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Turtle-Flambeau Flowage Fishing Report

Updated Fri, Oct 23, 2026 from live gauge and weather data

Turtle-Flambeau Flowage: a 12,942-acre Iron County flowage inside a state scenic waters area, with walleye rated abundant by WDNR.

3/5
Fair. Fish the windows.A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day.
Water temp
~55 F est.
Air / High
72 / 72 F
Wind
SSW 11 mph

Sources: Open-Meteo, solunar calculated for these coordinates.

Satellite view
Friday
23
October 2026

Today's Fishing Report

Generated this morning from live readings: gauge, weather model, sun and moon. A fresh report is published here every morning.

3/5Fair. Fish the windows.A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day.

Turtle-Flambeau Flowage rewards those who follow the bait as the water cools. Today brings clear skies, wind SSW around 11 mph, steady pressure near 1021 hPa and a high of 72. Water sits around 55 F for the season (estimated). With the waxing gibbous, the solunar majors run 9:35 AM-11:35 AM and 10:06 PM-12:06 AM: the windows to build the day around.

The plan, species by species

MuskellungeExcellent

This band covers the spring spawn, which in Wisconsin runs at 49-60Β°F; spawning muskies eat little and rarely chase lures, Wisconsin DNR says. After the spawn, and again as fall water cools, work large lures along weed edges and structure.

Smallmouth bassGood

Spring pre-spawn and fall: Iowa DNR notes the larger bass come up to shallow structure, where a shallow-running minnow bait or a spinnerbait just under the surface works.

WalleyeGood

Spring: post-spawn fish scatter and can be slow for a couple of weeks. Fall: one of the best windows, with minnows on jigs and three-way rigs as the water cools toward ice-up.

Largemouth bassGood

In spring, pre-spawn bass push shallow as the water climbs through the mid-50s; in fall they feed actively until the water cools into the low 50s, then drop back toward deeper structure.

Northern pikeGood

The best band for pike: right after ice-out they move into flooded vegetated shallows to spawn, and they feed actively again as the water cools in fall.

CrappieFair

Pre-spawn fish move toward shallow coves, and Iowa DNR points to wading as an effective way to reach them in spring; minnows or small jigs under a float.

Tomorrow: Similar at 70 F with a rain chance. The solunar majors shift about 50 minutes later.Next report: Sat, Oct 24, 6:30 AMHow this report is made β†’

Before you go

Wisconsin requires a fishing licence from age 16, from $20.00 for residents. What a Wisconsin licence costs and where to buy it β†’

Chasing smallmouth bass here? Check the size and bag limits with WI DNR before you keep anything. The season dates for Wisconsin, read off the agency, are on the Wisconsin seasons page.

Water and weather

Live readings.

No live gauge on this water

Conditions here are modeled from weather, season and the nearest stations. Water readings appear when a USGS gauge is available.

304050607080JanMarMayJulSepNovOct, ~55 F now

Right now

Latest readings

Air temp72 F
High / Low72 / 52 F
WindSSW 11-16 mph
Pressure1021.1 hPa, steady
Sky / Rain0% cloud, 5%
Sunrise / Sunset07:28 / 18:00
MoonWaxing Gibbous, 91%
Water temp (seasonal)~55 F est.

Bite planner

Hour-by-hour bite forecast for today. Tap a bar to see why.

5 AM8 AM11 AM2 PM5 PM8 PMsunrisesunsetPRIMEPRIME

Which day to fish Turtle-Flambeau Flowage this week

The best day on Turtle-Flambeau Flowage this week looks like Saturday Oct 24, at 4 out of 5, against 3 today.

Best day this week: Saturday, Oct 24 β€” good at 4/5, falling pressure, usually the best window of a week.

Today, Oct 23 β€” Fair

A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day.

Solunar majors
9:35 AM-11:35 AM and 10:06 PM-12:06 AM
Minor period
3:59 AM-4:59 AM
Sun
07:28 to 18:00
Moon
Waxing Gibbous, 91% lit
Sky and wind
Overcast, 10 mph
Rain chance
5%

Forecast-based scores, less reliable further out: how the score is built.

Species guide

The species that matter on Turtle-Flambeau Flowage: seasons, structure and how to fish each one. Today's ratings live in the report above.

