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Best bluegill lakes in Wisconsin

4078 Wisconsin waters list bluegill (official records or labelled estimates), 157 mapped with survey or official-chart depth data. Ranked below by size and depth-data quality, leading with the waters in our reviewed search catalog — open any water to see exactly where to fish it: depth contours, scored spots with plain-English reasons, seasonal windows and bait picks. The classic panfish. Shallow cover in summer, deeper weed edges otherwise.

1. Lake Winnebago — 21 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White BassWhy #1: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 26 public access sites, 2 carry-in or shore-oriented
2. Lake Pepin — 50 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White BassWhy #2: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 5 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
3. Lake Wisconsin — 24 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, SaugerWhy #3: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 25 public access sites, 2 carry-in or shore-oriented
4. Castle Rock Flowage — 35 ft max · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, BluegillWhy #4: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 24 public access sites, 5 carry-in or shore-oriented
5. Chippewa Flowage — 92 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #5: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 7 public access sites
6. Turtle-Flambeau Flowage — 50 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #6: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 6 public access sites
7. Lake Mendota — 80 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #7: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 17 public access sites, 5 carry-in or shore-oriented
8. Big Eau Pleine Reservoir — 46 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, BluegillWhy #8: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 15 public access sites
9. Castle Rock Lake — 35 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #9: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 7 public access sites
10. Big Green Lake — 236 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #10: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 7 public access sites
11. Lac Vieux Desert Lake — 38 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #11: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
12. Beaver Dam Lake — 7 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #12: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 9 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
13. Lake Poygan — 11 ft max · Walleye, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel CatfishWhy #13: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 14 public access sites, 4 carry-in or shore-oriented
14. Long Lake — 74 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #14: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 4 public access sites
15. Buffalo Lake — 8 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #15: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 5 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
16. Lake Koshkonong — 7 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, BluegillWhy #16: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 5 public access sites
17. Willow Flowage — 30 ft max · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, BluegillWhy #17: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 6 public access sites
18. Lac Courte Oreilles — 90 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #18: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 4 public access sites
19. Geneva Lake — 135 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #19: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 8 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
20. Holcombe Flowage — 62 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #20: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 10 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
21. Sinissippi Lake (Hustisford) — 8 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #21: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 4 public access sites
22. Lake Owen — 95 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #22: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 4 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
23. Shawano Lake — 39.5 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #23: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 12 public access sites, 2 carry-in or shore-oriented
24. Prairie Lake — 16 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #24: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 7 public access sites
25. Delavan Lake — 52 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, BluegillWhy #25: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 4 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented

…plus 4053 more Wisconsin waters holding bluegill.

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When to fish bluegill in Wisconsin

• Spring 1–6 ft — Bedding colonies on sandy shallow flats — sight-fish the light spots.
• Summer 4–15 ft — Weed edges and dock shade; bigger 'gills hold slightly deeper.
• Fall 6–18 ft — Schools tighten on remaining green weeds and first drops.
• Winter 10–25 ft — Soft-bottom basins with invertebrates; finesse presentations.

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