Wisconsin · Fishing license
Wisconsin fishing license
Do I need one?
Yes — anyone 16 or older needs one.
A year costs $20 if you live here and $55 if you don't. Just passing through? Fishing, one day costs $15. Trout and salmon need a 10-dollar stamp on top, inland and Great Lakes counted separately.
What it costs
If you live in Wisconsin
| license | Price |
|---|---|
| Fishing, annual | $20 |
| Fishing, spousalCovers both spouses — cheaper than two annual licences. | $31 |
| Fishing, senior (65+) | $7 |
| Fishing, junior (16 and 17) | $7 |
| Fishing, annual, first-time buyerSame 5-dollar price at any age, as long as it is your first Wisconsin licence. | $5 |
| Fishing, one dayCan be put towards an annual licence for another 12.75. | $8 |
| Inland trout stampNeeded on top of the licence for inland trout. | $10 |
| Great Lakes trout and salmon stampNeeded on top of the licence for Great Lakes trout and salmon. | $10 |
If you're visiting
| license | Price |
|---|---|
| Fishing, annual | $55 |
| Fishing, family annualThe second family licence is then free. | $70 |
| Fishing, one dayCan be put towards an annual licence for another 40.75. | $15 |
| Fishing, four days | $29 |
| Fishing, 15 daysOnly four dollars more than four days. | $33 |
| Fishing, 15 days, family | $45 |
| Inland trout stamp | $10 |
| Great Lakes trout and salmon stamp | $10 |
Trout and salmon need a stamp on top of the licence: 10 dollars for inland trout, 10 for Great Lakes trout and salmon. The one-day licence covers everything except those premium species until you add the stamp.
How long it lasts
Wisconsin runs a fixed licence year: it begins on 1 April and every licence expires on 31 March, whenever you bought it. A licence bought in March is worth days, not months.
Who doesn't need one
- Anyone 15 years old or younger
- Anglers born before 1927
Wisconsin DNR words the age rule this way: Wisconsin DNR: "In Wisconsin, kids 15 and under fish without a license every day and anglers born before 1927." Everyone else from 16 up needs one — 16- and 17-year-olds pay the 7-dollar junior rate.
Where to buy it
- Online through Go Wild at gowild.wi.gov
- At registered sales locations across the state
- At DNR service centres
Wondering about the big retailers? A shop like Walmart sells the state's license at the state's price — it sets none of its own.
Days you can fish without one
Wisconsin DNR publishes this as a recurring rule rather than a fixed date. Check the exact days on their free fishing page before you plan around it.
Where to use it today
Waters we read every morning in Wisconsin.
- 8 On fire Geneva Lake
- 6 Biting Lake Winnebago
- 5 Picky Green Bay