Smallmouth bass illustration

Smallmouth bass

Best: spring and fall, when bigger fish come shallow

A bronze-brown black bass of clear, cool streams and rocky lakes, with dark vertical bars instead of a side stripe. Michigan DNR says its southeastern coast, from Port Huron to Lake Erie, is known nationally for both the size and the number of its smallmouth. Spring pre-spawn and fall: Iowa DNR notes the larger bass come up to shallow structure, where a shallow-running minnow bait or a spinnerbait just under the surface works.

Muskellunge illustration

Muskellunge

Fished from late spring into late fall where seasons allow

Muskellunge are solitary, fish-eating ambush predators of the pike family, holding in weed beds and other cover in lakes and rivers of the Great Lakes, upper Mississippi and Ohio basins. This band covers the spring spawn, which in Wisconsin runs at 49-60Β°F; spawning muskies eat little and rarely chase lures, Wisconsin DNR says. After the spawn, and again as fall water cools, work large lures along weed edges and structure.

Walleye illustration

Walleye

Best: spring and late fall, around dawn, dusk and night

A cool-water perch of large lakes, reservoirs and rivers whose reflective eyes are built for low light, so it feeds most at night and in murky water. The Missouri Department of Conservation ranks it among the continent's most important freshwater game fish. Spring: post-spawn fish scatter and can be slow for a couple of weeks. Fall: one of the best windows, with minnows on jigs and three-way rigs as the water cools toward ice-up.

Largemouth bass illustration

Largemouth bass

Best: the spring pre-spawn and the fall feed

A warm-water sunfish of lakes, reservoirs, ponds and slow river backwaters that holds tight to cover: weeds, logs, rock ledges and docks. In Texas, TPWD surveys rank it "by far" the freshwater fish anglers most want to catch. In spring, pre-spawn bass push shallow as the water climbs through the mid-50s; in fall they feed actively until the water cools into the low 50s, then drop back toward deeper structure.

Crappie illustration

Crappie

Best: the spring spawn; summer around docks, brush and the thermocline

Two slab-sided panfish, the white crappie and the black crappie, that gather around submerged timber, brush piles, docks and bridge pilings in lakes, reservoirs and slow river backwaters. Texas Parks and Wildlife counts crappie as the state's most popular panfish. Pre-spawn fish move toward shallow coves, and Iowa DNR points to wading as an effective way to reach them in spring; minnows or small jigs under a float.

Northern pike illustration

Northern pike

Best: cool water, from ice-out through spring, in fall and under the ice

A long, duck-billed predator of weedy lakes, slow rivers and backwaters that ambushes fish from vegetation. Wisconsin DNR points out that, unlike most of the state's common game fish, pike do their best feeding in cool water. The best band for pike: right after ice-out they move into flooded vegetated shallows to spawn, and they feed actively again as the water cools in fall.

When to come: the Turtle-Flambeau Flowage calendar

Activity by species and month, and how the water warms through the year. Tap any cell.

Species activity by month

1 = slow, 5 = peak. Current month highlighted.

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Smallmouth bass
Muskellunge
Walleye
Largemouth bass
Crappie
Northern pike
SlowPeak

Water temperature through the year

Typical surface temperature for this water type; today is around 55 F (estimated, not a reading).

304050607080JanMarMayJulSepNovOct, ~55 F now

Angler reports

Real reports from real anglers, reviewed before publishing. The water log below tracks each day automatically.

No angler reports yet this weekBe the first: your report helps every angler who checks Turtle-Flambeau Flowage today, and we feature the best catch of the week.

Water log, last days

Auto-logged from live data
Thu, Oct 22

3/5 Fair. Fish the windows. A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day. Muskellunge led the card at excellent. High of 69 F, wind to 5 mph.

Wed, Oct 21

4/5 Good. Solid day ahead. Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up. Smallmouth bass led the card at excellent. High of 69 F, wind to 8 mph.

Tue, Oct 20

4/5 Good. Solid day ahead. Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up. Smallmouth bass led the card at excellent. High of 66 F, wind to 9 mph.

Where roughly, what depth, what bait. Skip anything you want to keep secret.
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Before you go

License

Wisconsin requires a valid fishing license for adults. Buy online from the state agency; one-day options exist for visitors.

