← Wisconsin fishing maps

Best freshwater drum lakes in Wisconsin

25 Wisconsin waters list freshwater drum (official records or labelled estimates), 9 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 hardest-pulling fish nobody brags about. Roams current seams and mussel beds — bites all day.

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. Petenwell Flowage — 44 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #3: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 19 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
4. Lake Butte des Morts — 8 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, Channel CatfishWhy #4: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 6 public access sites
5. Lake Wisconsin — 24 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, SaugerWhy #5: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 25 public access sites, 2 carry-in or shore-oriented
6. Castle Rock Flowage — 35 ft max · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, BluegillWhy #6: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 24 public access sites, 5 carry-in or shore-oriented
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. Lake Poygan — 11 ft max · Walleye, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel CatfishWhy #8: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 14 public access sites, 4 carry-in or shore-oriented
9. Lake Koshkonong — 7 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, BluegillWhy #9: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 5 public access sites
10. St. Croix River — 15 ft max · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Channel Catfish, MuskellungeWhy #10: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 8 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
11. Mississippi River Pool 8 (La Crosse) — 39 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, SaugerWhy #11: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 6 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
12. Chippewa River — 12 ft max · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Sauger, Northern PikeWhy #12: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 7 public access sites
13. Wolf River — 10 ft max · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, Channel CatfishWhy #13: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 20 public access sites, 7 carry-in or shore-oriented
14. Lake Kegonsa — 32 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, BluegillWhy #14: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 9 public access sites, 3 carry-in or shore-oriented
15. Mississippi River Pool 4 (Red Wing) — 37 ft max · real survey depth contours · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, SaugerWhy #15: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
16. Lower Wisconsin River — 12 ft max · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Sauger, Channel CatfishWhy #16: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 11 public access sites, 4 carry-in or shore-oriented
17. Lake Monona — 74 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #17: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 9 public access sites, 2 carry-in or shore-oriented
18. Rock River (WI) — 14 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White BassWhy #18: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 11 public access sites
19. Mississippi River Pool 3 (Hastings to Red Wing) — 30 ft max · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, SaugerWhy #19: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 3 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
20. Wisconsin River (Dells) — 12 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White BassWhy #20: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 9 public access sites, 2 carry-in or shore-oriented
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. Fox River (Lower) — 41 ft max · real survey depth contours · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Channel Catfish, MuskellungeWhy #22: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 6 public access sites, 2 carry-in or shore-oriented
23. Peshtigo River — 9 ft max · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Channel Catfish, Rainbow TroutWhy #23: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 3 public access sites
24. La Crosse River — 38 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, SaugerWhy #24: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached

…plus 1 more Wisconsin waters holding freshwater drum.

Find the closest freshwater drum waters to you →

When to fish freshwater drum in Wisconsin

• Spring 5–20 ft — Big spring runs into current — gravel bars and creek mouths.
• Summer 8–30 ft — Channel edges and mussel beds; drum feed by ear — a dragging bait gets found.
• Fall 10–35 ft — Schools slide toward deep holes; slow bottom presentations.
• Winter 15–45 ft — Deep and slow.

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 bluegill 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 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

Freshwater Drum elsewhere: Ontario · Minnesota · Québec · Michigan · New York · Indiana · North Dakota · Texas · Iowa · Ohio · Nebraska · Missouri · South Dakota · Illinois · Kansas · Kentucky · Tennessee · Louisiana