Brook trout in Wisconsin
Wisconsin rules and waters for brook trout.
- 5 in total; minimum limit
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Wisconsin brook trout basics
Wisconsin files Brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) with the Trouts (Salmonidae), and the regulations treat it as game fish. Where the guide lists smoky lake, montreal river and menominee river from its mouth upstream to the fi, the keeper rule is 5 in total; minimum length 10 inches and the season is Open all year.
Abundant or common trout: 14 lakes with pages, per WDNR Find a Lake. The 2023 to 2025 WDNR stocking summary has 560 rows, 733,306 fish in all.
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| Where | Limit | Season |
|---|---|---|
| Smoky Lake, Montreal River and Menominee River from its mouth upstream to the first dam | 5 in total; minimum length 10 inches | Open all year |
| Brule River upstream from Hwy 2 | 5 in total; minimum length Brook trout 8 inches; brown trout 12 inches | April 25, 2026 – Sept. 30, 2026 |
| Brule River downstream from Hwy 2 and other Wisconsin-Michigan boundary waters | 5 in total; minimum length 7 inches | April 25, 2026 – Sept. 30, 2026 |
| Tributaries to Lake Michigan and major Green Bay tributaries | 5 (lake trout, other trout and salmon in total); minimum length 10 inches | Open all year |
| All other tributaries and ditches to Green Bay upstream to first dam or lake | 5 (lake trout, other trout and salmon in total); minimum length 10 inches | May 2, 2026 – March 7, 2027 |
| Lake Michigan | 5 in total with lake trout; minimum length 10 inches | Open all year |
| Lake Superior | 5 in total of which only 1 may be rainbow trout and 1 may be brook trout; minimum length Rainbow trout 26 inches; brook trout 20 inches; brown trout a | Open all year |
| Inland streams and rivers listed in the early season list (1 through 18), not spring ponds, ponds, lakes, Lake Michigan | 0 (all trout must be immediately released) | Jan. 3, 2026 – April 3, 2026; Jan. 2, 2027 – April 2, 2027 |
| Inland streams, springs and spring ponds | By county category: Green 5 trout of any length; Yellow 3 trout over 8 inches; Red varies by water; minimum length By category | April 4, 2026 (5 a.m.) – Oct. 15, 2026 |
| Inland lakes and ponds | By county category; total daily bag 5 trout and salmon in total, only 2 may be lake trout; minimum length By category | May 2, 2026 (5 a.m.) – March 7, 2027 |
| Streams flowing into Lake Michigan and Green Bay from their mouths upstream to the first dam, lake or designated tributa | 5 trout and salmon in total; minimum length 10 inches | Year-round on Lake Michigan tributaries and listed Green Bay tributary sections; May 2, 2026 – March 7, 2027 on other Gr |
| Lake Superior streams not listed in the Specific Waters section (mouth upstream to the first impassable barrier) | 5 trout and salmon in total, only 2 of which may be brown trout over 15 inches and only 1 of which may be a rainbow trout; minimum length Brook trout | May 2, 2026 (5 a.m.) – Sept. 30, 2026 |
2026-2027 Guide to Wisconsin Hook and Line Fishing Regulations (WDNR). Checked October 2026.
Top WDNR abundance ratings for trout
| Lake | County | Acres | WDNR rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crowley Flowage 802 | Price | 354 | Abundant |
| Little John Lake | Vilas | 151 | Abundant |
| Long Lake near Chain O' Lakes, Waupaca County | Waupaca | 112 | Abundant |
| Lake Hallie, Lake Hallie 2 | Chippewa | 79 | Abundant |
| Cedar Lake near Lac du Flambeau, Vilas County | Vilas | 64 | Abundant |
| Perch Lake, St. Croix County | St. Croix | 45 | Abundant |
| Cedar Island Ponds | Douglas | 24 | Abundant |
| Benach Lake | Burnett | 15 | Abundant |
| Bradley Lake, Chippewa County | Chippewa | 10 | Abundant |
| Smith Lake near Cable, Sawyer County | Sawyer | 7 | Abundant |
| Beaver Lodge Pond | Washburn | 4 | Abundant |
| Sawyer Creek Springs | Washburn | 2 | Abundant |
| Green Lake, Green Lake County | Green Lake | 7,920 | Common |
| Trout Lake, Vilas County | Vilas | 3,864 | Common |
WDNR Find a Lake fish abundance ratings for the trout group; largest lakes first within each rating.
Waters that received brook trout
WDNR Fish Stocking Summary, stocking years 2023 to 2025.