Regulations

Wisconsin license. 2026–27 flowage rules (WDNR): walleye 12 in., only 1 over 15 in., 3 a day; muskellunge 50 in., 1 a day (open water May 2–Dec 31, 2026); bass 14–18 in. protected, 1 over 18, 5 a day, smallmouth C&R May 2–Jun 19; crappie 10 in.; motor trolling allowed with 1 line per angler, 3 per boat.

Access

Sportsman's, Springstead, Fisherman's, Sturgeon Bay, Trude Lake and Murray's landings. Campsites by reservation only, May 1–Nov 30, from 2026.

About this water

A 12,942-acre flowage of the Turtle and Flambeau rivers, Iron County, Wisconsin, created by the Turtle Dam in 1926; maximum depth 50 feet.

Fishing Turtle-Flambeau Flowage: the full guide

A 1926 flowage

The Chippewa and Flambeau Improvement Co., a private corporation created by the Legislature in 1911, built the Turtle Dam in 1926 to create the flowage and still operates it under state statute and a memorandum of understanding with WDNR. WDNR's lake page gives 12,942 acres, a maximum depth of 50 feet and moderately clear water; the surrounding Turtle-Flambeau Scenic Waters Area spreads across 40,000 acres.

Fish and 2026 limits

WDNR rates walleye abundant and musky and panfish common, and also lists largemouth and smallmouth bass, northern pike and sturgeon. Walleye must be 12 inches, with only one over 15 inches and 3 a day (May 2, 2026–March 7, 2027). Muskellunge need 50 inches, 1 a day, on open water from May 2 to December 31, 2026. Bass have no minimum, but fish from 14 to 18 inches must be released and only one over 18 may be kept, 5 a day; smallmouth are catch-and-release from May 2 to June 19. Crappie must be 10 inches within a 10-panfish limit, and lake sturgeon are closed.

Island campsites now need reservations

The scenic waters area has 66 campsites reached only by water: 58 family sites and 8 group sites. Beginning in 2026, every site requires a reservation and fee from May 1 to November 30; reservations open up to 11 months ahead and campers may not set up without one. Hand pumps for drinking water are at Springstead and Murray's landings.

Landings

WDNR's property page lists Sportsman's, Springstead, Fisherman's (lower and upper lots), Sturgeon Bay, Trude Lake and Murray's landings, and publishes GPS coordinates for landings and campsites.

Common questions

Do I need a reservation to camp on the flowage?

Yes. From 2026 all 66 water-access campsites require a reservation and a fee from May 1 to November 30; WDNR says campers must reserve before setting up.

What walleye can I keep on the Turtle-Flambeau?

Fish of 12 inches or more, only one longer than 15 inches, 3 a day, in the 2026–27 season that opened May 2, 2026.

How big is the flowage?

WDNR lists 12,942 acres of water with a maximum depth of 50 feet, inside a 40,000-acre scenic waters area.

Is fishing good at Turtle-Flambeau Flowage right now?

Check the daily report at the top of this page: it is regenerated every morning from live data. Today's read: Fair. Fish the windows. A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day.

Nearby waters

Lake Gogebic41 miChippewa Flowage54 miLac Courte Oreilles59 miNamekagon River62 miOntonagon River63 miBois Brule River75 mi

Where this page's numbers come from

Weather and pressure
Open-Meteo forecast model
Queried at 46.0630, -90.1872 in this water's own timezone. A model, not an observation.
Moon and solunar windows
Calculated on this site
Astronomical calculation from these coordinates and the date, not a third-party feed. How much weight it deserves.
Pages checked
The facts in the written guide were checked against these pages, from the agencies and operators that manage the water, on October 6, 2026. Anything we could not verify was taken out.
The written guide on this page
Pablo Ruiz Quintero
How this page was made. The daily report is computed by our scoring engine from live readings; nobody types it. The written text was drafted with AI assistance from the official pages listed above, and its facts were checked against those pages by automated verification on October 6, 2026; anything that could not be verified was taken out. Pablo Ruiz Quintero sets every guideline, the data-verification system and the minimum standards a page must meet to be published, reviews page structure and approves what goes live; the responsibility is his, and the AI carries out the work. We work this way because it is how one person can keep every page current with named sources. Errors are published in the verification log; the full policy is in the editorial policy.

Readings refresh on a 30-minute window. The full method, with every figure and its source, is on how our reports are made. Something wrong here? Tell us and it goes in the log with the date.