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Best flathead catfish lakes in Wisconsin

68 Wisconsin waters list flathead catfish (official records or labelled estimates), 8 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. Solitary giant that lairs in log jams and deep holes by day and prowls at night — live bait only.

1. Lake Pepin — 50 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White BassWhy #1: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 5 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
2. Petenwell Flowage — 44 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #2: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 19 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. Castle Rock Lake — 35 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #5: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 7 public access sites
6. Buffalo Lake — 8 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #6: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 5 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
7. Lake Koshkonong — 7 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, BluegillWhy #7: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 5 public access sites
8. St. Croix River — 15 ft max · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Channel Catfish, MuskellungeWhy #8: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 8 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
9. Mississippi River Pool 8 (La Crosse) — 39 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, SaugerWhy #9: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 6 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
10. White Lake — 10 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #10: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
11. Chippewa River — 12 ft max · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Sauger, Northern PikeWhy #11: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 7 public access sites
12. Wolf River — 10 ft max · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, Channel CatfishWhy #12: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 20 public access sites, 7 carry-in or shore-oriented
13. Wisconsin R Fl C3-Stevens Pt — 25 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #13: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 3 public access sites
14. Mississippi River Pool 4 (Red Wing) — 37 ft max · real survey depth contours · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, SaugerWhy #14: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
15. Lower Wisconsin River — 12 ft max · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Sauger, Channel CatfishWhy #15: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 11 public access sites, 4 carry-in or shore-oriented
16. Rock River (WI) — 14 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White BassWhy #16: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 11 public access sites
17. Mississippi River Pool 3 (Hastings to Red Wing) — 30 ft max · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, SaugerWhy #17: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 3 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
18. Little Lake Butte Des Morts — 18 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #18: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 2 public access sites
19. Wisconsin River (Dells) — 12 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White BassWhy #19: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 9 public access sites, 2 carry-in or shore-oriented
20. Wisconsin Rapids Flowage — 22 ft max · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #20: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 1 public access site
21. Black River — 9 ft max · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Channel Catfish, Rainbow TroutWhy #21: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 7 public access sites, 2 carry-in or shore-oriented
22. Hills Lake — 20 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #22: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
23. Fox River (Lower) — 41 ft max · real survey depth contours · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Channel Catfish, MuskellungeWhy #23: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 6 public access sites, 2 carry-in or shore-oriented
24. Camp Lake — 19 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #24: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 5 public access sites
25. Delton Lake — 16 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #25: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 2 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented

…plus 43 more Wisconsin waters holding flathead catfish.

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When to fish flathead catfish in Wisconsin

• Spring 5–20 ft — Pre-spawn fish feed hard near wood cover and hole edges.
• Summer 8–30 ft — Day = log-jam lairs and deep holes. Night = shallow flats and bar edges with big live bait.
• Fall 10–35 ft — Fish concentrate near wintering holes — the year's best big-fish window.
• Winter 20–45 ft — Stacked and sluggish in the deepest holes.

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