Sturgeon Lakes in Wisconsin

Found in 34 Wisconsin lakes

Sturgeon is a rough-fish species — typically common in productive, nutrient-rich lakes, sometimes treated as a management nuisance by anglers targeting game-fish. 34 lakes carry documentation. 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 LakeGrade rubric: lakes with both an A or B grade and Sturgeon documented are the best places to start for recreational targeting.

Wisconsin Lakes

Avg. Grade

Grade A Lakes

Counties

Best Sturgeon Lakes in Wisconsin

Rank	Lake	County	Grade	Clarity	Depth
1	Round Lake	Waupaca	A	17.5 ft	67 ft
2	Trego Lake	Washburn	A	-	36 ft
3	Mercer Lake	Iron	A	12 ft	24 ft
4	Big Mckenzie Lake	Washburn	A	10 ft	71 ft
5	Taylor Lake	Waupaca	A	10 ft	58 ft
6	Benson Lake	Vilas	B	10.6 ft	15 ft
7	Chippewa Flowage Lake	Sawyer	B	6.9 ft	92 ft
8	Lake St. Croix	St. Croix	B	5.6 ft	60 ft
9	Chippewa Flowage -Pokegema Lake	Sawyer	C	5.8 ft	92 ft
10	Round Lake	Price	C	4 ft	24 ft
11	Shawano Lake	Shawano	C	5.9 ft	39.5 ft
12	Chippewa Flowage -North of Cranberry Bars Lake	Sawyer	C	4.9 ft	92 ft
13	Chippewa Flowage -Moore'S Bay Lake	Sawyer	C	4.1 ft	92 ft
14	Chippewa Flowage -Winter Dam Lake	Sawyer	C	4.4 ft	92 ft
15	Yellow Lake	Burnett	C	6 ft	31 ft
16	Butternut Lake	Price	C	4 ft	32 ft
17	Lake Mendota	Dane	C	5 ft	83 ft
18	Upper Park Falls Flowage Lake	Price	D	3.5 ft	17 ft
19	Danbury Flowage Lake	Burnett	D	6.2 ft	10 ft
20	Clam Lake	Burnett	D	3 ft	11 ft
21	Moon Bay Lake	Chippewa	D	3.7 ft	64.4 ft
22	Lake Wissota	Chippewa	D	3.5 ft	64.4 ft
23	Turtle-Flambeau Flowage Lake	Iron	D	4 ft	50 ft
24	Petenwell Flowage Lake	Juneau	D	2.3 ft	44 ft
25	Lake Winneconne	Winnebago	F	2.4 ft	9 ft
26	Lake Butte des Morts	Winnebago	F	2.3 ft	9 ft
27	Dairyland Reservoir	Rusk	F	1.4 ft	70 ft
28	Lake Poygan	Winnebago	F	2.5 ft	11 ft
29	Lower Park Falls Flowage Lake	Price	F	3.2 ft	16 ft
30	Clam River Flowage Lake	Burnett	F	2.2 ft	29 ft
31	Pixley Flowage Lake	Price	F	2.8 ft	23 ft
32	Little Lake Butte des Morts	Winnebago	F	2 ft	18 ft
33	Upper Clam Lake	Burnett	F	2 ft	11 ft
34	Little Yellow Lake	Burnett	F	-	21 ft

Frequently Asked Questions

How many Wisconsin lakes have sturgeon?

Sturgeon are found in 34 lakes in Wisconsin. The average water quality grade of these lakes is D (Poor).

What are the best sturgeon lakes in Wisconsin?

The best sturgeon lakes in Wisconsin by water quality are Round Lake, Trego Lake, Mercer Lake, Big Mckenzie Lake, Taylor Lake.

Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.