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Best yellow perch lakes in Wisconsin

4071 Wisconsin waters hold yellow perch, 148 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 premier eating panfish. Roams soft-bottom flats and weed edges in schools — a daytime biter.

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 Winnebago — 21 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, Northern PikeWhy #4: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 23 public access sites, 2 carry-in or shore-oriented
5. Lake Butte des Morts — 8 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, Channel CatfishWhy #5: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 5 public access sites
6. Chippewa Flowage — 92 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #6: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 6 public access sites
7. Turtle-Flambeau Flowage — 50 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #7: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 5 public access sites
8. Lake Mendota — 80 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #8: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 12 public access sites, 4 carry-in or shore-oriented
9. Big Eau Pleine Reservoir — 46 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, BluegillWhy #9: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 12 public access sites
10. Castle Rock Lake — 35 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #10: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 9 public access sites
11. Big Green Lake — 236 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #11: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 7 public access sites
12. Lac Vieux Desert Lake — 38 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #12: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
13. Beaver Dam Lake — 7 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #13: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 2 public access sites
14. Lake Poygan — 11 ft max · Walleye, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel CatfishWhy #14: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 8 public access sites, 3 carry-in or shore-oriented
15. Lake Du Bay — 30 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #15: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 6 public access sites
16. Long Lake — 74 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #16: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 1 public access site
17. Buffalo Lake — 8 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #17: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 2 public access sites
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. Lake Onalaska — 40 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #20: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 8 public access sites
21. Lac Courte Oreilles — 90 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #21: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 4 public access sites
22. Geneva Lake — 135 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #22: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 6 public access sites
23. Rhinelander Flowage — 10 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #23: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
24. Holcombe Flowage — 62 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #24: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 1 public access site
25. Sinissippi Lake (Hustisford) — 8 ft max · Walleye, Northern Pike, Crappie, BluegillWhy #25: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 4 public access sites

…plus 4046 more Wisconsin waters holding yellow perch.

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When to fish yellow perch in Wisconsin

• Spring 3–12 ft — Spawning runs to shallow weeds and gravel — find the school, stay on it.
• Summer 10–30 ft — Schools slide deeper to soft-bottom flats and deep weedlines.
• Fall 12–35 ft — Jumbo perch pod up on deep basin flats feeding on invertebrates.
• Winter 15–35 ft — A premier ice-fishing target — deep mud flats, small jigs.

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 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 pumpkinseed lakes · best lake sturgeon lakes

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