Tom Bayou

Special Fishing Regulations: This lake has special fishing regulations that differ from statewide or border water regulations for those species identified below and take precedence. Regulations listed below are currently in place. Visit the fishing regulations page for links to upcoming regulations for specific lakes.

Special Species Regulations

• Bullheads: Open All Year: No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is unlimited.
• Catfish: Open All Year: See specific species regulations in this group.
• Channel Catfish: Open All Year: No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is 25 in total, but only 24 if one flathead catfish is included.
• Cisco And Whitefish: Open All Year: No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is 10.
• Flathead Catfish: May 2, 2026 to September 30, 2026: The minimum length is 30, but flathead catfish from 36” to 42” may not be kept.The daily bag limit is 1.
• Lake Sturgeon: Closed: No fishing allowed.
• Largemouth Bass And Smallmouth Bass: Open All Year: The minimum length limit is 14” and the daily bag limit is 5.
• Muskellunge And Hybrids: May 2, 2026 to December 31, 2026 on open water: The minimum length limit is 50” and the daily bag limit is 1.
• Northern Pike: May 2, 2026 to March 7, 2027: The minimum length limit is 26” and the daily bag limit is 2.
• Paddlefish: Closed: No fishing allowed.
• Panfish: Open All Year: No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is 25.
• Rock, Yellow, And White Bass: Open All Year: No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is unlimited.
• Rough Fish: Open All Year: No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is unlimited.
• Round Goby: Open All Year: The daily bag limit is 0. One may be killed and transported to a WDNR Office.
• Ruffe: Open All Year: The daily bag limit is 0. One may be killed and transported to a WDNR Office.
• Sauger And Hybrids: Open All Year: The daily bag limit is 1.
• Shovelnose Sturgeon: Closed: No fishing allowed.
• Trout: See specific regulations: See Trout Regulations
• Walleye, Sauger, And Hybrids: Open All Year: No minimum length limit and the daily bag is 3, only one of which may be a sauger or hybrid.
• White Perch: Open All Year: The daily bag limit is 0. One may be killed and transported to a WDNR Office.