Lake sturgeon in Wisconsin
Seasons, records and abundance for lake sturgeon.
- 1 per season; minimulimit
- 170 lbs. 10 oz.record
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Where lake sturgeon fit in Wisconsin fishing
On the WDNR list, Lake sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens) belongs to the Sturgeons (Acipenseridae); the hook and line guide calls it game fish. Row one of the Wisconsin table (chippewa river (west fork downstream from moose lake dam and east fork downstrea): 1 per season; minimum length 60 inches; season Sept. 5, 2026 – Sept. 30, 2026 (all lake sturgeon taken with hook and line must be tagged and registered).
The WDNR record list shows 170 lbs. 10 oz. from Yellow Lake, 1979, in the hook and line category. WDNR lake pages give sturgeon an abundant or common rating on 8 lakes covered here. WDNR stocking records for 2023 to 2025 list 38,051 fish in 19 rows.
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| Where | Limit | Season |
|---|---|---|
| Chippewa River (West Fork downstream from Moose Lake Dam and East Fork downstream to the Mississippi River), Flambeau Ri | 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 registered) |
| Designated catch and release waters: Namekagon River from the Hayward Dam to the St. Croix River; St. Croix River incl. | 0 (catch and release only) | June 6, 2026 – March 7, 2027 |
| Other inland waters | 0 | Closed all year – no fishing for lake sturgeon |
| Upstream from the Grand Rapids Dam on the Menominee River | 0 (catch and release only) | June 6, 2026 – March 1, 2027 |
| Upstream from the Grand Rapids Dam on the Menominee River | 1 per season; minimum length 60 inches | Sept. 5, 2026 – Sept. 30, 2026 (must be tagged and registered) |
| Downstream from the Grand Rapids Dam on the Menominee River | 0 (catch and release only) | Sept. 5, 2026 – Sept. 30, 2026 |
| Mississippi R. upstream of the Red Wing Dam; St. Croix R. upstream of the St. Croix Falls Dam to the dam at Gordon Flowa | 0 (catch and release only) | June 16, 2026 – March 1, 2027 |
| St. Louis River and Mississippi River downstream of the Red Wing Dam | 0 (catch and release only) | June 16, 2026 – April 14, 2027 |
| St. Croix River downstream from the St. Croix Falls Dam to Prescott | 0 (catch and release only) | June 16, 2026 – Sept. 4, 2026 |
| St. Croix River downstream from the St. Croix Falls Dam to Prescott | 1; minimum length 60 inches | Sept. 5, 2026 – Sept. 30, 2026 |
| St. Croix River downstream from the St. Croix Falls Dam to Prescott | 0 (catch and release only) | Oct. 1, 2026 – March 1, 2027 |
| Wisconsin-Iowa boundary waters (Mississippi River) | 0 | Closed all year – there is no fishing for lake sturgeon |
| Tributary streams to Green Bay and Lake Michigan | 0 | No open season |
| Lake Michigan | 0 | Closed all year |
| Lake Superior (must be tagged and registered) | 1 per year; minimum length 60 inches | Open all year |
| Winnebago System waters (see the Winnebago System Sturgeon Spearing regulations for the spearing season) | 0 | Hook and line fishing closed all year |
2026-2027 Guide to Wisconsin Hook and Line Fishing Regulations (WDNR). Checked October 2026.
Wisconsin lake sturgeon record entries
| Category | Weight or length | Water | County | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| hook and line | 170 lbs. 10 oz. | Yellow Lake | Burnett | 1979 |
| live release | 89.5 in | Yellow Lake | Burnett | 2026 |
| alternate method | 212 lbs. 3.2 oz. | Lake Winnebago | Calumet | 2010 |
WDNR record fish list, revised September 2026; angler names left out.
Lakes with strong sturgeon ratings
| Lake | County | Acres | WDNR rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Winnebago | Winnebago | 131,939 | Abundant |
| Lake Poygan | Winnebago | 14,024 | Abundant |
| Lake Butte des Morts | Winnebago | 8,581 | Abundant |
| Lake Winneconne | Winnebago | 4,553 | Abundant |
| Little Lake Butte Des Morts | Winnebago | 1,200 | Abundant |
| Hogers Bayou | Winnebago | 51 | Abundant |
| Holcombe Flowage | Chippewa | 2,881 | Common |
| Upper Park Falls Flowage 760 | Price | 310 | Common |
WDNR Find a Lake fish abundance ratings for the sturgeon group; largest lakes first within each rating.
