Anglers in Wisconsin's Northern Zone have cause to celebrate: come Saturday, June 21, the smallmouth bass harvest season throws open its doors, inviting fishing enthusiasts to reel in their catches through March 1, 2026. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has issued a reminder for those ready to cast their lines across the more frigid waters north of certain highways and into territories like Lake Superior and its rippling tributaries, as published in a recent release.
Kicking off in the Northern Bass Management Zone, which encompasses those parts anywhere north of State Highway 77 eastward past State Highway 27, and above State Highway 64 the season is a go-ahead for the anglers chomping at the bit since the south zone started its harvest on May 3. Included under this umbrella are the inland waterways spanning above State Highway 29 in Brown and Kewaunee counties, Wisconsin – Michigan Boundary Waters and notable spots like the Kakagon River and Slough, which promises a diverse fishing experience, according to a news release by Wisconsin DNR.
Worth noting is that both smallmouth and largemouth bass can be fished catch-and-release style year-round throughout the state except for select areas with specific rules. The faithful always-ready fishing license is a must for those looking to indulge in the season, with licenses easily acquirable online via Go Wild or from any authorized license vendor; this tidbit and more is available on the DNR’s Fishing License webpage. For those seeking the finer details about bag and size limits, DNR has made available the 2025-2026 Guide to Hook and Line Fishing Regulations, no doubt an essential read for the serious angler.
And for those that are maybe not so map-savvy or are looking to venture into uncharted fishing territories, the DNR has your back with the Wisconsin Fishing Finder, a digital tool touted as a one-stop shop that boasts information on regulations, launch sites, stocking details, among other things, it's a fisher's digital companion in the quest for the perfect catch as stated in the release from the Wisconsin DNR website.
