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Fishing Regulations for James Lake - Sawyer County

General Waterbody Restrictions

Catch and release fishing for largemouth and smallmouth bass is open year round unless otherwise noted.
Motor Trolling is allowed with 1 hook, bait, or lure per angler, and 3 hooks, baits, or lures maximum per boat.
Motor Trolling is allowed with up to 3 hooks, baits, or lures, per angler.

Fishing Regulations

NOTE: Regulations listed below may not reflect fish species actually found in the lake. See James Lake's WI DNR Lake Page for more information on this lake's characteristics.

Fish	Season	Regulation
Bullheads	, to March 31, 2026	No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is unlimited.
Bullheads	Closed	No fishing allowed.
Bullheads	May 3, 2025 to October 15, 2025	No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is unlimited.
Bullheads	Open All Year	No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is unlimited.
Bullheads	Open All Year	There is no minimum length and the bag limit is unlimited.
Catfish	, to March 31, 2026	No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is 10.
Catfish	Closed	No fishing allowed.
Catfish	May 3, 2025 to October 15, 2025	No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is 10.
Catfish	Open All Year	No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is 10.
Catfish	Open All Year	There is no minimum length and the bag limit is unlimited.
Cisco And Whitefish	, to March 31, 2026	No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is 10.
Cisco And Whitefish	Closed	No fishing allowed.
Cisco And Whitefish	May 3, 2025 to October 15, 2025	No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is 10.
Cisco And Whitefish	Open All Year	No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is 10.
Cisco And Whitefish	Open All Year	There is no minimum length and the bag limit is unlimited.
Lake Sturgeon	Closed	No fishing allowed.
Lake Sturgeon	Closed	There is no minimum length and the bag limit is unlimited.
Largemouth Bass	, to June 13, 2025	The minimum length limit is 14" and the daily bag limit is 5.
Largemouth Bass	Closed	No fishing allowed.
Largemouth Bass	May 3, 2025 to June 20, 2025	The minimum length limit is 14" and the daily bag limit is 5.
Largemouth Bass	May 3, 2025 to March 1, 2026	The minimum length limit is 14" and the daily bag limit is 5.
Largemouth Bass	Open All Year	There is no minimum length and the bag limit is unlimited.
Largemouth Bass And Smallmouth Bass	Closed	No fishing allowed.
Largemouth Bass And Smallmouth Bass	June 21, 2025 to March 1, 2026	The minimum length limit is 14" and the daily bag limit is 5.
Largemouth Bass And Smallmouth Bass	Open All Year	There is no minimum length and the bag limit is unlimited.
Muskellunge And Hybrids	, to December 31, 2025	The minimum length limit is 40" and the daily bag limit is 1.
Muskellunge And Hybrids	Closed	No fishing allowed.
Muskellunge And Hybrids	May 24, 2025 to December 31, 2025	The minimum length limit is 40" and the daily bag limit is 1.
Muskellunge And Hybrids	May 24, 2025 to December 31, 2025	The minimum length limit is 50" and the daily bag limit is 1.
Muskellunge And Hybrids	May 3, 2025 to October 15, 2025	The minimum length limit is 40" and the daily bag limit is 1.
Muskellunge And Hybrids	Open All Year	There is no minimum length and the bag limit is unlimited.
Northern Pike	, to March 1, 2026	No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is 5.
Northern Pike	Closed	No fishing allowed.
Northern Pike	May 3, 2025 to March 1, 2026	No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is 5.
Northern Pike	May 3, 2025 to March 1, 2026	The minimum length limit is 26" and the daily bag limit is 2.
Northern Pike	May 3, 2025 to October 15, 2025	No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is 5.
Northern Pike	Open All Year	No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is 5.
Northern Pike	Open All Year	There is no minimum length and the bag limit is unlimited.
Paddlefish	Closed	No fishing allowed.
Paddlefish	Closed	There is no minimum length and the bag limit is unlimited.
Panfish	, to March 31, 2026	No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is 25.
Panfish	Closed	No fishing allowed.
Panfish	May 3, 2025 to October 15, 2025	No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is 25.
Panfish	Open All Year	No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is 10.
Panfish	Open All Year	No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is 25.
Panfish	Open All Year	There is no minimum length and the bag limit is unlimited.
Rock, Yellow, And White Bass	, to March 31, 2026	No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is unlimited.
Rock, Yellow, And White Bass	Closed	No fishing allowed.
Rock, Yellow, And White Bass	May 3, 2025 to October 15, 2025	No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is unlimited.
Rock, Yellow, And White Bass	Open All Year	No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is unlimited.
Rock, Yellow, And White Bass	Open All Year	There is no minimum length and the bag limit is unlimited.
Rough Fish	, to March 31, 2026	No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is unlimited.
Rough Fish	Closed	No fishing allowed.
Rough Fish	May 3, 2025 to October 15, 2025	No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is unlimited.
Rough Fish	Open All Year	No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is unlimited.
Rough Fish	Open All Year	There is no minimum length and the bag limit is unlimited.
