← Wisconsin fishing maps

Best bluegill lakes in Wisconsin

4075 Wisconsin waters hold bluegill, 148 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 PikeWhy #1: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 23 public access sites, 2 carry-in or shore-oriented
2. Lake Pepin — 50 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, Northern PikeWhy #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 · 17 public access sites
4. Castle Rock Flowage — 35 ft max · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, BluegillWhy #4: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 20 public access sites, 4 carry-in or shore-oriented
5. Chippewa Flowage — 92 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #5: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 6 public access sites
6. Turtle-Flambeau Flowage — 50 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #6: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 5 public access sites
7. Lake Mendota — 80 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #7: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 12 public access sites, 4 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 · 12 public access sites
9. Castle Rock Lake — 35 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #9: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 9 public access sites
10. Big Green Lake — 236 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #10: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 7 public access sites
11. Lac Vieux Desert Lake — 38 ft max · survey depth data · 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 · 2 public access sites
13. Lake Poygan — 11 ft max · Walleye, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel CatfishWhy #13: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 8 public access sites, 3 carry-in or shore-oriented
14. Lake Du Bay — 30 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #14: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 6 public access sites
15. Long Lake — 74 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #15: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 1 public access site
16. Buffalo Lake — 8 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #16: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 2 public access sites
17. Lake Koshkonong — 7 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, BluegillWhy #17: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 4 public access sites
18. Willow Flowage — 30 ft max · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, BluegillWhy #18: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 4 public access sites
19. Lake Onalaska — 40 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #19: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 8 public access sites
20. Lac Courte Oreilles — 90 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #20: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 4 public access sites
21. Geneva Lake — 135 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #21: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 6 public access sites
22. Rhinelander Flowage — 10 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #22: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
23. Holcombe Flowage — 62 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #23: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 1 public access site
24. Sinissippi Lake (Hustisford) — 8 ft max · Walleye, Northern Pike, Crappie, BluegillWhy #24: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 4 public access sites
25. Lake Owen — 95 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #25: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 1 public access site

…plus 4050 more Wisconsin waters holding bluegill.

Find the closest bluegill waters to you →

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 white bass 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 brook trout lakes · best lake whitefish lakes · best rock bass lakes · best pumpkinseed lakes · best lake sturgeon lakes

Bluegill elsewhere: Ontario · Minnesota · Québec · Michigan · New Hampshire · Montana · New York · Wyoming · Massachusetts · Washington · Florida · Indiana · North Dakota · Iowa · Texas · Ohio · Connecticut · Nebraska · Missouri · Vermont · California · Oklahoma · South Dakota · Utah · Arizona · Colorado · Illinois · New Mexico · Kansas · West Virginia · Mississippi · Idaho · New Jersey · Kentucky · Alabama · Tennessee · Puerto Rico · Georgia · North Carolina · Delaware · Virginia · Rhode Island · Louisiana · South Carolina · Pennsylvania · Arkansas · Maryland · Hawaii