Wisconsin regulations
Smallmouth Bass Regulations in Wisconsin 2026
Wisconsin smallmouth bass 2026 open seasons vary by 259 management regions. Statewide rules apply for 5/day and 14″ min. Pick your region in the rule table below. Sourced from DNR.
Rules (455)
Wisconsin statewideOpen
- Status
- Permitted
- Daily bag
- 5 fish in total
- Possession
- 10 fish in total
- Min size
- 14"
of any length may be kept; Durphee Lake (In Combination With Schoolhouse Lake)
Amey Pond
- Daily bag
- 1 fish
- Slot min
- 14"
- Slot max
- 18"
may be longer than 18” must be released
Apple Lake (Fomerly Squaw)
- Max size
- 14"
except one fish may be over 18”
Arrowhead Lake
- Daily bag
- 1 fish
- Slot min
- 14"
- Slot max
- 18"
may be longer than 18” must be released
Beulah Lake
- Min size
- 16"
- Slot max
- 12"
less than 12” and over 16” may be kept
Big Bass Lake
- Min size
- 18"
- Slot max
- 14"
one fish may be over 18 inches less than 14 inches may be kept
Big Lake (S4, T42n, R6e)Catch & release
- Status
- Catch And Release
may not be kept (catch and release only)
Bittersweet LakeCatch & release
- Status
- Catch And Release
may not be kept
Butternut Lake
- Daily bag
- 1 fish
- Min size
- 18"
- Max size
- 14"
may be over 18” one fish may be over 18” less than 14” may be kept
Cable Lake
- Daily bag
- 1 fish in total
- Min size
- 18"
Combined management with Wiley Lake
Camelot Lake
- Daily bag
- 1 fish
- Slot min
- 14"
- Slot max
- 18"
may be longer than 18” must be released
Consumptive Opportunity
- Daily bag
- 5 fish a day
- Possession
- 1 fish
- Slot min
- 14"
- Slot max
- 18"
one over 18 inches
Cosgrove And Little Cosgrove Lakes
- Daily bag
- 1 fish
- Max size
- 14"
may be over 18”
Forest LakeCatch & release
- Status
- Catch And Release
- Daily bag
- 1 fish
- Min size
- 18"
Fox Lake And Its Tributaries And Connected Open Waters
- Daily bag
- 1 fish
- Min size
- 18"
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)Open
- Status
- Open
continuous open season
Fox River (From The Neenah-Menasha Dams Downstream To Appleton Lock 1 - Outagamie County)Open
- Status
- Open
continuous open season
Fox River From Lake Winnebago Upstream To The Dam Above Princeton
- Daily bag
- 5 in total
Franklin Lake
- Daily bag
- 1 fish
- Min size
- 18"
- Max size
- 14"
may be over 18” one fish may be over 18” less than 14” may be kept
Gile Flowage
- Min size
- 18"
- Max size
- 14"
one fish may be over 18” less than 14” may be kept
Green Bay And Waters Within 5 Miles Of The Door County Shoreline In Lake MichiganCatch & release
- Status
- Catch And Release
- Season opens
- Jul 1
- Season closes
- Mar 7
- Daily bag
- 5 in total
At all other times of year
Jordan Lake
- Daily bag
- 1 fish
- Slot min
- 14"
- Slot max
- 18"
may be longer than 18” must be released
Kakagon River And SloughClosed
- Status
- Prohibited
- Season opens
- Jun 20
- Season closes
- Mar 7
- Daily bag
- 1 in total with LMB
- Min size
- 22"
catch and release only
Krause SpringsIn season
- Season opens
- May 2
- Season closes
- Oct 15
- Daily bag
- 5 fish/day
in total with largemouth bass
Lac Courte Oreilles Chain (Lac Courte Oreilles Lake, Little Lac Courte Oreilles Lake And Billy Boy Flowage)
- Daily bag
- 1 fish
- Min size
- 18"
Lake Alice From Kings Dam Upstream To Hat Rapids DamIn season
- Season opens
- May 2
- Season closes
- Mar 7
2026 through March 7, 2027
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
- 18"
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)Open
- Status
- Open
continuous open season
Long Lake (T32n, R8w) Including Dark And Herde Lakes
- Daily bag
- 1 fish
- Min size
- 18"
Major Green Bay TributariesOut of season
- Season opens
- Jul 1
