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Best smallmouth bass lakes in Wisconsin

686 Wisconsin waters hold smallmouth bass, 44 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. Current- and rock-loving fighter. Lives around gravel, boulders and hard-bottom structure.

1. Lake Michigan — Green Bay North and Bays de Noc — 129 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, MuskellungeWhy #1: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 12 public access sites
2. Lake Michigan — Green Bay South — 128 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, Channel CatfishWhy #2: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 19 public access sites, 2 carry-in or shore-oriented
3. Lake Michigan — Door County — 424 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Yellow Perch, Chinook SalmonWhy #3: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 7 public access sites
4. Lake Superior — Apostle Islands and Chequamegon Bay — 613 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, Coho SalmonWhy #4: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 21 public access sites, 4 carry-in or shore-oriented
5. Lake Winnebago — 21 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, Northern PikeWhy #5: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 23 public access sites, 2 carry-in or shore-oriented
6. Petenwell Flowage — 44 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #6: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 12 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
7. Lake Wisconsin — 24 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, SaugerWhy #7: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 17 public access sites
8. Castle Rock Flowage — 35 ft max · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, BluegillWhy #8: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 20 public access sites, 4 carry-in or shore-oriented
9. Chippewa Flowage — 92 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #9: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 6 public access sites
10. Turtle-Flambeau Flowage — 50 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #10: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 5 public access sites
11. Menominee River — 15 ft max · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Muskellunge, Rock BassWhy #11: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 12 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
12. Lake Mendota — 80 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #12: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 12 public access sites, 4 carry-in or shore-oriented
13. Castle Rock Lake — 35 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #13: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 9 public access sites
14. Big Green Lake — 236 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #14: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 7 public access sites
15. Lac Vieux Desert Lake — 38 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #15: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
16. Lake Du Bay — 30 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #16: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 6 public access sites
17. Long Lake — 74 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #17: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 1 public access site
18. Trout Lake — 110 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Rainbow Trout, MuskellungeWhy #18: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 5 public access sites, 2 carry-in or shore-oriented
19. Willow Flowage — 30 ft max · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, BluegillWhy #19: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 4 public access sites
20. Namekagon River — 7 ft max · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Rainbow Trout, MuskellungeWhy #20: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 6 public access sites, 3 carry-in or shore-oriented
21. Lake Onalaska — 40 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #21: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 8 public access sites
22. Lac Courte Oreilles — 90 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #22: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 4 public access sites
23. Geneva Lake — 135 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #23: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 6 public access sites
24. Rhinelander Flowage — 10 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #24: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
25. Holcombe Flowage — 62 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #25: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 1 public access site

…plus 661 more Wisconsin waters holding smallmouth bass.

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When to fish smallmouth bass in Wisconsin

• Spring 3–12 ft — Gravel and rock flats near deep water; spawning happens on hard bottom.
• Summer 10–30 ft — Offshore rock humps and deep points; smallmouth suspend near bait.
• Fall 8–25 ft — Feeding hard for winter — long tapering points and rocky drops.
• Winter 20–45 ft — Deep, vertical presentations near rocky wintering holes.

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