Wisconsin regulations
Muskie (Muskellunge) Regulations in Wisconsin 2026
Wisconsin muskie season runs May 2 – Dec 31 in 2026. Statewide rules: 1 fish, 2 fish in total, 40″ min size. Sourced from DNR.
Rules (114)
Wisconsin statewideIn season
- Season opens
- May 2
- Season closes
- Dec 31
- Daily bag
- 1 fish
- Possession
- 2 fish in total
- Min size
- 40"
May 2, 2026 to Dec. 31, 2026 (on open water only).
Black River (Including Tributaries Up To The First Road Crossing Or Dam)Closed
- Status
- Closed
Hook and line fishing is closed all year
Buffalo LakeClosed
- Status
- Closed
Hook and line fishing is closed all year
Chippewa Flowage (Includes Lake Chippewa, West Fork Of Chippewa River Upstream To The Moose Lake Dam, James Slough And Scott, Tyner, Crane, James, Crystal And Moonshine Lakes)
- Min size
- 50"
Chippewa River (Downstream From Winter Dam Including All Tributaries Upstream To The First Dam Or Lake)
- Min size
- 50"
East Fork Lemonweir River (Upstream To The Highway 173 Bridge)Closed
- Status
- Closed
Hook and line fishing is closed all year
Eau Claire River (Downstream From The Schofield Dam)Closed
- Status
- Closed
Hook and line fishing is closed all year
Fox RiverClosed
- Status
- Closed
- Min size
- 50"
Hook and line fishing is closed all year
Fox River (From Appleton Lock 1 Downstream To De Pere Dam)
- Min size
- 50"
Fox River (From Appleton Lock 1 Upstream To Neenah-Menasha Dams (Winnebago County), Including Little Lake Butte Des Morts, Its Tributaries, Backwaters And Sloughs, Mud Creek And Neenah Slough)
- Min size
- 50"
Fox River (From The Neenah-Menasha Dams Downstream To Appleton Lock 1 - Outagamie County)
- Min size
- 50"
Grand River (From The Grand River Wildlife Area Dam Downstream To The Fox River)Closed
- Status
- Closed
Hook and line fishing is closed all year
Grandfather Flowage From Grandfather Dam Upstream To Grandmother DamClosed
- Status
- Closed
Hook and line fishing is closed all year
Grandmother Flowage From Grandmother Dam Upstream To Pride DamClosed
- Status
- Closed
Hook and line fishing is closed all year
Lac Courte Oreilles Chain (Lac Courte Oreilles Lake, Little Lac Courte Oreilles Lake And Billy Boy Flowage)
- Min size
- 50"
Lake Holcombe Including The Chippewa River Upstream To The Confluence With The Flambeau River, To The Mouth Of Main Creek, And To The Mouth Of The Jump River
- Min size
- 50"
Lake Mohawksin From Pride Dam Upstream To Kings DamClosed
- Status
- Closed
Hook and line fishing is closed all year
Lake Monona (Including Yahara River Up To Tenney Locks And Down To Hwy 12/18 Bridge, Starkweather And Wingra Creeks)
- Min size
- 50"
Lake SuperiorOut of season
- Season opens
- May 23
- Season closes
- Dec 31
- Daily bag
- 1
open water only
Lake Waubesa (Including Yahara River From Hwy 12/18 Bridge Down To Babcock Locks, Nine Springs Creek, Swan Creek And Upper Mud Lake
- Min size
- 50"
Lake Wissota Upstream To Old Abe Flowage Dam In Jim Falls, Including The Yellow River Upstream To Svetlik Dam At Cadott
- Min size
- 50"
Little Lake Butte Des Morts (Including Mud Creek, Neenah Slough And Tributaries, Backwaters And Sloughs, And The Fox River From Neenah-Menasha Dams Downstream To Appleton Lock 1 - Outagamie County)
- Min size
- 50"
Manitowish River (Including Benson, Sturgeon And Vance Lakes) Downstream From The Rest Lake Dam
- Min size
- 50"
Manitowish River Upstream Of The Flambeau River To The Rest Lake Dam (Including Benson, Sturgeon And Vance Lakes)
- Min size
- 50"
Minocqua Chain (And Connecting Waters, Including Jerome, Kawaguesaga, Little Tomahawk, Mid, Minocqua, Mud And Tomahawk Lakes)
- Min size
- 50"
Namekagon River From The Trego Dam To The Confluence With The St. Croix River
- Min size
- 50"
North Of Waldo Boulevard, ManitowocOut of season
- Season opens
