Sturgeon Fishing Guide: 29 Lakes by Water Quality

Rough fish like Sturgeon are often associated with eutrophic, nutrient-loaded waters. Their presence — documented in 29 the United States (49 states), Canada (Ontario, Québec, Nova Scotia, British Columbia and Newfoundland and Labrador), and 38 other country hubs. LakeQuality covers lakes — is often a signal of how the rest of the fishery is functioning. Sturgeon is narrowly distributed — only 29 lakes in Wisconsin have a documented record. The constraint is usually habitat: cold water, specific depth profile, or river connection.

Rough-fish-dominant lakes are worth checking the phosphorus and chlorophyll-a readings on: a rough-fish-heavy fishery often reflects an underlying nutrient-loading problem in the watershed. Cross-reference the Sturgeon lake list below against each lake's clarity, phosphorus and algae readings: lakes with low nutrient readings and Sturgeon documented are the best places to start for recreational targeting.

Sturgeon Seasonal Forecast & Techniques

Part of the LakeQuality Fishing Forecast. Spawn trigger: Ancient, slow-growing bottom feeder; spawns in spring on large-river rapids. Long-lived and heavily protected. Forage: Bottom invertebrates — insect larvae, mollusks, small fish. For a forecast tuned to a specific lake's measured clarity and depth, open that lake's forecast.

Season	Where they hold	Structure & cover	Technique
Spring	deep holes / river runs	large-river channels and holes; spawning runs	bottom rigs with nightcrawlers where seasons allow
Summer	deep holes 20–50 ft	deep channels and holes	nightcrawler/cut-bait bottom rigs
Fall	deep holes	deep channels	bottom bait
Winter / Ice	deep	deep wintering holes	limited, tightly regulated

Clear-water tactics:bottom rigs with nightcrawlersStained-water tactics:scented bottom bait — they feed by smell/touch

Lake sturgeon are protected with strict seasons, tags, and size limits — verify regulations before targeting; usually catch-and-release.

Total Lakes

Wisconsin lakes →

37 ft

Avg. Depth

Best Sturgeon Lakes by Water Quality

Top 50 lakes with sturgeon, ranked on nutrient and algae readings.

Rank	Lake	County	State	Depth	Species
1	Lake St Croix	St. Croix	WI	60 ft	7
2	Mercer Lake	Iron	WI	24 ft	7
3	Big Mckenzie Lake	Washburn	WI	71 ft	7
4	Taylor Lake	Waupaca	WI	58 ft	6
5	Round Lake	Price	WI	24 ft	6
6	Butternut Lake	Price	WI	32 ft	7
7	Shawano Lake	Shawano	WI	39.5 ft	6
8	Chippewa Flowage -North of Cranberry Bars Lake	Sawyer	WI	92 ft	8
9	Yellow Lake	Burnett	WI	31 ft	8
10	Petenwell Flowage Lake	Juneau	WI	44 ft	8
11	Clam Lake	Burnett	WI	11 ft	7
12	Lake Wissota	Chippewa	WI	64.4 ft	8
13	Lake Mendota	Dane	WI	83 ft	8
14	Little Lake Butte des Morts	Winnebago	WI	18 ft	7
15	Round Lake	Waupaca	WI	67 ft	8
16	Lake Winneconne	Winnebago	WI	9 ft	8
17	Lake Butte des Morts	Winnebago	WI	9 ft	8
18	Dairyland Reservoir	Rusk	WI	70 ft	8
19	Lake Poygan	Winnebago	WI	11 ft	8
20	Lower Park Falls Flowage Lake	Price	WI	16 ft	5
21	Benson Lake	Vilas	WI	15 ft	7
22	Upper Park Falls Flowage Lake	Price	WI	17 ft	6
23	Danbury Flowage Lake	Burnett	WI	10 ft	8
24	Clam River Flowage Lake	Burnett	WI	29 ft	7
25	Pixley Flowage Lake	Price	WI	23 ft	5
26	Moon Bay Lake	Chippewa	WI	64.4 ft	8
27	Upper Clam Lake	Burnett	WI	11 ft	7
28	Little Yellow Lake	Burnett	WI	21 ft	8
29	Trego Lake	Washburn	WI	36 ft	7

Frequently Asked Questions

How many lakes have sturgeon?

Sturgeon are documented in 29 lakes: 29 in Wisconsin.

What are the best lakes for sturgeon?

The best sturgeon lakes by water quality are Lake St Croix, Mercer Lake, Big Mckenzie Lake, Taylor Lake, Round Lake. These lakes carry the lowest nutrient and algae readings among all lakes where sturgeon have been documented by state DNR surveys.

What other fish are found with sturgeon?

Sturgeon are most commonly found alongside northern pike, walleye, panfish, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass. These species share similar habitat preferences in the region's lakes.

Other Fish Species in Sturgeon Lakes

Northern Pike Lakes

Found together in 29 lakes · 2,386 total

Walleye Lakes

Found together in 29 lakes · 1,884 total

Panfish Lakes

Found together in 28 lakes · 1,090 total

Largemouth Bass Lakes

Found together in 25 lakes · 2,489 total

Smallmouth Bass Lakes

Found together in 25 lakes · 871 total

Musky Lakes

Found together in 24 lakes · 385 total

Fish species from state agency survey, stocking, and public fishing-access records; water-quality readings from the EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys. Species profiles are general reference; always check current state regulations before fishing.