Wisconsin Fishing Calendar

What's biting month by month, and how many Wisconsin charters on Unreel target each fish.

Biting now in October:Trout Walleye Muskie Smallmouth Bass Yellow Perch Steelhead Northern Pike

Peak fishing months in Wisconsin by species, with the number of charters that target each one
Fish	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Salmon136 charters · April to September, also March and October to November	January: off peak	February: off peak	March: also fished	April: peak	May: peak	June: peak	July: peak	August: peak	September: peak	October: also fished	November: also fished	December: off peak
Trout73 charters · April to October, also January, March and November	January: also fished	February: off peak	March: also fished	April: peak	May: peak	June: peak	July: peak	August: peak	September: peak	October: peak	November: also fished	December: off peak
Walleye53 charters · April to October, also December to March	January: also fished	February: also fished	March: also fished	April: peak	May: peak	June: peak	July: peak	August: peak	September: peak	October: peak	November: off peak	December: also fished
Muskie22 charters · July to November	January: off peak	February: off peak	March: off peak	April: off peak	May: off peak	June: off peak	July: peak	August: peak	September: peak	October: peak	November: peak	December: off peak
Smallmouth Bass17 charters · May to October	January: off peak	February: off peak	March: off peak	April: off peak	May: peak	June: peak	July: peak	August: peak	September: peak	October: peak	November: off peak	December: off peak
Yellow Perch15 charters · July to October, also May to June and December to February	January: also fished	February: also fished	March: off peak	April: off peak	May: also fished	June: also fished	July: peak	August: peak	September: peak	October: peak	November: off peak	December: also fished
Steelhead12 charters · March to April and October to November, also May and December to February	January: also fished	February: also fished	March: peak	April: peak	May: also fished	June: off peak	July: off peak	August: off peak	September: off peak	October: peak	November: peak	December: also fished
Crappie10 charters · April to June	January: off peak	February: off peak	March: off peak	April: peak	May: peak	June: peak	July: off peak	August: off peak	September: off peak	October: off peak	November: off peak	December: off peak
Northern Pike10 charters · May to June and September to October, also July to August and December to February	January: also fished	February: also fished	March: off peak	April: off peak	May: peak	June: peak	July: also fished	August: also fished	September: peak	October: peak	November: off peak	December: also fished
Largemouth Bass4 charters · June to August, also May and September	January: off peak	February: off peak	March: off peak	April: off peak	May: also fished	June: peak	July: peak	August: peak	September: also fished	October: off peak	November: off peak	December: off peak

Shaded months are the typical peak for a charter trip. The outlined column is this month.

Wisconsin fishing, month by month

January: Off season for most charters. Some captains still run trips, so it is worth asking.
February: Off season for most charters. Some captains still run trips, so it is worth asking.
March: Steelhead
April: Salmon, Trout, Walleye, Steelhead, Crappie
May: Salmon, Trout, Walleye, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, Northern Pike
June: Salmon, Trout, Walleye, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, Northern Pike, Largemouth Bass
July: Salmon, Trout, Walleye, Muskie, Smallmouth Bass, Yellow Perch, Largemouth Bass
August: Salmon, Trout, Walleye, Muskie, Smallmouth Bass, Yellow Perch, Largemouth Bass
September: Salmon, Trout, Walleye, Muskie, Smallmouth Bass, Yellow Perch, Northern Pike
October: Trout, Walleye, Muskie, Smallmouth Bass, Yellow Perch, Steelhead, Northern Pike
November: Muskie, Steelhead
December: Off season for most charters. Some captains still run trips, so it is worth asking.

Before you book

Walleye: Lake Erie walleye is open all year. Inland lakes open in early to mid May (late April in lower Michigan).
Muskie: Muskie season opens in early June in Minnesota and Michigan.
Smallmouth Bass: Spring smallmouth is mostly catch and release, for example on Green Bay into late June and a 1-fish limit on Ohio's Lake Erie until late June.

How this calendar is built

The charter counts are live from the Unreel directory: each one is a Wisconsin charter that lists that fish as a target. A fish only appears here if at least three local charters target it.

The shaded months are general peak windows for the Great Lakes, not fishing regulations. For ocean species, the spawning, migration and federal closure notes were checked against NOAA Fisheries species profiles, and for inshore and freshwater species against state wildlife agency guidance and rules. Seasons, closures and limits change every year and can differ by water, so check Wisconsin's current regulations and ask your captain what is running before you book.