Fishing season opens Saturday

The wait is over for the anglers who have anticipated getting back on the open water of more than 15,000 inland lakes across the state to cast their crankbaits with the hopes of reeling in a big one.

As anglers head out for the general fishing season opener tomorrow, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) reminds residents to check updated regulations for the 2026-27 season. There’s an abundance of lake specific changes across the state, as well as new season frameworks for inland trout and muskie. 

According to the DNR website, there are 31 lakes with new regulations for Oneida and Vials counties alone, 24 of which are related to panfish. Throughout Wisconsin, there are over 100 lakes with new panfish regulations. In addition, four lakes in Vilas and Oneida counties are listed as having new walleye regulations on the DNR website, including West Plum Lake in Vilas County, and George, Crescent, and Amber lakes in Oneida County. 

“Walleye is what’s on most everybody’s mind,” said Kurt Justice, owner of Kurt’s Island Sport Shop. He added that he was out on Minocqua Lake netting walleye and noted that the walleye spawn is nearly over, but this week’s cooler weather could extend it. 

“We could see that Minocqua Lake is getting pretty close to done (with the spawn), though this cooler weather is probably going to stretch some spawning out. Most lakes, except for the real big ones, will probably be past the spawn, but those fish are going to be hungry, and after a few days, they kind of rest, and then those walleyes will move back up in the shallows, looking for bait fish of any kind that they can feed on.”

Justice said he usually tells anglers who fish on small, mid-sized lakes, or in darker, warmer water during the post-walleye spawn to go shallow. He added that it’s important to look for any emerging green weeds you can find and that anglers can jig a 1/16th ounce jig with a live minnow through the newly emerging cabbage, or can work a light twitch bait to cover more ground. 

“Work (the twitch bait) over the shallow weed flats,” Justice says. “You just kind of tap it and twitch it and work it real slow, or just retrieve it real slow. Like I say, those fish, the rigors of spawning after they’ve got done, they kind of move out into deep water for a while, just to kind of recuperate, and then they move back in to start feeding.”

Crappie are another high commodity target this time of year, and Justice noted that they could be up in only a foot or two of water. “What you have to do is make long casts,” he says. “Stay way back away from where you’re targeting and make really long casts so that you don’t spook those fish.”

Heavier floats make long casts a bit easier Justice said. In addition, it can be beneficial to not even use a weight, so the minnow, should you choose to use one, can swim around freely. “Lightly hook the minnow between the tail and the dorsal fin, towards the back,” Justice said. This gives it a more free swimming and lifelike appearance to spooky fish. When fishing in the shallows for crappie and other panfish, don’t be surprised to encounter bass either. 

As you take your own tips and tricks to the water, the DNR also reminds you that to help protect the resource, minimize the spread of invasive species by removing plants and animals from your vessel and trailer before and after launching, drain all water from compartments, and never move live fish away from a waterbody. It’s also important to review the rules and regulations for intended fishing waters, often posted at designated landings, and to follow safe boating procedures. 

Blake Richard may be reached via email at [email protected].