Fishing Regulations for Hells Kitchen Lake - Vilas County
General Waterbody Restrictions
Catch and release fishing for largemouth and smallmouth bass is open year round unless otherwise noted.
Motor Trolling is allowed with 1 hook, bait, or lure per angler, and 3 hooks, baits, or lures maximum per boat.
Fishing Regulations
NOTE: Regulations listed below may not reflect fish species actually found in the lake. See Hells Kitchen Lake's
WDNR Lake Page for more information on this lake's characteristics.
| Fish |
Season |
Regulation |
| Catfish |
Open All Year |
No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is 10. |
| Panfish (bluegill, pumpkinseed, sunfish, crappie and yellow perch) |
Open All Year |
No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is 25. |
| Largemouth bass and smallmouth bass |
June 17, 2023 to March 3, 2024 |
The minimum length limit is 14" and the daily bag limit is 5. |
| Smallmouth bass |
May 6, 2023 to June 16, 2023 |
Fish may not be harvested (catch and release only) |
| Largemouth bass |
May 6, 2023 to June 16, 2023 |
The minimum length limit is 14" and the daily bag limit is 5. |
| Muskellunge and hybrids |
May 27, 2023 to December 31, 2023 |
The minimum length limit is 40" and the daily bag limit is 1. |
| Northern pike |
May 6, 2023 to March 3, 2024 |
No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is 5. |
| Trout |
See specific regulations |
https://dnr.wi.gov/topic/fishing/trout/ |
| Walleye, sauger, and hybrids |
May 6, 2023 to March 3, 2024 |
The minimum length is 15", but walleye, sauger, and hybrids from 20" to 24" may not be kept, and only 1 fish over 24" is allowed. The daily bag limit is 3. |
| Bullheads |
Open All Year |
No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is unlimited. |
| Cisco and whitefish |
Open All Year |
No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is 10. |
| Lake sturgeon |
Closed |
No fishing allowed. |
| Paddlefish |
Closed |
No fishing allowed. |
| Rock, yellow, and white bass |
Open All Year |
No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is unlimited. |
| Rough fish |
Open All Year |
No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is unlimited. |
| Round goby |
Open All Year |
The daily bag limit is 0, one may be killed and possessed for transport to a wdnr office. |
| Ruffe |
Open All Year |
The daily bag limit is 0, one may be killed and possessed for transport to a wdnr office. |
| Shovelnose sturgeon |
Closed |
No fishing allowed. |
| White perch |
Open All Year |
The daily bag limit is 0, one may be killed and possessed for transport to a wdnr office. |