Round Goby	, to March 31, 2026	The daily bag limit is 0, one may be killed and possessed for transport to a WDNR Office.
Round Goby	Closed	No fishing allowed.
Round Goby	May 3, 2025 to October 15, 2025	The daily bag limit is 0, one may be killed and possessed for transport to a WDNR Office.
Round Goby	Open All Year	The daily bag limit is 0, one may be killed and possessed for transport to a WDNR Office, Hook and line fishing is open all year for fish species except muskellunge, lake sturgeon, trout, paddlefish and threatened or endangered species.
Round Goby	Open All Year	The daily bag limit is 0, one may be killed and possessed for transport to a WDNR Office.
Round Goby	Open All Year	The daily bag limit is 0. One may be killed and transported to a WDNR Office.
Round Goby	Open All Year	There is no minimum length and the bag limit is unlimited, one may be killed and possessed for transport to a WDNR Office.
Ruffe	, to March 31, 2026	The daily bag limit is 0, one may be killed and possessed for transport to a WDNR Office.
Ruffe	Closed	No fishing allowed.
Ruffe	May 3, 2025 to October 15, 2025	The daily bag limit is 0, one may be killed and possessed for transport to a WDNR Office.
Ruffe	Open All Year	The daily bag limit is 0, one may be killed and possessed for transport to a WDNR Office, Hook and line fishing is open all year for fish species except muskellunge, lake sturgeon, trout, paddlefish and threatened or endangered species.
Ruffe	Open All Year	The daily bag limit is 0, one may be killed and possessed for transport to a WDNR Office.
Ruffe	Open All Year	The daily bag limit is 0. One may be killed and transported to a WDNR Office.
Ruffe	Open All Year	There is no minimum length and the bag limit is unlimited, one may be killed and possessed for transport to a WDNR Office.
Shovelnose Sturgeon	Closed	No fishing allowed.
Shovelnose Sturgeon	Closed	There is no minimum length and the bag limit is unlimited.
Smallmouth Bass	, to June 13, 2025	Fish may not be harvested (catch and release only).
Smallmouth Bass	Closed	No fishing allowed.
Smallmouth Bass	May 3, 2025 to June 20, 2025	Fish may not be harvested (catch and release only).
Smallmouth Bass	Open All Year	There is no minimum length and the bag limit is unlimited.
Trout	See specific regulations	https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/fishing/trout/.
Walleye, Sauger, And Hybrids	, to March 1, 2026	The minimum length limit is 15" and the daily bag limit is 3.
Walleye, Sauger, And Hybrids	Closed	No fishing allowed.
Walleye, Sauger, And Hybrids	May 3, 2025 to March 1, 2026	A daily bag limit of one walleye that is at least 18 inches in length, but fish between 22 and 28 inches cannot be kept.
Walleye, Sauger, And Hybrids	May 3, 2025 to March 1, 2026	The minimum length is 15", but walleye, sauger, and hybrids from 20" to 24" may not be kept, and only 1 fish over 24" is allowed. The daily bag limit is 3.
Walleye, Sauger, And Hybrids	May 3, 2025 to March 1, 2026	The minimum length limit is 15" and the daily bag limit is 3.
Walleye, Sauger, And Hybrids	May 3, 2025 to October 15, 2025	The minimum length is 15", but walleye, sauger, and hybrids from 20" to 24" may not be kept, and only 1 fish over 24" is allowed. The daily bag limit is 3.
Walleye, Sauger, And Hybrids	Open All Year	The minimum length is 15", but walleye, sauger, and hybrids from 20" to 24" may not be kept, and only 1 fish over 24" is allowed. The daily bag limit is 3.
Walleye, Sauger, And Hybrids	Open All Year	The minimum length limit is 15" and the daily bag limit is 3.
Walleye, Sauger, And Hybrids	Open All Year	There is no minimum length and the daily bag limit is 3.
Walleye, Sauger, And Hybrids	Open All Year	Three walleye and sauger may be kept. Sauger must be at least 15" and walleye must be at least 18".
White Perch	, to March 31, 2026	The daily bag limit is 0, one may be killed and possessed for transport to a WDNR Office.
White Perch	Closed	No fishing allowed.
White Perch	May 3, 2025 to October 15, 2025	The daily bag limit is 0, one may be killed and possessed for transport to a WDNR Office.
White Perch	Open All Year	The daily bag limit is 0, one may be killed and possessed for transport to a WDNR Office, Hook and line fishing is open all year for fish species except muskellunge, lake sturgeon, trout, paddlefish and threatened or endangered species.
White Perch	Open All Year	The daily bag limit is 0, one may be killed and possessed for transport to a WDNR Office.
White Perch	Open All Year	The daily bag limit is 0. One may be killed and transported to a WDNR Office.
White Perch	Open All Year	There is no minimum length and the bag limit is unlimited, one may be killed and possessed for transport to a WDNR Office.

DISCLAIMER: Information on this site is an interpretive summary of Wisconsin's fishing laws and regulations, and only applies to inland lakes. All other regulations, including those for trout and salmon, rivers, and border waters of the state (the Mississippi River or Great Lakes), can be found at https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/fishing/regulations/index.html . For complete fishing laws and regulations, consult the Wisconsin State Statutes Chapter 29 and the Administrative Code of the Department of Natural Resources. The regulations listed here may not reflect the exact species found in the lake or flowage. Please check to make sure there is public access and water available for fishing. Consult the Menominee Tribal Legislature for fishing regulations within the boundaries of the Menominee Reservation.

For more information or to report a regulation inconsistency, contact

Fisheries Management