Hatchery lake sturgeon by water
WDNR Fish Stocking Summary, stocking years 2023 to 2025.
Finding lake sturgeon on Wisconsin water
Lakes holding lake sturgeon
- Lake Winnebago131,939 acres
- Petenwell Lake23,173 acres
- Lake Chippewa14,593 acres
- Lake Poygan14,024 acres
- Castle Rock Lake13,955 acres
- Turtle Flambeau Flowage12,942 acres
- Lake Mendota9,781 acres
- Lake Butte des Morts8,581 acres
- Lake Saint Croix7,696 acres
- Shawano Lake6,215 acres
- Lake Wissota6,148 acres
- Lake Winneconne4,553 acres
- Lake Monona3,359 acres
- Holcombe Flowage2,881 acres
- Wisconsin R Fl C3-Stevens Pt2,489 acres
- Yellow Lake2,283 acres
- Biron Flowage2,187 acres
- Dairyland Reservoir (Flambeau)1,870 acres
- Clam Lake1,338 acres
- Little Lake Butte Des Morts1,200 acres
- McKenzie Lake, Burnett County1,129 acres
- Butternut Lake, Price County983 acres
- Cornell Flowage897 acres
- Round Lake near Lac du Flambeau, Price County748 acres
Streams holding lake sturgeon
- Wisconsin RiverLincoln
- Mississippi RiverCrawford
- Wolf River-Main StemLanglade
- Chippewa RiverChippewa
- Red Cedar RiverDunn
- Menominee RiverMarinette
- Black River, Clark CountyClark
- Baraboo RiverSauk
- Manitowish RiverVilas
- White River, Bayfield CountyBayfield
- Yellow River, Burnett CountyBurnett
- St. Croix RiverBurnett
- Embarrass RiverOutagamie
- East Fork Chippewa RiverAshland
- Yellow River, Chippewa CountyChippewa
- Menominee River-West ChannelMarinette
- Bad RiverAshland
- Upper S. Fork Flambeau RiverPrice
WDNR Find a Lake fish lists and fisheries designation layers; largest waters first.
Booked trips for lake sturgeon
- Fish Bones Guide Servicefishing guide, Wisconsin River, Mauston, (608) 547-2766
- Hoffer's Elite Guide Servicefishing guide, Flambeau, Phillips, (262) 544-1868
Other species near lake sturgeon on the list
- Shovelnose sturgeonSturgeons (Acipenseridae)
Pictures of lakes and rivers around Lake sturgeon
Photo: Awkwafaba, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Awkwafaba, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Awkwafaba, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Awkwafaba, CC BY-SA 3.0
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lake sturgeon in Wisconsin, answered briefly
How many lake sturgeon may I keep in Wisconsin?
1 per season; minimum length 60 inches on chippewa river (west fork downstream from moose lake dam and east fork downstrea; season Sept. 5, 2026 – Sept. 30, 2026 (all lake sturgeon taken with hook and line must be tagged and registered). Other waters have their own rows.
How big is the Wisconsin record lake sturgeon?
170 lbs. 10 oz. from Yellow Lake in 1979 (hook and line).
Which lakes rate best for lake sturgeon?
Lake Winnebago rates abundant for the sturgeon group; 75 waters on this site list it.
Do Wisconsin hatcheries raise lake sturgeon?
Yes; 38,051 fish in 19 rows from 2023 to 2025, the most in Black River.
Is lake sturgeon native to Wisconsin?
Acipenser fulvescens, Sturgeons (Acipenseridae); game fish, WDNR status special concern.
What season dates cover lake sturgeon?
Sept. 5, 2026 – Sept. 30, 2026 (all lake sturgeon taken with hook and line must be tagged and registered) on chippewa river (west fork downstream from moose lake dam and east fork downstrea.
Which Wisconsin license do I need for lake sturgeon?
Anglers 16 and older need a Wisconsin fishing license: $20 a year for residents and $55 for nonresidents, with a $5 first-time buyer rate for residents.
Can I hire a Wisconsin guide for lake sturgeon?
2 guides list it, among them Fish Bones Guide Service.
Pick a lake for lake sturgeon
Open a listed lake for landings and seasons.