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Best walleye lakes in Wisconsin

1176 Wisconsin waters list walleye (official records or labelled estimates), 85 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. Low-light predator with reflective eyes. Feeds on structure edges at dawn, dusk and night.

1. Lake Michigan — Green Bay North and Bays de Noc — 129 ft max · real survey depth contours · 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 · real survey depth contours · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, Channel CatfishWhy #2: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 27 public access sites, 3 carry-in or shore-oriented
3. Lake Superior — Apostle Islands and Chequamegon Bay — 613 ft max · real survey depth contours · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, Coho SalmonWhy #3: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 28 public access sites, 4 carry-in or shore-oriented
4. Lake Superior — Duluth and the Western Arm — 756 ft max · real survey depth contours · Walleye, Rainbow Trout, Chinook Salmon, Coho SalmonWhy #4: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 10 public access sites, 5 carry-in or shore-oriented
5. Lake Winnebago — 21 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White BassWhy #5: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 26 public access sites, 2 carry-in or shore-oriented
6. Lake Pepin — 50 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White BassWhy #6: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 5 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
7. Petenwell Flowage — 44 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #7: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 19 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
8. Lake Butte des Morts — 8 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, Channel CatfishWhy #8: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 6 public access sites
9. Lake Wisconsin — 24 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, SaugerWhy #9: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 25 public access sites, 2 carry-in or shore-oriented
10. Castle Rock Flowage — 35 ft max · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, BluegillWhy #10: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 24 public access sites, 5 carry-in or shore-oriented
11. Chippewa Flowage — 92 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #11: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 7 public access sites
12. Turtle-Flambeau Flowage — 50 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #12: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 6 public access sites
13. Menominee River — 15 ft max · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Rainbow Trout, MuskellungeWhy #13: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 12 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
14. Lake Mendota — 80 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #14: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 17 public access sites, 5 carry-in or shore-oriented
15. Big Eau Pleine Reservoir — 46 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, BluegillWhy #15: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 15 public access sites
16. Castle Rock Lake — 35 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #16: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 7 public access sites
17. Big Green Lake — 236 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #17: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 7 public access sites
18. Lac Vieux Desert Lake — 38 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #18: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
19. Beaver Dam Lake — 7 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #19: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 9 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
20. Lake Poygan — 11 ft max · Walleye, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel CatfishWhy #20: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 14 public access sites, 4 carry-in or shore-oriented
21. Long Lake — 74 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #21: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 4 public access sites
22. Buffalo Lake — 8 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #22: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 5 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
23. Lake Koshkonong — 7 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, BluegillWhy #23: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 5 public access sites
24. Trout Lake — 110 ft max · real survey depth contours · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Rainbow Trout, MuskellungeWhy #24: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 6 public access sites, 2 carry-in or shore-oriented
25. Willow Flowage — 30 ft max · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, BluegillWhy #25: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 6 public access sites

…plus 1151 more Wisconsin waters holding walleye.

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When to fish walleye in Wisconsin

• Spring 4–15 ft — Spawning runs to gravel shoals, rocky shorelines and inflows.
• Summer 15–35 ft — Deep humps and breaklines by day; edges and flats in low light.
• Fall 12–40 ft — Fish steep structure near deep basins; big fish move shallow at night.
• Winter 20–40 ft — Deep basin flats and humps; short dawn/dusk feeding windows.

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