Southern Wisconsin is home to great summer fishing
Wisconsin has long been a popular summertime fishing destination for area residents. With excellent fishery after excellent fishery, the state is a mecca for a many freshwater species. Thankfully, there are plenty of those excellent fisheries just a stone's throw from the suburbs.
Should you find yourself looking for a getaway for a long fishing weekend, or just a quick day trip, the rivers and lakes of southern Wisconsin are perfect for you. Below is a handful of different spots sure to make any trip a great one.
Lake Geneva: By and large, Lake Geneva can be considered the crown jewel of the southern lakes region. Simply put, the fish seem to grow a little bigger on Geneva Lake. The lake is home to trophy-class walleye, football-sized largemouth and smallmouth bass and a burgeoning musky population that continues to impress.
Lake Delavan: Located just a few miles west of Lake Geneva, Lake Delavan has made quite a name for itself the last 20 years. If you and your angling pals consider yourself competitive, this is a great place to test your mettle. With robust populations of bass, walleye and pike, you can expect to catch big numbers of quality fish on this great system.
Lake Koshkonong: Unique is probably the best way to describe this impoundment of the Rock River south of Fort Atkinson. With maximum depths of around 5½ feet, this lake is basically a giant shallow flat, albeit one loaded with walleye. Trolling smaller shad baits around structure is your best bet on Koshkonong, which also teems with bass, pike and sheepshead.
Lake Elizabeth/Lake Mary: Located just minutes over the state line in Twin Lakes, Lake Elizabeth and Lake Mary are a pair of excellent lakes that don't deal with as much of the pressure as their larger neighbors do. This has helped to keep the bass fishery strong with excellent bluegill and crappie fishing to boot. Either lake is great for those who fish from the pier or small craft like kayaks and canoes.
Pewaukee Lake: While musky fishing is generally more of a northern Wisconsin thing, anglers can find similar opportunity and action on this lake located just west of Milwaukee. Pewaukee has long been known for it's numbers of musky, though there are definitely trophy-caliber fish mixed in as well. Improved stocking efforts have also helped lead to a revival of the lake's walleye population.