Lakes and rivers with brook trout
Lake pages listing brook trout
- Green Lake, Green Lake County7,920 acres
- Lake Wisconsin7,197 acres
- Geneva Lake5,401 acres
- Trout Lake, Vilas County3,864 acres
- Fence Lake, Vilas County3,483 acres
- Lake Noquebay2,398 acres
- Big Saint Germain Lake1,622 acres
- Beaver Dam Lake, Barron County1,163 acres
- Lake Lucerne, Forest County1,039 acres
- Little Trout Lake1,007 acres
- Long Lake, Vilas County886 acres
- Clear Lake near Woodruff, Oneida County873 acres
- Clark Lake, Door County865 acres
- Whitefish Lake, Sawyer County800 acres
- Rolling Stone Lake682 acres
- Big Crooked Lake near Boulder Junction, Vilas County665 acres
- Smoky Lake612 acres
- Black Oak Lake, Vilas County564 acres
- Stormy Lake523 acres
- Yellowstone Lake453 acres
- Lac du Lune442 acres
- Julia Lake404 acres
- Squash Lake near Rhinelander, Oneida County398 acres
- Devils Lake, Sauk County374 acres
Rivers listing brook trout
- Wolf River-Main StemLanglade
- Kickapoo RiverCrawford
- Prairie RiverLincoln
- Black River, Clark CountyClark
- Pine River, Florence CountyFlorence
- Oconto RiverOconto
- Brule RiverFlorence
- Yahara RiverDane
- Baraboo RiverSauk
- Peshtigo RiverMarinette
- Namekagon RiverWashburn
- Bois Brule RiverDouglas
- Sugar RiverGreen
- Apple RiverPolk
- East Branch Rock RiverDodge
- Evergreen RiverMenominee
- White River, Bayfield CountyBayfield
- Little Wolf RiverWaupaca
WDNR Find a Lake fish lists and fisheries designation layers; largest waters first.
Charters and guides for brook trout
- Hitman ChartersGreen Bay charter, Sturgeon Bay, (920) 609-7788
- Hook Em & Cook EmGreen Bay charter, Sturgeon Bay, (920) 495-5912
- J-E Fishing EnterprisesGreen Bay charter, Green Bay, Sturgeon Bay, (920) 743-7877
- Leprechaun Fishing Charters, LLCGreen Bay charter, Door County, Sturgeon Bay, (612) 799-1453
- Angry Fin Charter FishingLake Michigan charter, Lake Michigan, Port Washington, (262) 689-5294
- Blue Max ChartersLake Michigan charter, Milwaukee, (414) 828-1094
- C&D ChartersLake Michigan charter, Lake Michigan, Port Washington, (414) 840-1429
- Chasin Tail CharterLake Michigan charter, Lake Michigan, Two Rivers, (608) 554-8497
Family members of brook trout
- CiscoTrouts (Salmonidae)
- Lake whitefishTrouts (Salmonidae)
- Brown troutTrouts (Salmonidae)
- Rainbow troutTrouts (Salmonidae)
- Lake troutTrouts (Salmonidae)
- SplakeTrouts (Salmonidae)
- Coho salmonTrouts (Salmonidae)
- Chinook salmonTrouts (Salmonidae)
- Pink salmonTrouts (Salmonidae)
- Atlantic salmonTrouts (Salmonidae)
Shoreline scenes a drive from Brook trout
Photo: Awkwafaba, CC BY-SA 3.0
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Photo: Axhi12, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Awkwafaba, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Awkwafaba, CC BY-SA 3.0
Wisconsin brook trout: common questions
Can Wisconsin anglers keep brook trout?
5 in total; minimum length 10 inches on smoky lake, montreal river and menominee river from its mouth upstream to the fi; season Open all year. Other waters have their own rows.
What is the Wisconsin record brook trout?
None appears on the record list.
Where are brook trout found in Wisconsin?
Crowley Flowage 802 rates abundant for the trout group; 1,310 waters on this site list it.
How many brook trout did the WDNR stock?
Yes; 733,306 fish in 560 rows from 2023 to 2025, the most in Manitowoc River.
Is brook trout a game fish in Wisconsin?
Salvelinus fontinalis, Trouts (Salmonidae); game fish.
Does Wisconsin close the brook trout season?
Open all year on smoky lake, montreal river and menominee river from its mouth upstream to the fi.
Is a trout stamp required for brook trout?
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.
Do Wisconsin guides fish for brook trout?
8 guides list it, among them Hitman Charters.
Go after brook trout this season
The lake pages above carry abundance, landings and limits.