Where
Big rivers and a few large lakes.
When
Short, set seasons only.
How
Check the lake's rules first; most waters are closed to sturgeon.
Best lakes for lake sturgeon
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 | Petenwell LakeWood County | Present · stocked | 23,173 | 5.4 |
| 7 | Lake ChippewaSawyer County | Present | 14,593 | 4.4 |
| 8 | Castle Rock LakeAdams County | Present | 13,955 | 4.4 |
| 9 | Turtle Flambeau FlowageIron County | Present | 12,942 | 4.4 |
| 10 | Lake MendotaDane County | Present | 9,781 | 4.4 |
| 11 | Shawano LakeShawano County | Present | 6,215 | 4.4 |
| 12 | Lake MononaDane County | Present | 3,359 | 4.4 |
| 13 | Yellow LakeBurnett County | Present | 2,283 | 4.3 |
| 14 | Clam LakeBurnett County | Present | 1,338 | 4.2 |
| 15 | McKenzie LakeWashburn County | Present | 1,129 | 4.2 |
| 16 | Trego LakeWashburn County | Present | 383 | 4.1 |
| 17 | Lower Clam LakeBurnett County | Present | 366 | 4.0 |
| 18 | Miner LakeWaupaca County | Present | 39 | 3.7 |
| 19 | Sturgeon LakeVilas County | Present | 29 | 3.7 |
| 20 | Benson LakeVilas County | Present | 28 | 3.7 |
Only lakes with finished pages are ranked. Score: how common the DNR says the fish is, recent stocking and lake size.
Season
Statewide, 2026–27| Lake sturgeon, hook and line | September 5, 2026 – September 30, 2026 |
Lakes can differ. Each lake page shows its own size and bag limits. All seasons →