Island Spear Co.

Regulations Wisconsin

Spearfishing Regulations in Wisconsin

Checked against the primary source (Wisconsin DNR) on July 5, 2026state

Governing agency: Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (Wisconsin DNR). Last verified July 5, 2026 by independent primary-source check.

Summary

Wisconsin has no ocean coast, so there is no saltwater spearfishing - its Lake Superior and Lake Michigan/Green Bay shorelines are fresh water. In fresh water, rough fish (suckers, carp, gar, bowfin, drum, burbot and more) may be taken by hand-held spear, spear gun, bow-and-arrow or crossbow during open seasons, and Wisconsin uniquely allows underwater SCUBA/skin-diving spearfishing of a specific list of panfish (white/yellow/rock bass, crappie, bluegill, perch, pumpkinseed, bullheads) during the rough-fish spearing season. Most game fish - walleye, bass, muskellunge, trout and salmon - may NOT be speared, but Wisconsin is a rare state that legally allows spearing of two game fish: lake sturgeon (through the ice from a darkened shanty during the famous Lake Winnebago season) and northern pike (through the ice in Lake Superior). A DNR fishing license is required for spearing, and the sturgeon fishery requires its own separate license and carcass tags.

License

What you need to be legal

LegalA license is required
License
Wisconsin fishing license (for general spearing); a separate Sturgeon Spearing License (Lake Winnebago or Upriver Lakes) is required to spear lake sturgeon
Who needs it
Everyone spearing fish needs a Wisconsin fishing license, except residents 15 and under and residents born before 1927; nonresidents under 16 do still need a license to spear 13. To spear lake sturgeon in the Winnebago System you must additionally hold a sturgeon spearing license and carcass tag, and be at least 12 years old 4.
Resident cost
Resident annual fishing license $20.00; resident one-day license $8.00; first-time buyers (or those who have not bought in 10 years) can get an annual license for $5.00. Sturgeon spearing license (residents): $20.00. 34
Non-resident cost
Nonresident annual fishing license $55.00; nonresident one-day license $15.00. Sturgeon spearing license (nonresidents): $65.00. 34
Where to buy
Online through the DNR 'Go Wild' system at GoWild.Wi.Gov, at licensed sales locations statewide (bait, tackle and sporting-goods retailers), or at DNR Service Centers. Sturgeon spearing licenses must be purchased before deadlines (Lake Winnebago by Oct. 31) and the license and carcass tag must be printed and carried while spearing. 34

Exemptions

  • Wisconsin residents 15 years old and younger fish (and spear) without a license 3
  • Wisconsin residents born before 1927 are exempt from the fishing license 3
  • Note: nonresidents under 16 are NOT exempt - they need a license to spear 1

The full story

The full story

Wisconsin looks landlocked from a saltwater diver's point of view - there is no ocean and no marine water, so there is nothing to spear in the sea. But calling it a plain 'rough-fish-only' inland state undersells it, because Wisconsin is one of the most interesting freshwater spearing jurisdictions in the country, and a diver needs to understand exactly what is and is not allowed.

First, the license question passes the law-versus-practice test cleanly. A Wisconsin fishing license is genuinely required to spear, it is actively sold through the DNR's Go Wild system, and it is enforced by conservation wardens. There is no paper-only license gap here. Residents 15 and under and those born before 1927 are exempt; nonresidents under 16 are not. Separately, the lake sturgeon fishery has its own dedicated license and carcass-tag system with hard purchase deadlines and sex-specific harvest caps - this is a heavily managed, heavily enforced fishery, not a technicality.

Second, Wisconsin is a rare state that legally lets you spear a game fish - in fact two. Lake sturgeon may be speared, but only through the ice from a darkened shanty during the tightly regulated Lake Winnebago and Upriver Lakes season (the 2026 season opens Feb. 14 for up to 16 days, or until the harvest caps are hit). Wisconsin describes this as one of only two places in North America where sturgeon can be harvested with a spear. Northern pike, otherwise not spearable, may be speared through the ice specifically in Lake Superior. Neither of these is an open-water freediving opportunity - both are ice-season, method-specific traditions.

