See every public fishing venue in Wisconsin on the map, with boat ramps, camping, parking and full rules for each one.
East Fork Chippewa River is a public river in Ashland County, Sawyer County and Iron County, Wisconsin, managed by State of Wisconsin (public / navigable water). You can fish it on a Wisconsin fishing licence. Bank access is at WI DNR boat landings, state parks and forests, county forest land and road crossings; the public-trust doctrine gives the right to wade and travel below the ordinary high-water mark on any navigable stream even where the bank is private. Public access confirmed via public-trust river.
The Chippewa or Flambeau River — big Northwoods rivers running through flowages and dam pools. Muskellunge, walleye, smallmouth and largemouth bass, northern pike, crappie and bluegill, with channel catfish in the lower reaches.
It runs roughly 83 miles through the Northwoods region. Anglers here mostly fish for muskellunge, walleye, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass; northern pike, black crappie, bluegill, channel catfish are also on record. The nearest other mapped waters on PiscaMaps are Hungry Run and Pine Creek.
Species from PiscaMaps water-type profiles, WI DNR trout designations and hand research.
Night fishing: No statewide night-fishing closure in Wisconsin, though many trout streams close outside the open season and a handful of musky and walleye waters have special night-fishing rules. Spearing for northern pike, sturgeon and rough fish, and the famous winter Lake Winnebago sturgeon spearing season, each have their own dates and licences.
Boats: Most Wisconsin rivers are canoe, kayak and jon-boat water; the Mississippi, Wisconsin, Fox, Wolf and lower Chippewa take bigger boats, and Lake Wisconsin, Lake Superior and Green Bay are full big-water fisheries. The Bois Brule, Namekagon and the northern trout streams are wade water.
Bank & bivvy camping: Bank access is at WI DNR boat landings, state parks and forests, the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest, county forests (some of the largest public forest holdings in the Midwest) and road/bridge crossings. Wisconsin's public-trust doctrine gives the public a right to wade and travel any navigable stream below the ordinary high-water mark, even where the bank itself is private.
Tackle: Statewide walleye/sauger daily bag is 3 (with a 15-inch minimum on many waters, higher on others); muskellunge 1 (40-50 inch minimum depending on the lake); largemouth/smallmouth bass 5 (14-inch minimum, with an early catch-and-release season on many waters before the first Saturday in May); panfish and northern pike limits vary widely by water. Trout regulations depend on the stream classification (Early, General, Catch-and-Release). Check the current WI DNR fishing regulations for this water.
Boat ramps: 3 mapped — Boat ramp, Boat ramp, Boat ramp.
Camping: 3 sites mapped nearby — County Park, Stockfarm Bridge, Marion Park.
Source: OpenStreetMap contributors.
Anyone 16+ needs a Wisconsin DNR fishing licence — the resident annual is about $20, the non-resident annual about $65, and non-resident 1-day/4-day/15-day licences are sold. The resident and non-resident licences cover both inland trout streams and the Great Lakes; a separate Great Lakes salmon/trout stamp is NOT required (folded into the base licence for residents; a Great Lakes trout/salmon stamp applies only in a few specific circumstances non-residents should check). Wisconsin residents 65 and older can buy a low-cost licence; anyone under 16 fishes free. Buy from the DNR at GoWild.wi.gov. A Wisconsin fishing licence covers navigable rivers; Wisconsin's public-trust doctrine gives the right to wade and travel below the ordinary high-water mark on any navigable stream. The Mississippi is fished on a Wisconsin, Minnesota or Iowa licence in the border reaches.
Every water carries species, bank & boat access, current regulations and live water conditions — and members get Swim Mapper, Catch Logger and Trip Planner. It's the only US map with a dedicated carp-water layer.
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