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Best fishing times / Wisconsin

Best Fishing Times in Wisconsin This Week

Near Hayward, Sturgeon Bay and Minocqua: today on a 24 hour timeline and the next seven days rated Fair to Best.

Working out the moon and the sun for Hayward, WI, and reading the forecast.

Fishing somewhere else? Enter any ZIP for your own spot

Photo: “Fall fishing on the Madison River at sunrise”, Jacob W. Frank, Yellowstone National Park (NPS), Public domain

Wisconsin at a glance

Solunar windows plus the agency calendar
3
Towns rated this week
Hayward, Sturgeon Bay and Minocqua
4
Solunar windows a day
two majors, two minors, set against sunrise and sunset
4
Dated entries from the agency
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
4
Fish the calendar names
walleye, trout and salmon and walleye and musky
The fishing year

When fish bite in Wisconsin

Wisconsin's fishing year turns on walleye feeding after the spawn in May, Lake Michigan trout and salmon in July and August, walleye and musky in October, and early ice for walleye and panfish from mid December.

Each entry below is from Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources or its published guides, quoted word for word and linked. Line the season up with the week above: a run in its prime and a Great day with a window at first light is the morning to take off.

  1. May

    Walleye

    In May, walleye fishing across the state is usually good as walleye feed heavily after spawning.

    “Walleye fishing across the state is usually good as walleye begin to feed heavily after spawning.”

    Fabulous year of fishing, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, read October 9, 2026
  2. July and August

    Trout and salmon

    Lake Michigan trout and salmon fishing has been very good in July and August in recent years.

    “Lake Michigan fisheries for trout and salmon have been tremendous in July and August for the last couple of years.”

    Fabulous year of fishing, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, read October 9, 2026
  3. October

    Walleye and musky

    October brings cooler weather and good walleye and musky fishing across the state.

    “October brings cooler weather but great opportunities for walleye and musky fishing across the state.”

    Fabulous year of fishing, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, read October 9, 2026
  4. Mid-December

    Walleye and panfish

    Ice fishing picks up in northern Wisconsin in mid December, with early ice good for walleye and panfish. Check ice conditions with care.

    “Ice fishing starts to pick up in mid-December in northern Wisconsin. Early ice can bring good fishing for walleye and panfish, but anglers need to be very careful about ice conditions.”

    Fabulous year of fishing, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, read October 9, 2026
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Before you go

License, stocking and ice in Wisconsin

Wisconsin fishing licenseWhat a license costs and where to buy one.Wisconsin trout stockingWhere and when the state stocks trout.Wisconsin ice fishingWhen the lakes freeze and the ice is safe.Wisconsin daylightSunrise, sunset and day length all year.
How the days are rated

Reading the Wisconsin timeline

Each day has two major solunar periods of about two hours, centered on the moon overhead and underfoot, and two minor periods of about an hour at moonrise and moonset. A window within an hour of sunrise or sunset is marked in gold. The rating adds the moon phase, the gold windows and a capped nudge from the National Weather Service forecast for each town. Every factor and its points.

Dawn and dusk are the reliable part; the moon windows are the old angler’s rule.

An angler in a cap seen from behind, holding a rod over a calm lake at dusk, with a bobber on pink water and a pine shore beyond
Walleye fishing on a northern Wisconsin lake at dusk. The Wisconsin DNR says that in clear waters walleye stay deep in the day and move into the shallows at night, which is why the hour around sunset is shaded on every timeline here. “Fishing in northern Wisconsin for walleye”, Joanna Gilkeson, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Midwest Region, Public domain

Wisconsin fishing times questions

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