Third, Wisconsin is unusually explicit and friendly about underwater spearfishing. Where many states are silent on whether you can SCUBA or freedive with a speargun, Wisconsin affirmatively allows it - but only for a specific panfish list (white bass, yellow bass, rock bass, crappie, bluegill, perch, pumpkinseed and bullheads), only during the open rough-fish spearing season, only sunrise to sunset, and only where those species' seasons are open, with normal bag and length limits. Spearguns are named right in the definition of 'spearing.' On the Great Lakes 'outlying waters,' it is unlawful to spear any game fish except those same panfish while skin or SCUBA diving.

Finally, watch the geography and the clock. Nine northern counties are closed to spearing entirely - you cannot even possess a spear on those inland waters. Hand spearing is banned from sunset to sunrise everywhere, hand-held spears are barred within 200 feet of dams, locks and fishways, and each Great Lakes and boundary-water stretch (Minnesota, Iowa, Michigan) has its own season and gear rules. A diver planning a trip should pull the current-year 'Guide to Wisconsin Spearing, Netting and Bait Harvest Regulations' and confirm the specific water before getting in.

Where it's legal

Saltwater & freshwater

Saltwater

Not permitted

Wisconsin is an Upper Midwest state with no ocean coastline and no marine (saltwater) waters, so saltwater spearfishing does not exist here. Its Great Lakes coastline - Lake Superior in the north and Lake Michigan/Green Bay in the east - is fresh water and is regulated by the Wisconsin DNR as 'outlying waters,' not as a marine fishery. All Wisconsin spearfishing is freshwater. 12

Freshwater

Legal

Freshwater spearing is legal but tightly species- and method-limited. Wisconsin defines 'spearing' broadly as fishing with a shaft-and-barbed-point device including spears, spear guns, bow and arrow, crossbow and atlatls 1. Rough fish (suckers, common carp, invasive carp, goldfish, freshwater drum, burbot, bowfin, gar, lamprey, alewife, gizzard shad, smelt, mooneye, and small nongame species) may be taken by hand-held spear June 1-Aug. 31 and by bow/crossbow during open seasons; most counties have a continuous open season, but nine northern counties (Ashland, Bayfield, Forest, Iron, Menominee, Oneida, Price, Sawyer, Vilas) are closed to spearing entirely 1. Spearing by hand is prohibited from sunset to sunrise on all waters 1. Underwater SCUBA/skin-diving spearfishing is allowed only for white bass, yellow bass, rock bass, crappie, bluegill, perch, pumpkinseed and bullheads, during the open rough-fish spearing season, sunrise to sunset, where those species' seasons are also open, with bag and length limits applying 1. Two game fish are legally spearable: lake sturgeon through the ice from a darkened shanty during the licensed Winnebago System season 4, and northern pike through the ice in Lake Superior 1. All other game fish may not be speared. There is no bag limit on rough fish except suckers (600) 1.

Gear

What you can carry

Speargun
Legal. 'Spear guns' are expressly included in Wisconsin's statutory definition of 'spearing' (a device consisting of a shaft with an attached sharp, barbed point or points). A speargun would be used for underwater SCUBA/skin-diving take of the permitted panfish or rough fish during open seasons, sunrise to sunset. 1
Pole spear
Legal as a hand-held spear. Rough fish may be taken by hand-held spear June 1-Aug. 31 (and panfish/rough fish by underwater spearing during the rough-fish season). Spearing by hand is prohibited from sunset to sunrise on all waters, and hand-held spears may not be possessed within 200 feet of a dam, lock or fishway on inland and boundary waters (with a narrow fishway exception where spearing is allowed). Note an atlatl does NOT meet the definition of a hand-held spear and is not allowed under that method. 1
Hawaiian sling
Not named specifically in the Wisconsin regulations, but a Hawaiian sling launches a barbed spear shaft and falls within the broad statutory definition of a 'spear'/spearing device. Treat it as governed by the same species, season, area and sunrise-to-sunset rules as other underwater spearing gear, and confirm with the DNR before use. 1
Spearfishing on SCUBA
Yes - and Wisconsin is explicit about it. SCUBA diving and skin diving may be used to spear white bass, yellow bass, rock bass, crappie, bluegill, perch, pumpkinseed (sunfish) and bullheads, in all waters where spearing for rough fish is permitted, from sunrise to sunset during the listed spearing seasons, provided those species' seasons are also open; daily bag limits and length restrictions apply. 1

