Northern Region Fisheries News

The Northern Region of Wisconsin contains over 15,000 lakes. There are eighteen counties in the northern region and these lakes have a variety of fisheries. Our lakes contain everything from bass to panfish, musky, walleye and northern pike. Throughout the year we will update fisheries events from the Northern Region Fisheries Staff. News releases will include scheduled events, hatchery tours, and current lakes being surveyed.

Northern Region Map

State Fish Hatchery Tours

Keep the state fish hatcheries in mind when planning your vacation route. The hatcheries offer great opportunities to see fish as well as view exhibits which trace the life cycles of the fish reared at those facilities. You can also learn about techniques fisheries managers use to ensure the future of Wisconsin's fishing tradition.

In either case, all state hatcheries offer chances to watch fish. Hatchery fish need special care and diets to stay healthy. For that reason, we ask parents to please remind their children to keep food, fingers, rocks, sticks and other objects out of the water. Most hatchery tours will end Labor Day weekend. Call ahead to the local DNR office you plan on touring to check schedules. Also if you would like current stocking information, visit our Stocking Database [exit DNR].

Here is a list of Northern Region hatchery rearing stations and tour schedules. It is best to call the hatchery to check on tours before arriving. Tour schedules may change before spring. Also check out information on Free Fishing Weekend Events including events at state hatcheries the first weekend in June.

Art Oehmcke Hatchery (at Woodruff)

• Species: Muskellunge, walleye, lake trout and suckers
• Operations: Hatching and rearing
• Location: On County Highway J, 2 miles east of Woodruff, Oneida County
• Live fish display
• Year around operation
• Restrooms at DNR Fire Station - across the street
• Picnic areas and campgrounds nearby in Northern Highlands-American Legion State Forest
• Hours: 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., Monday to Friday, Memorial Day to Labor Day
• Telephone: (715) 356-5211
• Address: 8770 Highway J, Woodruff, WI 54568
• Note: Tours conducted 11:00 AM and 2:00 p.m., Monday to Friday, except holidays.

Les Voigt Hatchery

• Species: Brook, brown and lake trout, steelhead, splake; Coho and chinook salmon
• Operations: Broodstock, hatching and rearing
• Location: On Highway 13, between Washburn and Bayfield, Bayfield County
• Visitor Center with live fish display
• Restrooms at hatchery
• Campgrounds nearby, Chequamagon National Forest
• Hours: Visitor Center open 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., seven days a week
• Telephone: (715) 779-4021
• Address: 141 South Third Street, Bayfield, WI 54814
• Mailing Address: PO Box 589, Bayfield, WI 54814
• Note: Group tours available upon request

Eggs at Art Oehmcke Hatchery in Woodruff

Brule Rearing Station

• Species: Brook, brown and rainbow trout; Steelhead
• Opeations: Rearing and spawning
• Location: On Hatchery Road off of Highway 27, south of Brule, Douglas County
• Visitor Center with fish and wildlife display, and live fish display
• Restrooms at hatchery
• Nearby picnic area and campgrounds in Brule River State Forest
• Hours: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday - Friday throughout the year, seven days a week June through September, no holidays or weekends after September 30
• Telephone: (715) 372-4820
• Address: 13847 E. Hatchery Road, Brule, WI 54820
• Note: Tours are self-guided. Guided tours for groups are available upon request. Will try to accomodate tour requests for fall weekends after September 30 or spring weekends

Lakewood Rearing Station

• Species: Rainbow trout, wild brown trout
• Operations: Rearing
• Location: Oconto County; take County Highway F east from Lakewood to Lake John Road, turn left (north) on Lake John Road to "Y "intersection with Hatchery Lane, turn left (west) on Hatchery Lane
• Restrooms at rearing station
• Picnic area at rearing station
• Campgrounds nearby, Nicolet National Forest
• Hours: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday
• Telephone: (715) 276-6066
• Address: 14865 Hatchery Lane, Lakewood, WI 54138
• Note: Guided group tours by appointment only

Thunder River Rearing Station (near Langlade)

Citizens touring Art Oehmcke Hatchery in Woodruff

• Species: Rainbow trout, wild brown trout
• Operations: Rearing
• Location: Oconto County; take County Highway F east from Lakewood to Lake John Road, turn left (north) on Lake John Road to "Y "intersection with Hatchery Lane, turn left (west) on Hatchery Lane
• Restrooms at rearing station
• Picnic area at rearing station
• Campgrounds nearby, Nicolet National Forest
• Hours: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday
• Telephone: (715) 276-6066
• Address: 14865 Hatchery Lane, Lakewood, WI 54138
• Note: Guided group tours by appointment only

Governor Tommy G. Thompson Hatchery (Spooner)

• Species: Muskellunge, walleye, northern pike and suckers
• Operations: Hatching and rearing
• Location: West side of Spooner on south side of Highway 70, across from DNR Northern Regional Headquarters, Washburn County
• Visitor Center with live fish display open 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. weekdays year around and on weekends during the spring.
• Restrooms at hatchery
• Picnic area nearby
• Hours: 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. Seasonal operation, no fish raised on premises during winter months. Visitor Center open all year.
• Telephone: (715) 635-4147
• Address: 951 W. Maple Street, Spooner, WI 54801
• Note: From May 1 to September 1, groups may call prior to their visit if they would like a tour, or join a guided tour at 10:00 a.m. or 2 PM

Creel Surveys

Creel surveys are an important tool for assessing angler success and sport angler angling impacts on fisheries.

Thumbnails link to larger images.

Creel surveys in northern Wisconsin are generally conducted May-October and December-March on 15-20 lakes each year where walleye and other gamefish population estimates have also been calculated, so that managers can assure a balance between the number of fish in a population and the rate at which they are being harvested.

Surveys are conducted by creel clerks, who visit the lakes on a random schedule to count the number of anglers on the lake and collect information from anglers who have completed their fishing trips, including species of fish targeted, fish caught and harvested, lengths and marks of harvested fish, and the number of hours they spent fishing. This information is then used to estimate total fishing effort, catch and harvest rates, and exploitation (the percent of the adult population that is being harvested over the course of a year).

If you would like information on these surveys feel free to contact your local DNR. If you would like more information from past creel surveys, please check out our Creel Survey Reports [exit DNR].

2008 Creel Surveys - Northern Region Lakes

• Pine Lake (Iron Co.)
• Balsam Lake (Polk Co.)
• Yellow & Little Yellow Lakes (Burnett Co.)
• Nelson Lake (Sawyer Co.)
• Spider Lake (Sawyer Co.)
• Bear Lake (Barron Co.)
• Siskiwit Lake (Bayfield Co.)
• Bond Lake (Douglas Co.)
• Two Sisters Lake (Oneida Co.)
• Willow Flowage (Oneida Co.)
• Sevenmile Lake (Oneida Co.)
• Stevens Lake (Forest Co.)
• Wheeler Lake (Oconto Co.)
• Big Arbor Vitae Lake (Vilas Co.)
• Big Lake (Cisco Chain, Vilas Co.)
• Mamie Lake (Cisco Chain, Vilas Co.)
• Oxbow Lake (Vilas Co.)