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Best pumpkinseed lakes in Wisconsin

2783 Wisconsin waters list pumpkinseed (official records or labelled estimates), 74 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 brilliant little sunfish of weedy northern bays — a snail-crunching shallow-water resident that outnumbers bluegill across the east and Canada.

1. Lake Pepin — 50 ft · Survey depth data · 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. Long Lake — 74 ft · Approximated contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #2: mapped size signal; check the water page for depth coverage · 4 public access sites
3. Lake Owen — 95 ft · Approximated contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #3: mapped size signal; check the water page for depth coverage · 4 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
4. Prairie Lake — 16 ft · Approximated contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #4: mapped size signal; check the water page for depth coverage · 7 public access sites
5. Delavan Lake — 52 ft · Approximated contours · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, BluegillWhy #5: mapped size signal; check the water page for depth coverage · 4 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
6. Dairyland Reservoir (Flambeau) — 70 ft · Approximated contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #6: mapped size signal; check the water page for depth coverage · 6 public access sites
7. Lake Chetac — 26 ft · Approximated contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #7: mapped size signal; check the water page for depth coverage · 2 public access sites
8. Nelson Lake (Totagatic Flow) — 33 ft · Approximated contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #8: mapped size signal; check the water page for depth coverage · 4 public access sites
9. Balsam Lake — 37 ft · Approximated contours · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #9: mapped size signal; check the water page for depth coverage · 5 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
10. Lake Laura — 43 ft · Survey depth data · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #10: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
11. Caldron Falls Reservoir* — 40 ft · Approximated contours · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #11: mapped size signal; check the water page for depth coverage · 6 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
12. Beaver Dam Lake — 106 ft · Approximated contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #12: mapped size signal; check the water page for depth coverage · 5 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
13. Crane Lake — 25 ft · Survey depth data · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #13: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
14. Stella Lake — 22 ft · Survey depth data · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #14: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
15. Spider Lake — 64 ft · Approximated contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #15: mapped size signal; check the water page for depth coverage · 1 public access site
16. Bone Lake — 43 ft · Approximated contours · Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Crappie, BluegillWhy #16: mapped size signal; check the water page for depth coverage · 2 public access sites
17. Little Saint Germain Lake — 53 ft · Approximated contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #17: mapped size signal; check the water page for depth coverage · 1 public access site
18. Upper Saint Croix Lake — 22 ft · Approximated contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #18: mapped size signal; check the water page for depth coverage · 7 public access sites
19. Gile Flowage — 25 ft · Approximated contours · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #19: mapped size signal; check the water page for depth coverage · 3 public access sites
20. Tiger Cat Flowage — 30 ft · Approximated contours · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, BluegillWhy #20: mapped size signal; check the water page for depth coverage · 1 public access site
21. Snipe Lake — 15 ft · Survey depth data · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, BluegillWhy #21: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
22. Long Lake — 88 ft · Approximated contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #22: mapped size signal; check the water page for depth coverage · 2 public access sites
23. Wapogasset Lake — 32 ft · Approximated contours · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #23: mapped size signal; check the water page for depth coverage · 2 public access sites
24. Dunham Lake — 63 ft · Survey depth data · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #24: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
25. Rice Lake — 19 ft · Approximated contours · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #25: mapped size signal; check the water page for depth coverage · 8 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented

…plus 2758 more Wisconsin waters holding pumpkinseed.

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When to fish pumpkinseed in Wisconsin

• Spring 1–8 ft — Spawning colonies carpet warm, protected bays — small baits dropped on the beds get instant attention.
• Summer 2–10 ft — Docks, pads and weed flats — pumpkinseeds hold tighter to vegetation than bluegill and love snails and nymphs.
• Fall 4–14 ft — Schools tighten on the last green weeds — find healthy cabbage near a drop and the school is there.
• Winter 6–18 ft — A staple ice panfish — soft-bottom flats just outside the deepest green weeds; downsize and watch for lift bites.

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 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 lake sturgeon lakes

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