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Best pumpkinseed lakes in Wisconsin

2778 Wisconsin waters hold pumpkinseed, 68 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. The brilliant little sunfish of weedy northern bays — a snail-crunching shallow-water resident that outnumbers bluegill across the east and Canada.

1. Long Lake — 74 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #1: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 4 public access sites
2. Rhinelander Flowage — 10 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #2: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 5 public access sites
3. Lake Owen — 95 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #3: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 4 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
4. Prairie Lake — 16 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #4: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 7 public access sites
5. Dairyland Reservoir (Flambeau) — 70 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #5: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 6 public access sites
6. Lake Chetac — 26 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #6: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 2 public access sites
7. Nelson Lake (Totagatic Flow) — 33 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #7: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 4 public access sites
8. Moose Lake — 21 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #8: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 3 public access sites
9. Minong Flowage*(L Nancy) — 21 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #9: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 3 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
10. Rainbow Flowage — 28 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #10: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 6 public access sites
11. Balsam Lake — 37 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #11: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 5 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
12. St Croix Flowage — 28 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Crappie, BluegillWhy #12: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 3 public access sites
13. Lake Nokomis — 33 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #13: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 4 public access sites
14. Lake Mohawksin — 25 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #14: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 6 public access sites
15. North Twin Lake — 60 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #15: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 2 public access sites
16. Lake Laura — 43 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #16: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
17. Caldron Falls Reservoir* — 40 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #17: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 6 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
18. Trego Lake — 36 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #18: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 1 public access site
19. Red Cedar Lake — 53 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #19: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 2 public access sites
20. Fence Lake — 86 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #20: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 1 public access site
21. Beaver Dam Lake — 106 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #21: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 5 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
22. Park Falls Flowage, Upper — 17 ft max · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #22: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 5 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
23. Bear Lake — 87 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #23: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 5 public access sites
24. Spirit River Flowage — 25 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #24: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 4 public access sites
25. Spooner Lake — 17 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #25: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 2 public access sites

…plus 2753 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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