- Season closes
- Mar 7
- 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
Mason Lake
- Daily bag
- 1 fish
- Min size
- 18"
- Slot min
- 14"
- Slot max
- 14"
may be longer than 18” one fish may be over 18 inches must be released less than 14 inches may be kept
McGee LakeClosed
- Status
- Closed
- Season opens
- May 2
- Season closes
- Oct 15
- Daily bag
- 5 fish/day
- Gear
- Artificial Only
during the closed trout season artificial lure only season in total with largemouth bass from May 2 to Oct. 15
Memorable Opportunity Or Fishery Rehabilitation
- Daily bag
- 1 fish a day
- Min size
- 18"
Mirror Lake
- Daily bag
- 1 fish/day
only persons 15 years of age and younger and certain disabled anglers may fish these waters
Mission Lake
- Min size
- 18"
- Slot max
- 14"
one fish may be over 18 inches less than 14 inches may be kept
Mud Lake (Nw Corner Of Dane County, West Of Fish Lake; S3&4,T9n,R7e)
- Daily bag
- 1 fish
- Min size
- 18"
Namekagon Lake (Including Jackson And Garden Lakes)
- Daily bag
- 1 fish
- Min size
- 18"
Northern ZoneCatch & release
- Status
- Catch And Release
- Season opens
- Jun 20
- Season closes
- Mar 7
- Daily bag
- 5 fish in combination
All other times of year: catch and release only. June 20, 2026 to March 7, 2027 — Smallmouth bass harvest. Five largemouth or smallmouth bass in combination may be kept
Oberlin LakeCatch & release
- Status
- Catch And Release
may not be kept (catch and release only)
Other Green Bay TributariesIn season
- Season opens
- May 2
- Season closes
- Mar 7
- Daily bag
- 5
Other Lake Michigan WatersCatch & release
- Status
- Catch And Release
- Season opens
- May 2
- Season closes
- Mar 7
- Daily bag
- 5 in total
At all other times of year
Park Lake (Including The Fox River Upstream To Highway 33)
- Daily bag
- 1 fish
- Min size
- 18"
Parker Lake
- Daily bag
- 1 fish
- Slot min
- 14"
- Slot max
- 18"
may be longer than 18” must be released
Pelican Lake
- Daily bag
- 1 fish/day
- Max size
- 14"
one fish may be over 18” except one fish may be over 18”
Pike Lake Chain (Includes Buskey Bay, Millicent, Hart, Twin Bear, Eagle, Flynn And McCarry Lakes Combined)
- Daily bag
- 1 fish/day
- Min size
- 18"
Pipe And North Pipe Lakes
- Daily bag
- 1 fish
- Min size
- 18"
only one may be a smallmouth bass
Presque Isle Chain (Including Presque Isle, Averill, Van Vliet Lakes Combined)
- Daily bag
- 1 fish
- Min size
- 18"
Prong LakeCatch & release
- Status
- Catch And Release
may not be kept (catch and release only)
Rabe LakeIn season
- Season opens
- May 3
- Season closes
- Oct 15
- Daily bag
- 5 fish/day
in total with largemouth bass
Remington Lake
- Daily bag
- 1 fish/day
only persons 15 years of age and younger and certain disabled anglers may fish these waters
Round Lake (S35, T20n, R11e)
- Daily bag
- 3 fish
- Min size
- 18"
- Max size
- 14"
less than 14” may be kept, except one fish may be over 18” one fish may be over 18”
Round Lake Chain (Round And Little Round Lakes)
- Daily bag
- 1 fish
- Min size
- 18"
Saul SpringsIn season
- Season opens
- May 3
- Season closes
- Oct 15
- Daily bag
- 5 fish/day
in total with largemouth bass
Sawyer Lake
- Slot min
- 16"
- Slot max
- 12"
greater than 16 inches may be kept less than 12 inches may be kept
Sherwood Lake
- Daily bag
- 1 fish
- Slot min
- 14"
- Slot max
- 18"
may be longer than 18” must be released
Shishebogama Lake
- Max size
- 14"
may be kept, except one fish over 18” may be kept
Smith LakeCatch & release
- Status
- Catch And Release
may not be kept (catch and release only)
Smoky Lake
- Daily bag
- 1 fish
- Min size
- 18"
- Slot min
- 14"
- Slot max
- 18"
only one bass over 18” may be kept between 14-18” must be released
