Where
Rivers and river-fed lakes, deep holes and current breaks.
When
Evening and night, warm months.
How
Cut bait, nightcrawlers or chicken liver on the bottom.
Best lakes for catfish
From DNR data| # | Lake | Abundance | Acres | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lake WinnebagoFond du Lac County | Abundant | 131,939 | 8.4 |
| 2 | Lake PoyganWaushara County | Abundant | 14,024 | 8.4 |
| 3 | Lake Butte des MortsWinnebago County | Abundant | 8,581 | 8.4 |
| 4 | Lake WinneconneWinnebago County | Abundant | 4,553 | 8.4 |
| 5 | Little Lake Butte Des MortsWinnebago County | Abundant | 1,200 | 8.2 |
| 6 | Lake MendotaDane County | Common | 9,781 | 6.9 |
| 7 | Green LakeGreen Lake County | Common | 7,920 | 6.9 |
| 8 | Puckaway LakeMarquette County | Common | 5,013 | 6.9 |
| 9 | Buffalo LakeMarquette County | Common | 2,179 | 6.8 |
| 10 | Tichigan LakeRacine County | Common | 279 | 6.5 |
| 11 | Petenwell LakeWood County | Present | 23,173 | 4.4 |
| 12 | Lake ChippewaSawyer County | Present | 14,593 | 4.4 |
| 13 | Castle Rock LakeAdams County | Present | 13,955 | 4.4 |
| 14 | Lake KoshkonongRock County | Present | 10,595 | 4.4 |
| 15 | Lake WisconsinColumbia County | Present | 7,197 | 4.4 |
| 16 | Lake MononaDane County | Present | 3,359 | 4.4 |
| 17 | Lake KegonsaDane County | Present | 3,200 | 4.4 |
| 18 | Yellow LakeBurnett County | Present | 2,283 | 4.3 |
| 19 | Lake WaubesaDane County | Present | 2,074 | 4.3 |
| 20 | Clam LakeBurnett County | Present | 1,338 | 4.2 |
| 21 | Partridge LakeWaupaca County | Present | 1,185 | 4.2 |
| 22 | White LakeWaupaca County | Present | 1,064 | 4.2 |
| 23 | Wind LakeRacine County | Present | 919 | 4.2 |
| 24 | Mason LakeAdams County | Present | 882 | 4.2 |
| 25 | Arbutus Lake*Clark County | Present | 774 | 4.2 |
| 26 | Dells PondEau Claire County | Present | 622 | 4.1 |
| 27 | Neshonoc LakeLacrosse County | Present | 606 | 4.1 |
| 28 | Silver LakeKenosha County | Present | 516 | 4.1 |
| 29 | Camp LakeKenosha County | Present | 439 | 4.1 |
| 30 | Lower Clam LakeBurnett County | Present | 366 | 4.0 |
| 31 | Partridge Crop LakeWaupaca County | Present | 276 | 4.0 |
| 32 | Lake ShangrilaKenosha County | Present | 74 | 3.8 |
| 33 | Wallace LakeWashington County | Present | 54 | 3.8 |
Only lakes with finished pages are ranked. Score: how common the DNR says the fish is, recent stocking and lake size.