Overview
The upriver lakes of the vast Winnebago system. The annual spring runs of walleye and white bass are particularly famous and attract thousands of anglers each year. Fishery boasts nearly 20 species of gamefish and panfish. Featured species include, walleye, white bass, channel catfish. 27,466 acres
Lake Poygan Map
Fishing Regulations
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 WINNEBAGO CHAIN including CINCOE LAKE, LAKE BUTTE DES MORTS, LAKE WINNEBAGO, LAKE WINNECONNE, PARTRIDGE CROP LAKE, PARTRIDGE LAKE Catch and release fishing for largemouth and smallmouth bass is open year round unless otherwise noted. Motor Trolling is allowed with up to 3 hooks, baits, or lures, per angler. Open all year for all species except muskellunge, northern pike, flathead catfish and lake sturgeon.
Special Species Regulations
- Bowfin: See Rough Fish.
- 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
- Crappies: See Panfish.
- Flathead catfish: May 3, 2025 to September 30, 2025: The minimum length is 30, but flathead catfish from 36” to 42” may not be kept.The daily bag limit is 1
- Hybrid, Striped, Yellow, and White Bass: See Rock, Yellow and White Bass.
- Longnose gar: See Rough Fish.
- Bluegill: See Panfish.
- Sauger and hybrids: Open all year: The daily bag limit is 1
- 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.
- Panfish: Open all year: No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is 25
- Walleye, Saugers, 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
- 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
- Cisco and whitefish: Open all year: No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is 10
- Lake sturgeon: Closed. No fishing allowed.
- Muskellunge and hybrids: May 3, 2025 to December 31, 2025: The minimum length limit is 50” and the daily bag limit is 1
- Northern pike: May 3, 2025 to March 1, 2026: The minimum length limit is 26” and the daily bag limit is 2
- Largemouth bass and smallmouth bass: Open all year: The minimum length limit is 14” and the daily bag limit is 5
- Largemouth bass: See Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass.
- Smallmouth bass: See Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass.
- Paddlefish: Closed. No fishing allowed.
- White perch: Open all year: The daily bag limit is 0. One may be killed and transported to a WDNR Office
- 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
- Shovelnose sturgeon: Closed. No fishing allowed.
- Trout and salmon: See Trout regulations layer.
Features
Forage
Seasonal Movements
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Fish Species
Lake Poygan Bluegill abundance
Average range for similar lakes
Abundance ratings are based on Catch Per Unit Effort (CPUE) measurements conducted by the MN DNR, and represent a snapshot of a species population at a given point in time.
Source: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Survey cadence may vary by state and water body.| Survey Year | Largest Fish (in) |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 9 |
| 2017 | 10 |
| 2016 | 9 |
Abundance ratings are based on Catch Per Unit Effort (CPUE) measurements conducted by the MN DNR, and represent a snapshot of a species population at a given point in time.
Source: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Survey cadence may vary by state and water body.Lake Poygan Crappie abundance
Average range for similar lakes
Abundance ratings are based on Catch Per Unit Effort (CPUE) measurements conducted by the MN DNR, and represent a snapshot of a species population at a given point in time.
Source: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Survey cadence may vary by state and water body.Abundance ratings are based on Catch Per Unit Effort (CPUE) measurements conducted by the MN DNR, and represent a snapshot of a species population at a given point in time.
Source: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Survey cadence may vary by state and water body.Lake Poygan Largemouth bass abundance
Average range for similar lakes
Abundance ratings are based on Catch Per Unit Effort (CPUE) measurements conducted by the MN DNR, and represent a snapshot of a species population at a given point in time.
Source: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Survey cadence may vary by state and water body.Abundance ratings are based on Catch Per Unit Effort (CPUE) measurements conducted by the MN DNR, and represent a snapshot of a species population at a given point in time.
Source: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Survey cadence may vary by state and water body.Lake Poygan Northern pike abundance
Average range for similar lakes
Abundance ratings are based on Catch Per Unit Effort (CPUE) measurements conducted by the MN DNR, and represent a snapshot of a species population at a given point in time.
Source: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Survey cadence may vary by state and water body.| Survey Year | Largest Fish (in) |
|---|---|
| 2017 | 38 |
Lake Poygan Perch abundance
Average range for similar lakes
Abundance ratings are based on Catch Per Unit Effort (CPUE) measurements conducted by the MN DNR, and represent a snapshot of a species population at a given point in time.
Source: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Survey cadence may vary by state and water body.| Survey Year | Largest Fish (in) |
|---|---|
| 2017 | 12 |
Lake Poygan Pumpkinseed abundance
Average range for similar lakes
Abundance ratings are based on Catch Per Unit Effort (CPUE) measurements conducted by the MN DNR, and represent a snapshot of a species population at a given point in time.
Source: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Survey cadence may vary by state and water body.Lake Poygan Rock bass abundance
Average range for similar lakes
Abundance ratings are based on Catch Per Unit Effort (CPUE) measurements conducted by the MN DNR, and represent a snapshot of a species population at a given point in time.
Source: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Survey cadence may vary by state and water body.Lake Poygan Smallmouth bass abundance
Average range for similar lakes
Abundance ratings are based on Catch Per Unit Effort (CPUE) measurements conducted by the MN DNR, and represent a snapshot of a species population at a given point in time.
Source: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Survey cadence may vary by state and water body.| Survey Year | Largest Fish (in) |
|---|---|
| 2018 | 18 |
| 2017 | 18 |
| 2016 | 18 |
Abundance ratings are based on Catch Per Unit Effort (CPUE) measurements conducted by the MN DNR, and represent a snapshot of a species population at a given point in time.
Source: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Survey cadence may vary by state and water body.Lake Poygan Walleye abundance
Average range for similar lakes
Abundance ratings are based on Catch Per Unit Effort (CPUE) measurements conducted by the MN DNR, and represent a snapshot of a species population at a given point in time.
Source: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Survey cadence may vary by state and water body.Abundance ratings are based on Catch Per Unit Effort (CPUE) measurements conducted by the MN DNR, and represent a snapshot of a species population at a given point in time.
Source: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Survey cadence may vary by state and water body.| Survey Year | Largest Fish (in) |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 17 |
Abundance ratings are based on Catch Per Unit Effort (CPUE) measurements conducted by the MN DNR, and represent a snapshot of a species population at a given point in time.
Source: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Survey cadence may vary by state and water body.
