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Best bluegill lakes in Wisconsin

41 Wisconsin waters hold bluegill, 8 mapped with real state-agency depth surveys. Ranked below by size and depth-data quality — 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 · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, Northern Pike
2. Lake Wisconsin — 24 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Sauger
3. Lake Mendota — 80 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie
4. Chippewa Flowage — 92 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie
5. Turtle-Flambeau Flowage — 50 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie
6. Castle Rock Flowage — 35 ft max · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, Bluegill
7. Big Eau Pleine Reservoir — 46 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, Bluegill
8. Big Green Lake — 236 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie
9. Lake Poygan — 11 ft max · Walleye, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel Catfish
10. Lake Koshkonong — 7 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, Bluegill
11. Willow Flowage — 30 ft max · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, Bluegill
12. Lac Courte Oreilles — 90 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie
13. Geneva Lake — 135 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie
14. Shawano Lake — 39.5 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, Bluegill
15. Delavan Lake — 52 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, Bluegill
16. Tomahawk Lake — 84 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie
17. Lake Puckaway — 5 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, Bluegill
18. Big Muskellunge Lake — 70 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike
19. Two Sisters Lake — 63 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike
20. Lake Monona — 74 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie
21. Pelican Lake — 39 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie
22. Round Lake — 74 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie
23. Pewaukee Lake — 45 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie
24. Big Portage Lake — 40 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike
25. Lake Namekagon — 51 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie

…plus 16 more Wisconsin waters holding bluegill.

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.

Also in Wisconsin: best largemouth bass lakes · best smallmouth bass lakes · best walleye lakes · best sauger lakes · best northern pike lakes · best crappie lakes · best channel catfish lakes · best rainbow trout lakes · best muskellunge lakes · best white bass & hybrids lakes · best yellow perch lakes · best flathead catfish lakes · best freshwater drum lakes · best common carp lakes · best longnose gar lakes · best lake trout lakes · best brown trout lakes · best lake whitefish lakes

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