Sturgeon Fishing Guide

Other SpeciesDocumented in 34 graded lakes across 1 state

Rough fish like Sturgeon are often associated with eutrophic, nutrient-loaded waters. Their presence — documented in 34 the 49 states and 2 Canadian provinces LakeQuality covers lakes — is often a signal of how the rest of the fishery is functioning. Sturgeon is narrowly distributed — only 34 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 grade on: a rough-fish-heavy fishery often reflects an underlying nutrient-loading problem in the watershed. Cross-reference the Sturgeon lake list below against the letter grades: lakes with both an A or B grade 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 →

Avg. Grade

43 ft

Avg. Depth

Water Quality of Sturgeon Lakes

12%

24%

18%

Best Sturgeon Lakes by Water Quality

Top 50 lakes with sturgeon ranked by overall water quality grade.

Rank	Lake	County	State	Grade	Depth	Species
1	Lake St Croix	St. Croix	WI	B	60 ft	7
2	Mercer Lake	Iron	WI	B	24 ft	7
3	Big Mckenzie Lake	Washburn	WI	B	71 ft	7
4	Taylor Lake	Waupaca	WI	B	58 ft	6
5	Round Lake	Price	WI	C	24 ft	6
6	Chippewa Flowage Lake	Sawyer	WI	C	92 ft	8
7	Butternut Lake	Price	WI	C	32 ft	7
8	Shawano Lake	Shawano	WI	C	39.5 ft	6
9	Chippewa Flowage -North of Cranberry Bars Lake	Sawyer	WI	C	92 ft	8
10	Chippewa Flowage -Moore'S Bay Lake	Sawyer	WI	C	92 ft	8
11	Yellow Lake	Burnett	WI	C	31 ft	8
12	Chippewa Flowage -Pokegema Lake	Sawyer	WI	C	92 ft	8
13	Petenwell Flowage Lake	Juneau	WI	D	44 ft	8
14	Chippewa Flowage -Winter Dam Lake	Sawyer	WI	D	92 ft	8
15	Clam Lake	Burnett	WI	D	11 ft	7
16	Lake Wissota	Chippewa	WI	D	64.4 ft	8
17	Lake Mendota	Dane	WI	D	83 ft	8
18	Little Lake Butte des Morts	Winnebago	WI	D	18 ft	7
19	Round Lake	Waupaca	WI	NR	67 ft	8
20	Lake Winneconne	Winnebago	WI	NR	9 ft	8
21	Lake Butte des Morts	Winnebago	WI	NR	9 ft	8
22	Dairyland Reservoir	Rusk	WI	NR	70 ft	8
23	Lake Poygan	Winnebago	WI	NR	11 ft	8
24	Lower Park Falls Flowage Lake	Price	WI	NR	16 ft	5
25	Benson Lake	Vilas	WI	NR	15 ft	7
26	Upper Park Falls Flowage Lake	Price	WI	NR	17 ft	6
27	Danbury Flowage Lake	Burnett	WI	NR	10 ft	8
28	Clam River Flowage Lake	Burnett	WI	NR	29 ft	7
29	Pixley Flowage Lake	Price	WI	NR	23 ft	5
30	Moon Bay Lake	Chippewa	WI	NR	64.4 ft	8
31	Turtle-Flambeau Flowage Lake	Iron	WI	NR	50 ft	7
32	Upper Clam Lake	Burnett	WI	NR	11 ft	7
33	Little Yellow Lake	Burnett	WI	NR	21 ft	8
34	Trego Lake	Washburn	WI	NR	36 ft	7

Frequently Asked Questions

How many lakes have sturgeon?

Sturgeon are found in 34 graded lakes: 34 in Wisconsin. The average water quality grade of lakes with sturgeon is C (Fair).

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 have the highest water quality grades 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 34 lakes · 2,487 total

Walleye Lakes

Found together in 34 lakes · 1,982 total

Panfish Lakes

Found together in 33 lakes · 1,152 total

Largemouth Bass Lakes

Found together in 30 lakes · 2,593 total

Smallmouth Bass Lakes

Found together in 30 lakes · 953 total

Musky Lakes

Found together in 29 lakes · 419 total

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