Wisconsin reference

Wisconsin Trout Rules

Wisconsin trout rules: inland and Great Lakes stamps, the Green, Yellow, Red and Black stream categories, the early catch and release season and Lake Superior barriers.

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Photo of Lower Nashotah Lake: Awkwafaba, CC BY-SA 3.0

Seasons

Wisconsin trout seasons and bags

Early inland stream and river catch and release season: first Saturday in January at 5 a.m. through the Friday preceding the first Saturday in April at midnight, only on the listed early season waters (Jan. 3 – April 3, 2026; Jan. 2 – April 2, 2027). All trout caught must be immediately released (daily bag 0). Only arttrout rule
General open season for trout and salmon in inland streams, springs and spring ponds: first Saturday in April at 5 a.m. through Oct. 15 (April 4 – Oct. 15, 2026) except as listed in the Specific Waters Listed by County section.trout rule
General open season for trout and salmon in inland lakes and ponds: first Saturday in May at 5 a.m. through the first Sunday in March of the following year (May 2, 2026 – March 7, 2027) except as listed.trout rule
The total daily bag limit is 5 trout and salmon in total, but only 2 may be lake trout, except as listed in the specific waters listed by county. The possession limit is 10.trout rule
Lake Superior streams not listed: May 2, 2026 at 5 a.m. – Sept. 30, 2026; 5 trout and salmon in total, only 2 brown trout over 15" and only 1 rainbow trout; minimum length brook trout 8", brown trout 10", salmon 12", rainbow trout 26".trout rule
Lake Michigan and Green Bay tributaries up to the first dam, lake or designated tributary: daily bag 5 trout and salmon in total; minimum length 10"; from Sept. 15 through the first Saturday of the following May, no hooks with a gap larger than one-half inch.trout rule

You must have an inland trout stamp if you need a fishing license and intend to fish for trout or salmon in inland waters, including streams flowing into Lake Superior. You need a Great Lakes salmon and trout stamp to fish for trout and salmon in streams that flow into Green Bay and Lake Michigan from their mouths up to the first dam or lake. A Great Lakes salmon and trout stamp is required to fish Lake Superior and Lake Michigan, proper.

2026-2027 Guide to Wisconsin Trout Fishing Regulations, checked October 2026.

Wisconsin stream trout color categories

Category	Rule	Listed waters
Green	Daily bag limit and length limit: 5 trout in total of any length	69
Yellow	Daily bag limit and length limit: 3 trout in total over 8"	136
Red	Special regulations: length, bag and possession limits vary by specific water	212
Black	Lake Superior (Category LS) or Lake Michigan (Category LM) tributaries – see Lake Michigan or Lake Superior sections pages 2-3	0

Barriers

Lake Superior stream barriers in Wisconsin

County	Stream	First impassable barrier
Ashland	Bad River	Copper Falls
Ashland	Tyler Forks	Brownstone Falls
Bayfield	Iron River	Sea lamprey barrier
Bayfield	White River	Hydroelectric dam
Bayfield	Siskiwit River	Falls
Douglas	Amnicon River	Lower Amnicon Falls
Douglas	Amnicon River	Snakepit Falls
Douglas	Balsam Creek	Falls
Douglas	Black River	Pattison Falls
Douglas	Copper Creek	Falls
Iron	Montreal River	Hydroelectric dam
Iron	Potato River	Falls