Holcombe Flowage

Holcombe Flowage

Size
3,105ac
Boat Launch
Yes
Carry-in Launch
Yes
Toilet
No
Boat Dock
No
Species in Holcombe Flowage
Walleye
Walleye
Perch
Perch
Crappie
Crappie
Northern pike
Northern pike
Muskellunge
Muskellunge
Bluegill
Bluegill
Largemouth bass
Largemouth bass
Pumpkinseed
Pumpkinseed
Smallmouth bass
Smallmouth bass
Blue catfish
Blue catfish
Channel catfish
Channel catfish
Flathead catfish
Flathead catfish
Rock bass
Rock bass
Sturgeon
Sturgeon

Overview

One of Wisconsin's best for walleye, muskie and crappie. Famous for its fall sturgeon action.

Holcombe Flowage 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

  • 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.

Special Species Regulations

  • Catfish: Open all year: No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is 10
  • Cisco and whitefish: Open all year: No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is 10
  • 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
  • Muskellunge and hybrids: May 24, 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: No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is 5
  • Largemouth bass and smallmouth bass: May 3, 2025 to March 1, 2026: The minimum length limit is 14” and the daily bag limit is 5. East of Hwy 27 is in the Northern Bass Zone
  • Largemouth bass: See Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass.
  • Smallmouth bass: See Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass.
  • Bullheads: Open all year: No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is unlimited
  • Trout and salmon: See Trout regulations layer.
  • Ruffe: Open all year: The daily bag limit is 0, one may be killed and possessed for transport to a WDNR Office
  • Bluegill: See Panfish.
  • 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.
  • Longnose gar: See Rough Fish.
  • 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.
  • 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
  • White perch: Open all year: The daily bag limit is 0, one may be killed and possessed for transport to a WDNR Office
  • Walleye, Saugers, and Hybrids: May 3, 2025 to March 1, 2026: The minimum length is 13”, but walleye, sauger, and hybrids from 16” to 24” may not be kept, and only 1 fish over 24” is allowed. The daily bag limit is 3
  • Panfish: Open all year: No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is 25
  • Shovelnose sturgeon: Closed. No fishing allowed.
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Fish Species

Blue catfish
fish
No survey data
Abundance (CPUE)
No abundance data
Understanding Abundance

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.
Species Lengths
No Survey Data
Bluegill
fish
5-10 in
Length Range
7 in
Length Range
2022
Surveyed
Abundance (CPUE)
Low
2022
Surveyed
Electro
Catch Method
6.2112
0Statewide Range849.0614

Holcombe Flowage Bluegill abundance

Average range for similar lakes

Understanding Abundance

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.
Species Lengths
2022
Apr
2022
Jun
Trophy Potential
This lake has a history of supporting trophy sized bluegill based on past surveys.
Survey YearLargest Fish (in)
20229
Channel catfish
fish
21-22 in
Length Range
22 in
Length Range
2017
Surveyed
Abundance (CPUE)
Unknown
2017
Surveyed
Trapnet
Catch Method
Understanding Abundance

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.
Species Lengths
2013
May
2017
May
Crappie
fish
5-10 in
Length Range
7 in
Length Range
2022
Surveyed
Abundance (CPUE)
Above Avg.
2022
Surveyed
Electro
Catch Method
18.6335
0Statewide Range84.8403

Holcombe Flowage Crappie abundance

Average range for similar lakes

Understanding Abundance

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.
Species Lengths
2022
Apr
2022
Jun
Flathead catfish
fish
No survey data
Abundance (CPUE)
No abundance data
Understanding Abundance

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.
Species Lengths
No Survey Data
Largemouth bass
fish
5-10 in
Length Range
7 in
Length Range
2022
Surveyed
Abundance (CPUE)
Below Avg.
2022
Surveyed
Electro
Catch Method
1.8323
0Statewide Range83.5649

Holcombe Flowage Largemouth bass abundance

Average range for similar lakes

Understanding Abundance

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.
Species Lengths
2022
Apr
2022
Jun
Muskellunge
fish
8-13 in
Length Range
10 in
Length Range
2022
Surveyed
Abundance (CPUE)
Above Avg.
2022
Surveyed
Electro
Catch Method
2.3073
0Statewide Range6.56125

Holcombe Flowage Muskellunge abundance

Average range for similar lakes

Understanding Abundance

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.
Species Lengths
2022
Apr
2022
Oct
Northern pike
fish
12-35 in
Length Range
20 in
Length Range
2022
Surveyed
Abundance (CPUE)
Above Avg.
2022
Surveyed
Trapnet
Catch Method
0.0847
0Statewide Range0.3447

Holcombe Flowage Northern pike abundance

Average range for similar lakes

Understanding Abundance

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.
Species Lengths
2017
May
2022
Apr
Perch
fish
5-10 in
Length Range
7 in
Length Range
2022
Surveyed
Abundance (CPUE)
Outlier
2022
Surveyed
Trapnet
Catch Method
5.2419
0Statewide Range0.7271

Holcombe Flowage Perch abundance

Average range for similar lakes

Understanding Abundance

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.
Species Lengths
2022
Apr
2022
Jun
Pumpkinseed
fish
5-10 in
Length Range
7 in
Length Range
2022
Surveyed
Abundance (CPUE)
Low
2022
Surveyed
Trapnet
Catch Method
0.0296
0Statewide Range3.0770333333333335

Holcombe Flowage Pumpkinseed abundance

Average range for similar lakes

Understanding Abundance

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.
Species Lengths
2022
Apr
2022
Jun
Rock bass
fish
5-9 in
Length Range
7 in
Length Range
2013
Surveyed
Abundance (CPUE)
Unknown
2013
Surveyed
Trapnet
Catch Method
Understanding Abundance

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.
Species Lengths
2006
Oct
2013
May
Smallmouth bass
fish
5-10 in
Length Range
7 in
Length Range
2022
Surveyed
Abundance (CPUE)
Low
2022
Surveyed
Electro
Catch Method
0.9162
0Statewide Range80.5292

Holcombe Flowage Smallmouth bass abundance

Average range for similar lakes

Understanding Abundance

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.
Species Lengths
2022
Apr
2022
Jun
Sturgeon
fish
No survey data
Abundance (CPUE)
No abundance data
Understanding Abundance

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.
Species Lengths
No Survey Data
Walleye
fish
8-13 in
Length Range
10 in
Length Range
2022
Surveyed
Abundance (CPUE)
Outlier
2022
Surveyed
Electro
Catch Method
227.042
0Statewide Range75.60845

Holcombe Flowage Walleye abundance

Average range for similar lakes

Understanding Abundance

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.
Species Lengths
2022
Apr
2022
Oct