Wisconsin regulations
Northern Pike Regulations in Wisconsin 2026
Wisconsin northern pike 2026 open seasons vary by 207 management regions. Statewide rules apply for 2/day. Pick your region in the rule table below. Sourced from DNR.
Rules (370)
Wisconsin statewide
- Daily bag
- 2 fish in total
- Possession
- 4 fish in total
Possession limit is generally twice the total daily bag limit, so 2*2=4
All Boundary WatersIn season
- Season opens
- May 2
- Season closes
- Mar 7
- Daily bag
- 5
Big Eau Pleine Reservoir (Upstream To The East Highway 153 Bridge)
- Daily bag
- 1 fish/day
- Min size
- 32"
Big Muskego (Including Bass Bay)
- Daily bag
- 2 fish
- Slot min
- 25"
- Slot max
- 35"
pike from 25-35” may not be kept
Browns LakeOpen
- Status
- Permitted
- Daily bag
- 5 fish
of any size may be kept
Buffalo River (Upstream Of Highway 93 Bridge, Including Tributaries)
- Daily bag
- 5 fish
of any length may be kept
Cedar Lake
- Daily bag
- 2 fish/day
- Slot min
- 25"
- Slot max
- 35"
any length may be kept pike from 25 to 35 inches must be released
Cedar Lake, Big (And Gilbert Lake Combined)
- Daily bag
- 2 fish
- Slot min
- 25"
- Slot max
- 35"
pike between 25-35” must be released
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)Open
- Status
- Permitted
- Daily bag
- 10 fish
of any length may be kept
Chippewa River Upstream From The Chicago, Burlington And Quincy Railroad BridgeOpen
- Status
- Permitted
- Daily bag
- 5 fish
of any length may be kept
Chippewa River Upstream Of The Chicago, Burlington, And Quincy Railroad Bridge (Includes Tributaries Upstream To The First Road Or Railroad Bridge)
- Daily bag
- 5 fish
of any length may be kept
Dutch Hollow LakeCatch & release
- Status
- Catch And Release
- Daily bag
- 5 fish
- Slot min
- 25"
- Slot max
- 35"
pike between 25-35” must be released
Eagle Spring And Lulu Lakes (And The Portion Of The Mukwonago River Connecting The Two Lakes)
- Daily bag
- 1 fish
- Min size
- 32"
Fox Lake And Its Tributaries And Connected Open Waters
- Daily bag
- 1 fish
- Min size
- 32"
Fox River (Above The First Dam Upstream From Princeton)
- Daily bag
- 2 fish/day
- Slot min
- 25"
- Slot max
- 35"
fish from 25” to 35” may not be kept
Fox River (From Appleton Lock 1 Downstream To De Pere Dam)
- Daily bag
- 5 fish
of any length may be kept
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)In season
- Season opens
- May 2
- Season closes
- Mar 7
- Daily bag
- 2 fish
- Slot min
- 25"
- Slot max
- 35"
must be released
Fox River (From The Neenah-Menasha Dams Downstream To Appleton Lock 1 - Outagamie County)In season
- Season opens
- May 2
- Season closes
- Mar 7
- Daily bag
- 2 fish
- Slot min
- 25"
- Slot max
- 35"
must be released
Gilbert Lake (And Big Cedar Lake Combined)
- Daily bag
- 2 fish
- Slot min
- 25"
- Slot max
- 35"
pike between 25-35” must be released
Grand River (From The Grand River Wildlife Area Dam Downstream To The Fox River)
- Daily bag
- 2 fish/day
- Slot min
- 25"
- Slot max
- 35"
any length may be kept pike from 25 to 35 inches must be released
Irogami Lake
- Daily bag
- 2 fish
- Slot min
- 25"
- Slot max
- 35"
pike from 25-35” may not be kept
Lac Courte Oreilles Chain (Lac Courte Oreilles Lake, Little Lac Courte Oreilles Lake And Billy Boy Flowage)Open
- Status
- Permitted
- Daily bag
- 10 fish
of any length may be kept chainwide
Lake Alice From Kings Dam Upstream To Hat Rapids DamIn season
- Season opens
- May 2
- Season closes
- Mar 7
2026 through March 7, 2027
Lake Maria
- Daily bag
