Where
Cold, deep lakes and spring-fed streams.
When
Cool mornings; spring and fall.
How
Small spinners, spoons and live bait. A trout stamp is required.
Best lakes for trout
From DNR data| # | Lake | Abundance | Acres | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Green LakeGreen Lake County | Common · stocked | 7,920 | 7.9 |
| 2 | Trout LakeVilas County | Common · stocked | 3,864 | 7.9 |
| 3 | Stormy LakeVilas County | Common · stocked | 523 | 7.6 |
| 4 | Clear LakeOneida County | Common | 873 | 6.7 |
| 5 | Spectacle LakeVilas County | Common | 166 | 6.4 |
| 6 | Shannon LakeVilas County | Common | 35 | 6.2 |
| 7 | Lake LouiseBayfield County | Common | 3 | 6.0 |
| 8 | Geneva LakeWalworth County | Present · stocked | 5,401 | 5.4 |
| 9 | Lake LucerneForest County | Present · stocked | 1,039 | 5.2 |
| 10 | Black Oak LakeVilas County | Present · stocked | 564 | 5.1 |
| 11 | Jack LakeLanglade County | Present · stocked | 85 | 4.8 |
| 12 | Glen LakeSt Croix County | Present · stocked | 84 | 4.8 |
| 13 | Johns LakeWaushara County | Present · stocked | 71 | 4.8 |
| 14 | Adams LakePortage County | Present · stocked | 30 | 4.7 |
| 15 | Lake WisconsinColumbia County | Present | 7,197 | 4.4 |
| 16 | Fence LakeVilas County | Present | 3,483 | 4.4 |
| 17 | Lake NoquebayMarinette County | Present | 2,398 | 4.3 |
| 18 | Big Saint Germain LakeVilas County | Present | 1,622 | 4.3 |
| 19 | Clark LakeDoor County | Present | 865 | 4.2 |
| 20 | Yellowstone LakeLafayette County | Present | 453 | 4.1 |
| 21 | Elkhart LakeSheboygan County | Present | 292 | 4.0 |
| 22 | Tichigan LakeRacine County | Present | 279 | 4.0 |
| 23 | Coleman LakeMarinette County | Present | 234 | 4.0 |
| 24 | Jordan LakeAdams County | Present | 233 | 4.0 |
| 25 | Upper Red LakeShawano County | Present | 195 | 4.0 |
| 26 | Hayward LakeSawyer County | Present | 191 | 3.9 |
| 27 | Twin Valley LakeIowa County | Present | 136 | 3.9 |
| 28 | Rose LakeLanglade County | Present | 115 | 3.9 |
| 29 | Miner LakeWaupaca County | Present | 39 | 3.7 |
| 30 | Lake AnnaFlorence County | Present | 33 | 3.7 |
| 31 | June LakeMarinette County | Present | 21 | 3.6 |
| 32 | Blue SpringsLanglade County | Present | 2 | 3.5 |
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| Early inland trout (catch & release) | January 3, 2026 – April 3, 2026 |
| Inland trout, streams | April 4, 2026 – October 15, 2026 |
| Inland trout, lakes | May 2, 2026 – October 15, 2026 |
Lakes can differ. Each lake page shows its own size and bag limits. All seasons →