Bad River Slough
Ashland County, Wisconsin
About Bad River Slough
Bad River Slough is a serious fishing destination in Ashland County, known for both its musky and walleye populations, a mid-sized lake at 173 acres and up to 24 feet deep. Access is limited, which keeps boat traffic low — a plus for solitude seekers. Anglers target Northern Pike and Walleye.
Bottom composition: 60% sand, 0% gravel, 0% rock, 40% muck
Type: lake · Hydrology: DRAINAGE
Lake Location
46.63030° N, 90.64800° W
WBIC 2892100 · Wisconsin DNRFish Species
Full table →Fishing Tips
- ·Musky fishing is best in early morning and evening. Work weedlines and structural transitions with large bucktails or soft swimbaits.
- ·Wisconsin musky season typically opens the first Saturday in May. The fall bite (September–October) is peak for trophy fish.
- ·Walleye feed most actively at dawn and dusk. Jig along deep structural breaks or troll crankbaits along weedlines at 6–8 ft depth.
- ·Night fishing under a full moon can produce excellent walleye results from late June through August.
- ·Northern pike are ambush predators — target weed edges, fallen timber, and points with large spoons or swimbaits.
- ·Spring pike fishing (ice-out through June) can be outstanding as they move into shallow, warming bays to spawn.
- ·Largemouth bass relate to shallow structure. Work topwater lures at dawn in summer, then switch to soft plastics rigged weedless around lily pads and fallen wood.
- ·Bluegill and crappie stack up in 8–15 ft of water near weedlines. Small jigs tipped with a waxworm are hard to beat.
- ·Panfish are often excellent for kids and beginners — look for them around any dock or submerged brush piles.
Local's Guide
Fishing
Species-specific tips above. Wisconsin fishing license required for ages 16+. See current season regulations below.
View fishing regulations ↓Swimming
Sandy bottom sections make for good swimming. No lifeguard on duty — swim at your own risk.
Content coming soon
Nearby Dining
Looking for supper clubs and bait shops near Bad River Slough? Local dining recommendations coming soon.
Content coming soon
Insider Tips
Local knowledge about Bad River Slough — best times to visit, quiet spots, and what the regulars know. Contributed tips coming soon.
Content coming soon
Lake Conditions
Water Clarity
—
No data
Trophic Status
—
No data
Invasive Weeds
Not documented
Clean lake
Seasonal Notes
See below
Ice-out dates, peak fishing windows
Seasonal notes for Bad River Slough coming soon — ice-out timing, peak fishing windows, and fall color dates.
Condition data sourced from Wisconsin DNR surveys. Real-time weed and clarity reports coming soon.
Frequently Asked Questions
What fish can you catch in Bad River Slough?
Bad River Slough is home to Musky, Northern Pike (Common), Panfish, Smallmouth Bass, and Walleye (Common). Wisconsin fishing regulations apply — check current seasons and size limits before heading out.
Can you boat on Bad River Slough?
Bad River Slough does not currently have a public boat landing listed in the Wisconsin DNR database. Shore fishing or kayak/canoe access may still be available — check local access points.
How big is Bad River Slough?
Bad River Slough has 173 acres in surface area, a maximum depth of 24 feet, a mean depth of 5 feet.
What is the bottom of Bad River Slough like?
The lake bottom is composed of 60% sand, 0% gravel, 0% rock, 40% muck. Sandy and gravel bottoms typically support good swimming and healthy fish habitat.
Are there invasive species in Bad River Slough?
No invasive species are currently documented in Bad River Slough by the Wisconsin DNR. Always clean, drain, and dry your boat before leaving to help protect this lake.
Where is Bad River Slough located?
Bad River Slough is located in Ashland County, Wisconsin. GPS coordinates: 46.6303° N, 90.6480° W.
Are there vacation rentals on Bad River Slough?
Stay Northern is building the most complete rental directory for Ashland County lakes. Check our Bad River Slough vacation rentals listing — if none are available yet, check back soon or browse nearby Ashland County lake rentals.
Fishing Regulations
Current season regulations for Bad River Slough
| Species | Season | Min. Length | Daily Bag |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bullheads | , to March 31, 2027 | No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is unlimited. | — |
| Bullheads | Closed | No fishing allowed. | — |
| Bullheads | May 2, 2026 to October 15, 2026 | 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, 2027 | No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is 10. | — |
| Catfish | Closed | No fishing allowed. | — |
| Catfish | May 2, 2026 to October 15, 2026 | 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, 2027 | No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is 10. | — |
| Cisco And Whitefish | Closed | No fishing allowed. | — |
| Cisco And Whitefish | May 2, 2026 to October 15, 2026 | 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 12, 2026 | The minimum length limit is 14" and the daily bag limit is 5. | — |
| Largemouth Bass | Closed | No fishing allowed. | — |
| Largemouth Bass | May 2, 2026 to June 19, 2026 | The minimum length limit is 14" and the daily bag limit is 5. | — |
| Largemouth Bass | May 2, 2026 to March 7, 2027 | 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 20, 2026 to March 7, 2027 | 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 | May 2, 2026 to December 31, 2026 on open water | The minimum length limit is 40" and the daily bag limit is 1. | — |
| Northern Pike | , to March 7, 2027 | No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is 5. | — |
| Northern Pike | Closed | No fishing allowed. | — |
| Northern Pike | May 2, 2026 to March 7, 2027 | No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is 5. | — |
| Northern Pike | May 2, 2026 to March 7, 2027 | The minimum length limit is 26" and the daily bag limit is 2. | — |
| Northern Pike | May 2, 2026 to October 15, 2026 | 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, 2027 | No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is 25. | — |
| Panfish | Closed | No fishing allowed. | — |
| Panfish | May 2, 2026 to October 15, 2026 | 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, 2027 | 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 2, 2026 to October 15, 2026 | 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, 2027 | No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is unlimited. | — |
| Rough Fish | Closed | No fishing allowed. | — |
| Rough Fish | May 2, 2026 to October 15, 2026 | 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, 2027 | 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 2, 2026 to October 15, 2026 | 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, 2027 | 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 2, 2026 to October 15, 2026 | 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 12, 2026 | Fish may not be harvested (catch and release only). | — |
| Smallmouth Bass | Closed | No fishing allowed. | — |
| Smallmouth Bass | May 2, 2026 to June 19, 2026 | 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 7, 2027 | 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 2, 2026 to March 7, 2027 | 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 2, 2026 to March 7, 2027 | 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 2, 2026 to March 7, 2027 | The minimum length limit is 15" and the daily bag limit is 3. | — |
| Walleye, Sauger, And Hybrids | May 2, 2026 to October 15, 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 | 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, 2027 | 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 2, 2026 to October 15, 2026 | 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. | — |
Regulations sourced from Wisconsin DNR fisheries data. Always verify current regulations before fishing.
Lake Details
- WBIC
- 2892100
- County
- Ashland County
- Surface Area
- 173 acres
- Max Depth
- 24 ft
- Mean Depth
- 5 ft
- Bottom
- 60% sand, 0% gravel, 0% rock, 40% muck
- Lake Type
- lake
- Coordinates
- 46.6303, -90.6480
Boat Rentals Nearby
Pontoon
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Lake data sourced from the Wisconsin DNR. Last updated 3/24/2026.