Best Fishing Spots in Wisconsin

Wisconsin is the one northern state where seasons move together. Every mapped water here falls in a single climate band, so the spread between the earliest and latest ice-out is two or three weeks rather than a month, unlike Minnesota or Michigan. The Wisconsin DNR counts more than 15,000 lakes statewide. What sets the state apart from its neighbours is the flowages: reservoirs created by damming rivers for timber and power, which make up a far larger share here than in Minnesota and fish on submerged timber and current rather than weed edges. Vilas and Oneida Counties sit adjacent in the north-central Northwoods and carry the heaviest concentration of lakes, resort and cabin country for over a century. Bayfield reaches Lake Superior in the far north. Counted up, our listings for Wisconsin come to 4,764 waters in 72 counties. The list leans towards natural lakes, with reservoirs filling much of the rest. The biggest entry is Lake Winnebago, covering some 206 sq miles. Where depth is recorded, Green Lake goes deepest at roughly 220 feet. The spread runs from about 10°F in winter to 67°F in summer. Most of these waters open up around mid April in an average year. Species reported most across these counties: bluegill, brown trout, largemouth bass and yellow perch....