- 2 fish/day
- Min size
- 26"
- Slot min
- 25"
- Slot max
- 35"
pike from 25” to 35” must be released
Lake Mendota Including Sixmile Creek (Downstream From Highway 19 In Section 8), Pheasant Branch Creek (Downstream From Highway M), Yahara River (Downstream From Highway 19), Cherokee Lake, And Warner Park Lagoons
- Daily bag
- 1 fish
- Min size
- 40"
Lake Puckaway
- Daily bag
- 2 fish/day
- Slot min
- 25"
- Slot max
- 35"
fish from 25” to 35” may not be kept
Lake Superior Tributaries And Connected Sloughs Upstream To First Dam Or LakeOut of season
- Season opens
- May 2
- Season closes
- Mar 7
- Daily bag
- 2
- Min size
- 26"
Lemonweir River (Including All Sloughs, Bayous, And Flowages Upstream To The First Water Control Structure, Dam, Or Highway Bridge)
- Daily bag
- 1 fish
- Min size
- 40"
Little Eau Pleine Flowage And River (Upstream Of State Highway 34)
- Daily bag
- 5 fish
of any length may be kept
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)In season
- Season opens
- May 2
- Season closes
- Mar 7
- Daily bag
- 2 fish
- Slot min
- 25"
- Slot max
- 35"
2026 2027 pike between 25-35” must be released
Long Lake
- Daily bag
- 2 fish
- Slot min
- 25"
- Slot max
- 35"
pike from 25-35” may not be kept
Major Green Bay Tribs, Kewaunee, East/West Twin, And Ahnapee Rivers Up To The Frst Dam/Lake
- Daily bag
- 5
Manger Lagoon - City Of Green Bay
- Daily bag
- 1 fish/day
only persons 15 years of age and younger and certain disabled anglers may fish these waters
Memorable Opportunity Or Fishery Rehabilitation
- Daily bag
- 1 fish a day
- Min size
- 32"
Mirror LakeCatch & release
- Status
- Catch And Release
- Daily bag
- 5 fish
- Slot min
- 25"
- Slot max
- 35"
pike between 25-35” must be released
Nelson LakeCatch & release
- Status
- Catch And Release
- Daily bag
- 5 fish
- Slot min
- 25"
- Slot max
- 35"
fish from 25” to 35” must be released
Nemadji RiverIn season
- Season opens
- May 9
- Season closes
- Mar 1
- Daily bag
- 2 fish/day
Northern Zone (Inland Waters North Of Highway 10 Waldo BlvdIn season
- Season opens
- May 2
- Season closes
- Mar 7
- Daily bag
- 5 fish
May 2, 2026 to March 7, 2027.
Oconomowoc Lake, Upper
- Daily bag
- 2 fish
- Slot min
- 25"
- Slot max
- 35"
pike between 25-35” must be released
Okauchee Lake
- Daily bag
- 2 fish
- Slot min
- 25"
- Slot max
- 35"
pike between 25-35” must be released
Park Lake (Including The Fox River Upstream To Highway 33)
- Daily bag
- 1 fish
- Min size
- 32"
Puckaway Lake (Including The Fox River From The Princeton Dam To The Fox River Dam And Montello River Dam In Montello)
- Daily bag
- 2 fish/day
- Slot min
- 25"
- Slot max
- 35"
any length may be kept pike from 25 to 35 inches must be released
Quality Opportunity
- Daily bag
- 2 fish a day
- Min size
- 26"
- Slot min
- 25"
- Slot max
- 35"
Remington Lake
- Daily bag
- 1 fish/day
only persons 15 years of age and younger and certain disabled anglers may fish these waters
Sheboygan Marsh (Waters Above The Dam Including Sheboygan Lake And Its Tributaries Upstream To The First Road Crossing)
- Daily bag
- 5 fish
Silver Lake
- Daily bag
- 2 fish/day
- Min size
- 26"
- Slot min
- 25"
- Slot max
- 35"
pike from 25” to 35” must be released
Silver Lake, Big
- Daily bag
- 2 fish
- Slot min
- 25"
- Slot max
- 35"
pike from 25-35” must be released
Southern Zone (Inland Waters South Of Highway 10/Waldo Blvd)In season
- Season opens
- May 2
- Season closes
- Mar 7
- Daily bag
- 2 fish
- Min size
- 26"
May 2, 2026 to March 7, 2027.
