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Best channel catfish lakes in Wisconsin

25 Wisconsin waters hold channel catfish, 3 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. Scent-driven bottom feeder. Holes, channels and inflows — best after dark.

1. Lake Michigan — Green Bay South — 128 ft max · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, Channel Catfish
2. Lake Winnebago — 21 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, Northern Pike
3. Lake Butte des Morts — 8 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, Channel Catfish
4. Petenwell Flowage — 44 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie
5. Lake Wisconsin — 24 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Sauger
6. Lake Mendota — 80 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie
7. Castle Rock Flowage — 35 ft max · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, Bluegill
8. Big Eau Pleine Reservoir — 46 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, Bluegill
9. Lake Poygan — 11 ft max · Walleye, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel Catfish
10. Lake Koshkonong — 7 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, Bluegill
11. Delavan Lake — 52 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, Bluegill
12. Chippewa River — 12 ft max · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Channel Catfish, Muskellunge
13. Wolf River — 10 ft max · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, Channel Catfish
14. Lake Monona — 74 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie
15. Pewaukee Lake — 45 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie
16. Lake Kegonsa — 32 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, Bluegill
17. Lake Waubesa — 38 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, Bluegill
18. Lower Wisconsin River — 12 ft max · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Sauger, Channel Catfish
19. Wisconsin River (Dells) — 12 ft max · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Sauger, Crappie
20. Mississippi River Pool 8 (La Crosse) — 25 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Sauger
21. Black River — 9 ft max · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Channel Catfish, Flathead Catfish
22. Mississippi River Pool 4 (Red Wing) — 30 ft max · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, Sauger
23. Peshtigo River — 9 ft max · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Channel Catfish, Freshwater Drum
24. St. Croix River — 15 ft max · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Channel Catfish, Muskellunge
25. Fox River (Lower) — 14 ft max · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Channel Catfish, Muskellunge

When to fish channel catfish in Wisconsin

• Spring 3–12 ft — Warm inflows and shallow mud flats after rain.
• Summer 8–25 ft — Deep holes by day; cats roam shallow flats to feed at night.
• Fall 10–30 ft — Fish concentrate in river/creek channels and deeper holes.
• Winter 20–40 ft — Stacked in the deepest holes; slow natural baits.

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 bluegill 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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