Best largemouth bass lakes in Wisconsin
3618 Wisconsin waters list largemouth bass (official records or labelled estimates), 149 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. Ambush predator that relates to cover — weeds, timber, docks — and moves shallow to feed.
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- Chippewa Flowage — 92 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #6: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 7 public access sites
- Turtle-Flambeau Flowage — 50 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #7: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 6 public access sites
- Lake Mendota — 80 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #8: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 17 public access sites, 5 carry-in or shore-oriented
- Big Eau Pleine Reservoir — 46 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, BluegillWhy #9: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 15 public access sites
- Castle Rock Lake — 35 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #10: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 7 public access sites
- Big Green Lake — 236 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #11: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 7 public access sites
- Lac Vieux Desert Lake — 38 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #12: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
- Beaver Dam Lake — 7 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #13: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 9 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
- Long Lake — 74 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #14: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 4 public access sites
- Buffalo Lake — 8 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #15: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 5 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
- Lake Koshkonong — 7 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, BluegillWhy #16: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 5 public access sites
- Lac Courte Oreilles — 90 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #17: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 4 public access sites
- Geneva Lake — 135 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #18: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 8 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
- Holcombe Flowage — 62 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #19: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 10 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
- Sinissippi Lake (Hustisford) — 8 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #20: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 4 public access sites
- Lake Owen — 95 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #21: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 4 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
- Shawano Lake — 39.5 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #22: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 12 public access sites, 2 carry-in or shore-oriented
- Prairie Lake — 16 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #23: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 7 public access sites
- Delavan Lake — 52 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, BluegillWhy #24: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 4 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
- Tainter Lake — 37 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #25: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 4 public access sites
…plus 3593 more Wisconsin waters holding largemouth bass.
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How to use this ranking
The order is a map-planning ranking, not a claim about today's fish population. It favors larger mapped waters and gives survey-backed contours a three-times data-quality boost. Agency population surveys, current regulations, access and recent conditions should make the final decision.
Compare maximum depth across 37,233 lake records · See Wisconsin waters with public access data
When to fish largemouth bass in Wisconsin
- Spring 2–10 ft — Pre-spawn through spawn: target shallow flats, pockets and cover near deep access.
- Summer 8–20 ft — Fish the edges: weedlines, drop-offs, and deep cover close to shallow feeding areas.
- Fall 4–15 ft — Follow the baitfish: points and creek channels leading into pockets.
- Winter 15–35 ft — Slow and deep: steep drops and channel bends near wintering basins.
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