Lake Superior lake trout harvest
Fishing Wisconsin
Lake trout are a popular target in the Lake Superior fishery.
The Lake Superior lake trout season opens on Dec. 1 and closes on Sept. 30. However, lake trout are managed based on a safe total allowable harvest or quota system. When the recreational allowable harvest is approaching the quota, the season may close before Sept. 30. Check this page for periodic harvest updates and an explanation of the regulation.
Lake Trout Harvest (WI-2 Waters)
Lake trout harvest will be updated periodically throughout the season.
Harvest Chronology
View the lake trout harvest totals for 2024-2025 in the accordion tab below. Monthly harvest totals will be updated periodically. The season may close when the harvest total reaches the trigger. Please note: The harvest number may not include all charter reports.
Lake trout harvest totals 2024-2025
Date Month Harvest Total Harvest Number To Reach Quota Number To Reach Trigger Dec. 20240015,00011,250Jan. 202513613614,86411,114Feb. 20258921,02813,97210,222March 2025----April 2025----May 2025 - - - -June 2025 - - - -July 2025 - - - -Aug. 2025 - - - -Sep. 2025 - - - -Monthly harvest totals will be updated periodically. Fishing Update: All indications from the previous year’s creel and independent surveys are that lake trout fishing will continue to pace below average in 2025, so I anticipate a low chance of early season closure. This winter, we had good ice conditions into lake trout habitats during February, but the ice deteriorated quickly at the beginning of March – so March harvest will be low.
Lake Trout Sport Angler Quota Calculation
The lake trout sport angler allocation for WI-2 during the 2024-2025 fishing season is 15,000 fish. Angler harvest is monitored using a creel survey and mandatory charter captain reports. A harvest trigger has been set to prevent overharvest of lake trout. When the 11,250 fish trigger is reached, lake trout fishing in WI-2 may be immediately closed, with no more fishing for lake trout. The trigger was set to account for data processing delays during potential high harvest.
Lake Superior Lake Trout Management
The lake trout in Lake Superior are managed within two harvest zones (WI-1 and WI-2). Lake trout numbers declined in the WI-2 zone – the Apostle Islands area of Lake Superior - from 2003 to 2012. As a result, harvest quotas for sport and commercial fishers were reduced.
How was this regulation selected? Over the past several years, Fisheries Management has asked anglers for input regarding various lake trout regulation options. In the fall of 2017, anglers participated in a poll that included four different bag and length limit options (see below) and the associated risk with each option reaching the quota before the end of the season (Sept. 30).
Results from the survey indicated that most participants supported a regulation that included a bag of two lake trout with a 15-inch minimum and one fish that could be longer than 25 inches. This regulation option allows the most significant harvest opportunity but also has a moderate risk of reaching the quota before the end of the season.