Sugar River Fishing
Green County, Dane County and Rock County, classified trout water.
Pick for troutPiscifun Carbon X ultralight spinning reel28% OFFSale $57.99 Photo: Chris Rycroft, CC BY 4.0
The Sugar River at a glance for anglers
The Sugar River is a river whose course crosses Green County, Dane County and Rock County. Roughly 91 miles of channel are in the WDNR units. About 1 mile separates the midpoint from Belleville.
About 35.7 miles are classified trout water. Reaches are designated 79.5 miles of Exceptional Resource Water. 2 active gauges report from the channel. The WDNR access layer maps 6 public landings.
For the trout herePiscifun Carbon XT ultralight spinning reel25% OFFSale $59.99 The Sugar River as classified trout water
For the Sugar River, class I reaches carry wild trout, class II some wild fish, class III stocked trout.
| Class | From mile | To mile | Miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| CLASS II | 56.14 | 82.33 | 26.19 |
| CLASS II | 82.33 | 91.86 | 9.53 |
Fishing for trout on the Sugar River means carrying the inland trout stamp.
WDNR TROUT layer and trout regulation layer; 2026-2027 Guide to Wisconsin Trout Fishing Regulations. Wisconsin trout streams.
Fish recorded for the Sugar River
The Sugar River appears in the smallmouth layer as non-wadable coarse substrate, non-wadable fine substrate, wadable cool water, wadable nursery waters and wadable warm water.
WDNR fisheries designation layers (musky, sturgeon, smallmouth bass and trout streams); not a full species survey.
Discharge readings for the Sugar River
| USGS gauge | Latest reading | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|
| Sugar River Near Brodhead, Wi | 344 cfs, 1.24 ft gage height | Nov 13 7:00 pm |
| Sugar River Near Verona, Wi | 46 cfs, 2.97 ft gage height | Nov 13 7:00 pm |
US Geological Survey provisional data, retrieved Nov 13, 2026 7:33 pm ET. Provisional readings can be revised.
Boat and canoe access on the Sugar River
- County X Ramp1 lane, 1 to 5 trailer stalls, Green County
- Boat Access – CR-EE1 lane, 11 to 15 trailer stalls, Green County
- Albany Park1 lane, 11 to 15 trailer stalls, Green County
- Sugar River Carry-in Boat Landingcarry-in, Green County
- Sugar River Access1 lane, 1 to 5 trailer stalls, Rock County
- Sugar River Park Boat Ramp1 lane, 1 to 5 trailer stalls, Rock County
WDNR Boat Access and Shore Fishing layers, USGS gauges.
The Sugar River rule table
| Species | Limit | Season |
|---|---|---|
| Walleye and sauger | 3 in total; minimum length 15 inches | May 2, 2026 – March 7, 2027 |
| Northern pike (south of Hwy 10) | 2; minimum length 26 inches | May 2, 2026 – March 7, 2027 |
| Largemouth bass | 5; minimum length 14 inches | May 2, 2026 – March 7, 2027 |
| Smallmouth bass (Southern Bass Zone) | 5 in total with largemouth bass; minimum length 14 inches | May 2, 2026 – March 7, 2027 |
| Muskellunge | 1; minimum length 40 inches | May 2, 2026 – Dec. 31, 2026 (open water only) |
| Panfish | 25 in total; no minimum length | Open all year |
| Catfish | 10 in total; no minimum length | Open all year |
| Cisco and whitefish | 10 in total; no minimum length | Open all year |
| Rock, yellow and white bass | No bag limit; no minimum length | Open all year |
| Bullheads and rough fish | No bag limit; no minimum length | Open all year |
On the Sugar River the statewide inland table applies, with pike rules for the area south of Hwy 10.
2026-2027 Guide to Wisconsin Hook and Line Fishing Regulations. All Wisconsin limits.
Close to the Sugar River
More water to try near the Sugar River
- Lake Belle View1 mile
- Grass Lake near Oregon, Dane County12 miles
- Stewart Lake, Dane County14 miles
- Lake Wingra14 miles
Shops that serve the Sugar River anglers
- Sugar River Outfitters Canoe & Kayak Rentalbait and tackle shop, Verona, 4 miles
- Bait Rigs Tackle Cobait and tackle shop, Verona, 7 miles
- Farm & Fleet Of Veronafarm and general store with fishing gear, Verona, 8 miles
- Badger Tenkarabait and tackle shop, Madison, 10 miles
- Tech & Tacklebait and tackle shop, Madison, 12 miles
Communities around the Sugar River
- Belleville1 mile
- New Glarus6 miles
- Verona8 miles
- Oregon9 miles
More streams around the Sugar River
- Flynn Creek4 miles
- Tipperary Creek5 miles
- Mt. Vernon Creek5 miles
- Primrose Branch7 miles
Counties holding the Sugar River
- Green County
- Dane County
- Rock County
Piscifun reels sized for the Sugar River
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Species you may hook at Sugar River
Photo: James St. John, CC BY 2.0
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Photo: James Mann from Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada, CC BY 2.0
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Photo: United States Fish and Wildlife Services, Public domain
Photo: USFWS Mountain Prairie, Public domain
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Common questions about fishing the Sugar River
Where does the Sugar River run in Wisconsin?
WDNR lines run it through Green County, Dane County and Rock County.
Do I need the inland trout stamp on the Sugar River?
WDNR classes about 35.7 miles (class ii).
Does the Sugar River have a flow gauge?
Readings from 2 USGS gauges appear above.
How many landings does the Sugar River have?
6 public landings are mapped, Sugar River Park Boat Ramp among them.
Is there an early season on the Sugar River?
The statewide inland table covers it.
Which Wisconsin license do I need on the Sugar River?
Classified trout water calls for a Wisconsin fishing license ($20 resident, $55 nonresident a year) and the $10 inland trout stamp when you fish for trout.
Which bait counter sits closest to the Sugar River?
Sugar River Outfitters Canoe & Kayak Rental sits about 4 miles away.
Which species does the Sugar River hold, per WDNR layers?
The DNR lists trout and smallmouth bass.
What is a good base for the Sugar River?
By air, Belleville is about 1 mile from the river.
Float the Sugar River
WDNR limits and live flow sit on this page.