Spider Lake Chain (Big Spider, Little Spider, Clear, Fawn And North Lakes)Open
- Status
- Permitted
- Daily bag
- 10 fish
of any length may be kept chainwide
St. Croix R. Downstream From The St. Croix Falls Dam To PrescottOut of season
- Season opens
- May 2
- Season closes
- Mar 1
- Daily bag
- 3 fish/day
St. Croix River Upstream Of The St. Croix Falls DamOut of season
- Season opens
- May 2
- Season closes
- Mar 1
- Daily bag
- 5 fish/day
St. Louis RiverOut of season
- Season opens
- May 9
- Season closes
- Mar 1
- Daily bag
- 2 fish/day
Syene Ponds
- Daily bag
- 1 fish/day
only persons 15 years of age and younger and certain disabled anglers may fish these waters
Tiger Cat Chain Of Lakes (Burns, Lower Twin, McClaine, And Placid Lakes, Tigercat Flowage And Upper Twin Lake All Downstream To The Tiger Cat Flowage Dam Combined)Open
- Status
- Permitted
- Daily bag
- 10 fish
of any length may be kept chainwide
Token Creek Ponds
- Daily bag
- 1 fish/day
only persons 15 years of age and younger and certain disabled anglers may fish these waters
Trempealeau River (Upstream Of The Dam In Blair, Including Tributaries)
- Daily bag
- 5 fish
of any length may be kept
Tributaries To Green Bay, (Except Major Tributaries), Tributaries To Lake Michigan North Of Us Hwy 10 (Except Kewaunee, East And West Twin, And Ahnapee Rivers) Up To The Frst Dam Or LakeIn season
- Season opens
- May 2
- Season closes
- Mar 7
- Daily bag
- 5
Trophy Opportunity Or Biomanipulation
- Daily bag
- 1 fish a day
- Min size
- 40"
Wallace Lake
- Daily bag
- 2 fish
- Slot min
- 25"
- Slot max
- 35"
pike between 25-35” must be released
White Lake
- Daily bag
- 5 fish
- Slot min
- 25"
- Slot max
- 35"
fish between 25-35” must be released
White River System (From Neshkoro Millpond Upstream Including Neshkoro Millpond, Lower White River Flowage, West Branch Millpond, And Wautoma Pond)
- Daily bag
- 5 fish
of any length may be kept
Wilke Lake
- Daily bag
- 2 fish/day
- Slot min
- 25"
- Slot max
- 35"
any length may be kept pike from 25 to 35 inches must be released
Wilson Flowage (In Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest East Of Phillips)Catch & release
- Status
- Catch And Release
- Daily bag
- 5 fish
- Slot min
- 25"
- Slot max
- 35"
pike from 25”-35” must be released
Wilson Lake
- Daily bag
- 2 fish
- Slot min
- 25"
- Slot max
- 35"
pike from 25-35” must be released
Winnebago System WatersIn season
- Season opens
- May 2
- Season closes
- Mar 7
- Daily bag
- 2
- Min size
- 26"
Wisconsin River (Downstream From The Lake Dubay Dam)
- Daily bag
- 1 fish
- Min size
- 32"
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)
- Daily bag
- 1 fish/day
- Min size
- 32"
Wisconsin River (Including All Sloughs, Bayous, And Flowages Upstream To The First Dam Or Highway Bridge)
- Daily bag
- 1 fish
- Min size
- 32"
Wisconsin River (Including Castle Rock And Petenwell Flowages And Sloughs, Bayous, And Flowages Upstream To The First Dam Or Highway Bridge)
- Daily bag
- 1 fish
- Min size
- 32"
Wisconsin River (Including Lake Wi And Sloughs, Bayous (Okee Bay, Whalen’s Grade), Flowages And Tributaries Upstream To The First Dam Or Highway Bridge)
- Daily bag
- 1 fish
- Min size
- 32"
From the Wisconsin Dells Dam upstream
Wisconsin River (Upstream From The Wisconsin Dells Dam)
- Daily bag
- 1 fish
- Min size
- 32"
Wood Lake
- Daily bag
- 2 fish/day
- Slot min
- 25"
- Slot max
- 35"
any length may be kept pike from 25 to 35 inches must be released
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
- Lake Trout277 rules
- Muskie (Muskellunge)114 rules
- Lake Sturgeon76 rules
- Bluegill (Sunfish)71 rules
- Channel Catfish30 rules
- Crappie (Black & White)26 rules
- Yellow Perch21 rules
Frequently asked questions
When is Northern Pike season in Wisconsin?
Northern Pike season in Wisconsin runs from May 2 to Mar 7 per DNR.
What is the size limit for Northern Pike in Wisconsin?
Minimum size for Northern Pike in Wisconsin is 32 inches in Amey Pond, per DNR. Slot limits or maximum sizes may apply in some zones.
What is the daily bag limit for Northern Pike in Wisconsin?
Daily bag limit for Northern Pike in Wisconsin is 5 in All Boundary Waters, per DNR.
Official sources cited
- https://widnr.widen.net/s/glhqr9znsp/fishingregselectronic2627
- https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/fishing/regulations/RegulationsToolbox
- https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/Fishing/Regulations/NewRegulations
Reference only. Regulations change frequently, often mid-season. Always verify with DNR before keeping a catch.