Gear restrictions

  • Spearing by hand is prohibited from sunset to sunrise on all waters (bow/crossbow for rough fish may be used at night during the open season) 1
  • Hand-held spears may not be possessed within 200 feet of a dam, lock or fishway on inland and boundary waters, except rough fish may be taken by hand-held spear June 1-Aug. 31 within 200 feet of fishways where spearing is allowed 1
  • Underwater SCUBA/skin-diving spearing is limited to the listed panfish (and rough fish) and only sunrise to sunset during the open rough-fish spearing season 1
  • Bow and arrow or crossbow may take rough fish or catfish only if the arrow has a metal barbed tip attached to the bow with a tethered retrieval line 1
  • Nine northern counties (Ashland, Bayfield, Forest, Iron, Menominee, Oneida, Price, Sawyer, Vilas) are closed to spearing - no spear or similar device may even be possessed on those inland waters or shores 1
  • Spears may not be possessed on parts of the Embarrass, Wolf and Fox Rivers except when authorized during the established sturgeon spearing season 1
  • An atlatl does not meet the hand-held spear definition and is not allowed as a hand-held spear 1

Do not spear

Prohibited species

  • Walleye and sauger may NOT be speared - they are game fish and are not on any authorized spearing list 1
  • Largemouth and smallmouth (black) bass may NOT be speared 1
  • Muskellunge may NOT be speared 1
  • Trout and salmon may NOT be speared 1
  • Northern pike may NOT be speared generally - the ONLY exception is spearing through the ice in Lake Superior 1
  • On outlying (Great Lakes) waters - Lake Superior, Lake Michigan, Green Bay, Sturgeon Bay - it is unlawful to spear any game fish, except white bass, yellow bass, rock bass, panfish and bullheads may be speared while skin or SCUBA diving during the open rough-fish spearing season 1
  • Lake sturgeon may NOT be speared anywhere except during the licensed, tagged Winnebago System (Lake Winnebago / Upriver Lakes) sturgeon spearing season 4

Where you can't

Area restrictions

  • Nine northern counties are entirely closed to spearing: Ashland (except a Bad River burbot exception), Bayfield, Forest, Iron, Menominee, Oneida, Price, Sawyer and Vilas, plus the Menominee River in Florence/Marinette counties 1
  • No hand-held spear within 200 feet of any dam, lock or fishway on inland and boundary waters (narrow fishway exception June 1-Aug. 31 where allowed) 1
  • Spears prohibited on the Embarrass River below Pella Dam (Shawano Co.), the Wolf River (Shawano Dam to Fox River) and the Fox River (Johnson Creek to below Lake Winnebago), except when authorized during the established sturgeon spearing season 1
  • Wisconsin/Minnesota boundary waters: rough fish spearing season Saturday nearest April 21 to March 1; spears only sunrise to sunset (bow/crossbow may also be used from the Wisconsin side at night) 1
  • Wisconsin/Iowa boundary waters: continuous open season; spears only sunrise to sunset 1
  • Wisconsin/Michigan boundary waters: no open season for spearing; only bow/crossbow for catfish/rough fish/bullheads in Wisconsin waters 1
  • Sturgeon spearing tags are area-locked: Lake Winnebago tags are valid only on Lake Winnebago; Upriver Lakes tags only on Lakes Poygan, Winneconne and Butte des Morts 4

Worth knowing

Notable rules, seasons & limits

  • Wisconsin is one of only two places in North America where lake sturgeon can legally be harvested with a spear - through the ice from a darkened shanty during the famous Lake Winnebago / Upriver Lakes season (opens Feb. 14 in 2026, up to 16 days or until sex-specific harvest caps are met) 4
  • Northern pike is otherwise off-limits to spearing, but may be speared through the ice in Lake Superior 1
  • SCUBA and skin diving are explicitly legal for spearing a defined panfish list (white/yellow/rock bass, crappie, bluegill, perch, pumpkinseed, bullheads) - many states are silent on SCUBA, Wisconsin is not 1
  • Spearing by hand is banned from sunset to sunrise, but bow/crossbow take of rough fish is allowed at night (including with lights and laser sights) during the open season 1
  • Rough fish and catfish taken by bow/crossbow may NOT be released back to the water or left on the ice or bank - you must keep or properly dispose of them 1
  • Channel/flathead catfish and bullheads may be taken by hand ('noodling') June 1-Aug. 31, but hooks, poles, gaffs, snorkel and SCUBA gear are prohibited for hand-catfishing 1
  • No bag limit on rough fish except suckers, which are capped at 600 1

What divers here typically use

Gear up for Wisconsin spearfishing

Where spearfishing is allowed in Wisconsin, this is the core kit divers assemble before their first day in the water. Our honest guide to the Beginner Spearfishing Gear List walks through what to look for — curated from published specs and community consensus, not paid placement.

