Guide To Excellent Striped Bass Fishing In Wisconsin

Striped Bass & Hybrid Striper Lakes

Columbia Lake, Lake Michigan and Lake Superior offer the primary striper fishing opportunities in Wisconsin.

While stripers are native to salt water, they naturally migrate into fresh water streams to spawn. Their eggs must remain in motion in order to hatch so the fresh water rivers and streams become the ideal spawning grounds for stripers. Landlocked stripers then populate the lakes.

Click the images and links above for species details.

Wisconsin Striped Bass Records

The state record hybrid striped bass was caught from Columbia Lake.

Fishing for Stripers & Hybrid Striped Bass in Wisconsin

When fishing for stripers concentrate on the deeper waters in the lake. If you can locate schools of shad, stripers are often close by. When the baitfish are shallow over the deep water, you can catch stripers on crankbaits or by swimming spoons at appropriate depths. Check Wisconsin fishing reports for current striper information. And for the ultimate thrill try large topwater baits if you see any surface feeding action. When the stripers are deep, jigs and jigging spoons work well. Live and cut bait will also take striped bass when they are in medium to deeper water. Fish nearby or in the river channel if it is a defined depth change. Trolling is also an excellent way to fish for stripers. Use flashy lures in bigger sizes.

Striper Fishing Video

Learn the basics for catching striped bass.

Striped bass fishing information, by state.