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Shore Fishing Access Inventory - Frequently Asked Questions
Wisconsin's Fishing Seasons: Trout and Salmon
Be sure to view "Using these Tables" and "Definitions" for help in reading these tables.
Exceptions
Not all Wisconsin waters follow the fishing season dates for a species for general inland waters or boundary and outlying waters. Exceptions do exist! You must consult the special county regulations in the current hook and line or trout regulations guides, as appropriate, to determine if any special season dates exist for the particular waters you plan to fish. This is the only way to determine whether or not the waters you plan to fish follow the season dates for general inland or boundary and outlying waters listed below. Unless noted otherwise, the dates listed are for the hook and line harvest of fish, not catch and release. Dates are inclusive.
You must also consult the current Trout Fishing regulations for information concerning bag and minimum length limits for a species.
| Waters | Dates for Hook and Line Harvest |
|---|---|
| Early inland trout waters Catch and Release | 5 am on first Saturday in March to Sunday preceding the first Saturday in May |
| General Inland Trout Season | First Saturday in May at 5:00 AM to September 30 |
| Boundary and Outlying Waters | Dates for Hook and Line Harvest |
| Mid lake reef complex | Continuous except there is no open season for lake trout |
| Green Bay, major Green Bay tributaires, all other waters of Lake Michigan, Lake Michigan tributaries | Continuous except the open season for lake trout is March 1 to October 31 |
| All other tributary streams, rivers and ditches to Green Bay upstream to the first dam or lake | First Saturday in May to March 1 |
| Lake Superior (does not include Lake Superior tributaries) | Continuous except the open season for lake trout is December 1 to September 30 |
| All Wisconsin-Michigan Boundary waters, except as listed below. | Last Saturday in April to September 30 |
| Montreal and Menominee rivers from their mouths upstream to the first dam and Smokey Lake | No closed season |
| Brule River (i.e., "boundary" Brule in Florence & Forest Counties) upstream from US Highway 2 | Last Saturday in April to September 30 |
For general orientation purposes only. Users must consult the current relevant Wisconsin fishing regulations for exceptions to these dates and complete regulatory information. Dates are subject to change.
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