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 Waterbody Regulations

• Open all year for all species except muskellunge, northern pike, flathead catfish and lake sturgeon.
• Motor Trolling is allowed with up to 3 hooks, baits, or lures, per angler.
• Catch and release fishing for largemouth and smallmouth bass is open year round unless otherwise noted.

Special Species Regulations

• Cisco and whitefish: Open All Year: No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is 10.
• Lake sturgeon: Closed: No fishing allowed.
• 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 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.
• White perch: Open All Year: The daily bag limit is 0. One may be killed and transported to a WDNR Office.
• 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.
• Trout: See specific regulations: https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/fishing/trout/.
• Northern pike: May 4, 2024 to March 2, 2025: The minimum length limit is 26” and the daily bag limit is 2.
• Muskellunge and hybrids: May 4, 2024 to December 31, 2024: The minimum length limit is 50” and the daily bag limit is 1.
• Largemouth bass and smallmouth bass: Open All Year: The minimum length limit is 14” and the daily bag limit is 5.
• Panfish: Open All Year: No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is 25.
• Flathead catfish: May 4, 2024 to September 30, 2024: The minimum length is 30, but flathead catfish from 36” to 42” may not be kept.The daily bag limit is 1.
• 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.
• Catfish: Open All Year: See specific species regulations in this group.
• Sauger and hybrids: Open All Year: The daily bag limit is 1.
• Bullheads: Open All Year: No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is unlimited.