- May 23
- Season closes
- Dec 31
- Daily bag
- 1
- Min size
- 54"
on open water only
Oconomowoc River (From Lac Labelle Upstream To The Outlet Of North Lake, Including Connecting Portions With Fowler Lake, Lac Labelle, Oconomowoc Lake, Okauchee Lake, And Upper Oconomowoc Lake)
- Min size
- 50"
Presque Isle Chain (Including Presque Isle, Averill, Van Vliet Lakes Combined)
- Min size
- 50"
Solberg Lake (Including Tributaries Up To The First Dam Or Lake)
- Min size
- 28"
South Fork Lemonweir River (Upstream To The Tomah Dam)Closed
- Status
- Closed
Hook and line fishing is closed all year
South Of Waldo Boulevard, ManitowocOut of season
- Season opens
- May 2
- Season closes
- Dec 31
- Daily bag
- 1
Wisconsin River (Downstream Of The Hydro Dam In Merrill Including All Sloughs, Bayous, And Flowages Up To The First Dam Or Highway Bridge)Closed
- Status
- Closed
Hook and line fishing is closed all year
Wisconsin River (From The Lake Dubay Dam Upstream To The Hydro Dam In Merrill Including Lake Dubay, Mosinee Flowage, Half Moon Lake, Lake Wausau, Wausau Dam Lake, And All Sloughs, Bayous, Flowages And Tributaries Upstream To The First Dam Or Highway Bridge)
- Min size
- 50"
Wisconsin River (Including All Sloughs, Bayous, And Flowages Upstream To The First Dam Or Highway Bridge, Except The Western Boundary Of The Wisconsin River On Lake Petenwell Is County Highway G)
- Min size
- 50"
Wisconsin River (Including All Sloughs, Bayous, And Flowages Upstream To The First Dam Or Highway Bridge)
- Min size
- 50"
Wisconsin River (Including All Sloughs, Bayous, Flowages, And Tributaries Upstream To The First Dam Or Highway Bridge)
- Min size
- 50"
Upstream of the Highway 12 bridge
Wisconsin River (Including Castle Rock And Petenwell Flowages And Sloughs, Bayous, And Flowages Upstream To The First Dam Or Highway Bridge)
- Min size
- 50"
Wisconsin River (Including Lake Wi And Sloughs, Bayous (Okee Bay, Whalen’s Grade), Flowages And Tributaries Upstream To The First Dam Or Highway Bridge)
- Min size
- 50"
Wisconsin River From Wausau Dam In Marathon County Upstream To The Merrill Dam
- Min size
- 50"
Yellowstone Lake (Including The Yellowstone River From The Lake Upstream To County Highway F)
- Min size
- 50"
Muskie on famous Wisconsin waters
Dedicated rule pages for Muskie on the most-targeted destinations in Wisconsin.
Other Wisconsin fish regulations
Other regulated species in Wisconsin with current rule pages — same DNR source, same verification cadence.
- Trout (Brook, Brown, Rainbow)740 rules
- Walleye517 rules
- Smallmouth Bass455 rules
- Largemouth Bass401 rules
- Northern Pike370 rules
- Lake Trout277 rules
- Lake Sturgeon76 rules
- Bluegill (Sunfish)71 rules
- Channel Catfish30 rules
- Crappie (Black & White)26 rules
- Yellow Perch21 rules
Also known as
Muskie is also called Muskie (Muskellunge), Muskellunge, Tiger Muskellunge, Tiger Muskie, musky, muskellunge. Anglers in different regions use different names for the same fish, and the rules on this page apply to all of them in Wisconsin.
Frequently asked questions
When is Muskie season in Wisconsin?
Muskie season in Wisconsin runs from May 23 to Dec 31 per DNR.
What is the size limit for Muskie in Wisconsin?
Minimum size for Muskie in Wisconsin is 28 inches in Amber Lake (Formerly Squaw Lake), per DNR. Slot limits or maximum sizes may apply in some zones.
What is the daily bag limit for Muskie in Wisconsin?
Daily bag limit for Muskie in Wisconsin is 1 in Lake Superior, per DNR.
Official sources cited
- https://widnr.widen.net/s/glhqr9znsp/fishingregselectronic2627
- https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/fishing/regulations/RegulationsToolbox
Reference only. Regulations change frequently, often mid-season. Always verify with DNR before keeping a catch.