Western banded killifish Lakes in Wisconsin

Rough fish like Western banded killifish are often associated with eutrophic, nutrient-loaded waters. Their presence — documented in 125 Wisconsin lakes — is often a signal of how the rest of the fishery is functioning. Western banded killifish is moderately distributed — present in 0 Minnesota lakes and 125 Wisconsin lakes. Some counties have it, others do not, so checking the per-lake pages matters.

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 Western banded killifish lake list below against the LakeGrade rubric: lakes with both an A or B grade and Western banded killifish documented are the best places to start for recreational targeting.