lures in total per angler, statewide.
How far can I be from my line on open water?
Within 100 yards of the line on open water, and you must respond to a bite at once.
What is the musky size limit?
May 2, 2026 to Dec. 31, 2026 (on open water only). One muskellunge may be kept and it must be at least 40".
Which guide sets these Wisconsin inland limits?
The 2026-2027 Guide to Wisconsin Hook and Line Fishing Regulations, printed February 2026.
Other topics
More Wisconsin regulation pages
- 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
- License prices and stampswho needs a license and what it costs