Chippewa Flowage

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 Waterbody Regulations

• Bag limits are for fish caught in all lakes in the CHIPPEWA FLOWAGE including CRANE LAKE, CRYSTAL LAKE, JAMES LAKE, JAMES SLOUGH, MOONSHINE LAKE, SCOTT LAKE, TYNER LAKE Catch and release fishing for largemouth and smallmouth bass is open year round unless otherwise noted. Motor Trolling is allowed with 1 hook, bait, or lure per angler, and 3 hooks, baits, or lures maximum per boat.

Special Species Regulations

• Cisco and whitefish: Open all year: No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is 10
• Catfish: Open all year: No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is 10
• Bullheads: Open all year: No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is unlimited
• Walleye, Saugers, and Hybrids: May 3, 2025 to November 30, 2025: Walleye, sauger, and hybrids from 15” to 20” may be kept, except one fish may be over 24”. The daily bag limit is 3
• Panfish: Open all year: No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is 10
• Bowfin: See Rough Fish.
• Channel catfish: See Catfish.
• Crappies: See Panfish.
• Flathead catfish: See Catfish.
• Hybrid, Striped, Yellow, and White Bass: See Rock, Yellow and White Bass.
• Sauger and hybrids: See Walleye, Sauger, and Hybrids.
• Shortnose gar: See Rough Fish.
• Urban waters gamefish: This waterbody is not considered an urban water, Urban Waters Gamefish regulations do not apply.
• Walleye: See Walleye, Sauger, and Hybrids.
• Largemouth bass and smallmouth bass: June 21, 2025 to March 1, 2026: No minimum length for largemouth bass. Minimum length for smallmouth bass is 14” and bag limit for largemouth bass and smallmouth bass is 5 in total
• Largemouth bass: May 3, 2025 to June 20, 2025: No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is 5
• Smallmouth bass: May 3, 2025 to June 20, 2025: Fish may not be harvested (catch and release only)
• Lake sturgeon: September 6, 2025 to September 30, 2025: All sturgeon taken with hook and line must be tagged and registered. The minimum length is 60” and season limit is 1 fish
• Paddlefish: Closed. No fishing allowed.
• 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 possessed for transport to a WDNR Office
• Ruffe: Open all year: The daily bag limit is 0, one may be killed and possessed for transport to a WDNR Office
• Shovelnose sturgeon: Closed. No fishing allowed.
• Trout and salmon: See Trout regulations layer.
• White perch: Open all year: The daily bag limit is 0, one may be killed and possessed for transport to a WDNR Office
• Bluegill: See Panfish.
• Northern pike: May 3, 2025 to March 1, 2026: No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is 10
• Muskellunge and hybrids: May 24, 2025 to December 31, 2025: The minimum length limit is 50” and the daily bag limit is 1
• Longnose gar: See Rough Fish.