Opening day for fishing in Wisconsin normally lands on the first Saturday of May, which would be this weekend, May 1st. The majority of hook and line fishing starts on that day, but there are some seasons that are a little different depending on the body of water and type of fish.
You can check the guide that shows specific species of fish and season dates here. For the most part in the guide, the fishing seasons are in alphabetical order by species.
Before heading out on the water this weekend, make sure to purchase your fishing license online or at one of the many sales locations. If you’re not planning on doing too much fishing this year, you can buy a one-day license as well or wait and head out to the water on June 5th and 6th for Free Fishing Weekend.
The Wisconsin DNR Director for the Bureau of Fisheries Management, Justine Hasz wanted to warn anglers to be safe on the water and make sure they know where they’re going. She also had a tip for those looking to catch walleye. “Walleye spawning is pretty much done and they aren’t sitting where they normally would,” Hasz says, “walleye are also in a different feeding pattern at this time, so keep that in mind while fishing.”
Overall, Hasz said that the health of Wisconsin fisheries is fantastic this year, which means there are a lot of opportunities to catch the big one. Over 760,000 catchable trout (brown, brook, lake, and rainbow) have been put in waters across the state just in time for opening weekend. About 70,000 will be stocked in urban fishing waters, such as small lakes and ponds.
Below are the fishing seasons that kick off in May:
- General Inland Fishing – May 1st to March 6th, 2022
- Largemouth Bass Northern Zone Harvest – May 1st to March 6th, 2022
- Large and Smallmouth Bass Southern Zone Harvest – May 1st to March 6th, 2022
- Musky Northern Zone – May 29th to March 6th, 2022
- Musky Southern Zone – May 1st to December 31st
- Northern Pike – May 1st to March 6th, 2022
- Walleye – May 1st to March 6th, 2022
Stay safe out on the water and good luck fishing!