Southern ZoneCatch & release
- Status
- Catch And Release
- Season opens
- May 2
- Season closes
- Mar 7
- Daily bag
- 5 fish in combination
All other times of year: catch and release only. May 2, 2026 to March 7, 2027 —Largemouth and smallmouth bass harvest. Five largemouth or smallmouth bass in combination may be kept
Spread Eagle Chain Of Lakes
- Daily bag
- 1 fish
- Min size
- 18"
- Max size
- 14"
over 18” may be kept one fish over 18” may be kept less than 14” may be kept
St. Croix River Upstream Of The St. Croix Falls DamCatch & release
- Status
- Catch And Release
- Season opens
- Sep 14
- Season closes
- Mar 1
- Daily bag
- 5 fish/day
catch and release only in total
St. Louis River And The St. Croix River Downstream Of The St. Croix Falls DamOut of season
- Season opens
- May 23
- Season closes
- Mar 1
- Daily bag
- 5 fish/day
in total
Stevens Point Flowage Dam To The Altech Park Spillway
- Daily bag
- 1 fish
- Min size
- 18"
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)
- Min size
- 18"
- Max size
- 14"
except one fish may be over 18”
Token Creek Ponds
- Daily bag
- 1 fish/day
only persons 15 years of age and younger and certain disabled anglers may fish these waters
Tributaries To Lake Michigan North Of Hwy 29 (Door And Kewaunee Counties)In season
- Season opens
- Jun 20
- Season closes
- Mar 7
- Daily bag
- 5
Tributaries To Lake Michigan South Of Hwy 29In season
- Season opens
- May 2
- Season closes
- Mar 7
- Daily bag
- 5
Trophy Opportunity Or Biomanipulation
- Daily bag
- 1 fish a day
- Min size
- 22"
Trude Lake
- Min size
- 18"
- Max size
- 14"
one fish over 18” may be kept less than 14” may be kept
Trump Lake
- Min size
- 18"
- Max size
- 14"
one fish may be over 18” less than 14” may be kept
Turtle/Flambeau Flowage
- Min size
- 18"
- Max size
- 14"
one fish over 18” may be kept less than 14” may be kept
White Mound Lake
- Min size
- 18"
- Max size
- 14"
except one fish may be over 18”
White Sand Lake—Highway K (T42n, R7e, S27)
- Daily bag
- 1 fish
- Min size
- 18"
Wiley Lake
- Daily bag
- 1 fish in total
- Min size
- 18"
Combined management with Cable Lake
Wilson Lake
- Slot min
- 12"
- Slot max
- 16"
less than 12” and greater than 16” may be kept
Wisconsin River (Including All Sloughs, Bayous, And Flowages Upstream To The First Dam Or Highway Bridge)
- Daily bag
- 1 fish
- Min size
- 18"
From the Stevens Point Flowage Dam to the AlTech Park spillway
Within One-Fourth Mile Of All Islands In The Town Of Washington IslandClosed
- Status
- Prohibited
- Season opens
- Jul 1
- Season closes
- Mar 7
- Daily bag
- 5 in total
- Min size
- 12"
There is no catch and release fishing prior to July 1 opener
Wolf River From Its Mouth Upstream To The Dam In The City Of Shawano
- Daily bag
- 5 in total
Yellowstone Lake (Including The Yellowstone River From The Lake Upstream To County Highway F)
- Slot min
- 12"
- Slot max
- 15"
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
- Largemouth Bass401 rules
- Northern Pike370 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
Also known as
Smallmouth Bass is also called smallies. 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 Smallmouth Bass season in Wisconsin?
Smallmouth Bass season in Wisconsin runs from Jul 1 to Mar 7 per DNR.
What is the size limit for Smallmouth Bass in Wisconsin?
Minimum size for Smallmouth Bass in Wisconsin is 18 inches in Annabelle Lake, per DNR. Slot limits or maximum sizes may apply in some zones.
What is the daily bag limit for Smallmouth Bass in Wisconsin?
Daily bag limit for Smallmouth Bass in Wisconsin is 1 fish in Amey Pond, 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.