If you break them

Penalties

Spearing a species not authorized for spearing (e.g., walleye, bass, muskellunge, trout, salmon, or northern pike outside Lake Superior ice), spearing in a closed county or restricted area, spearing without a required fishing or sturgeon license, or violating season/gear rules violates Wisconsin's fishing regulations (Wis. Stat. ch. 29 and Wis. Admin. Code ch. NR 20) and is generally a civil forfeiture or misdemeanor carrying fines, natural-resources surcharges, possible revocation of fishing/spearing privileges, and seizure of equipment; illegally taken fish and unlawful sturgeon can trigger additional restitution. Exact forfeiture and fine schedules were not read from the primary penalty statutes in this pass (see unverified). 12

Not yet independently confirmed — verify directly

  • Exact civil forfeiture / fine amounts, natural-resources surcharges, and equipment-seizure specifics for spearing violations were not read from the primary penalty statutes (Wis. Stat. ch. 29 / Wis. Admin. Code ch. NR 20) in this pass; the penalty summary is stated in general terms.
  • Whether a Hawaiian sling is treated identically to a speargun for underwater spearing is inferred from the broad statutory 'spear' definition rather than explicitly stated in the DNR guide.
  • Precise 2026-2027 open/close calendar dates, county lists, and species seasons can change annually; the general windows and the 2026 sturgeon season dates are given but exact current-year dates should be confirmed against the current DNR spearing guide.
  • The full statewide list of small nongame 'rough fish' species eligible for spearing (madtoms, sculpins, darters, etc.) is summarized, not exhaustively transcribed, from the DNR guide.
  • Whether any additional trout-stream or fish-refuge closures beyond those named apply to spearing was not exhaustively cross-checked against every water-specific regulation.

Confirm these points directly with Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (Wisconsin DNR) before you rely on them.

Primary sources

Sources

Every fact above is drawn from these official sources. Each was retrieved on the date shown; regulations can change after that date.

Quick answers

Frequently asked questions

Is spearfishing legal in Wisconsin?
Saltwater spearfishing is restricted in Wisconsin, and it is permitted in fresh water, subject to license, gear, species, and area rules. Wisconsin is an Upper Midwest state with no ocean coastline and no marine (saltwater) waters, so saltwater spearfishing does not exist here. Its Great Lakes coastline - Lake…
Do you need a license to spearfish in Wisconsin?
Yes. Wisconsin requires the Wisconsin fishing license (for general spearing); a separate Sturgeon Spearing License (Lake Winnebago or Upriver Lakes) is required to spear lake sturgeon. Resident cost: Resident annual fishing license $20.00; resident one-day license $8.00; first-time buyers (or those who have not bought in 10 years) can get an annual license for $5.00. Sturgeon spearing license (residents): $20.00. Non-resident cost: Nonresident annual fishing license $55.00; nonresident one-day license $15.00. Sturgeon spearing license (nonresidents): $65.00.
Can you spearfish on scuba in Wisconsin?
Yes - and Wisconsin is explicit about it. SCUBA diving and skin diving may be used to spear white bass, yellow bass, rock bass, crappie, bluegill, perch, pumpkinseed (sunfish) and bullheads, in all waters where spearing for rough fish is permitted, from sunrise to sunset during…
What can't you spear in Wisconsin?
Protected or no-take species you may not spear in Wisconsin include: Walleye and sauger may NOT be speared, Largemouth and smallmouth, Muskellunge may NOT be speared, Trout and salmon may NOT be speared, Northern pike may NOT be speared generally, On outlying, Lake sturgeon may NOT be speared anywhere except during the licensed, tagged Winnebago System. Always check the full prohibited-species list and current seasons before diving, and confirm with Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (Wisconsin DNR).

Stay current

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Regulations shift between seasons. We re-check Wisconsin's rules against the primary source and send a short note when the limits, seasons, or licensing move — nothing else.

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Last verified July 5, 2026. Regulations change — always confirm the current rules with Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (Wisconsin DNR) before you dive.

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