New Inland Trout Season Start Date
The inland trout harvest season for inland streams, springs and spring ponds will open on Saturday, April 4, this year and run through Oct. 15, 2026.
The 2026-2027 inland trout harvest season will open a month earlier than prior years.
This year, the season will open on April 4 and run through Oct. 15, 2026, increasing harvest opportunities throughout the state’s inland streams, springs and spring ponds.
Trout populations are strong across Wisconsin and this additional month of harvest will provide more fishing opportunities at a time of the year when other fishing seasons are generally closed. This season change was also strongly supported by the public during the DNR and Wisconsin Conservation Congress 2025 Spring Hearings.
If you want to wet a line for trout this season, you’ll need a 2026-2027 general fishing license and inland trout stamp, which are both valid until March 31, 2027. Get yours today through Go Wild or at one of many in-person license sales locations.
Consult the Guide to Wisconsin’s 2026-2027 Trout Fishing Regulations for changes to the trout daily bag and length limits before hitting the water. Notable changes include additional harvest opportunities on waters where trout populations are abundant and harvest is encouraged to meet management goals.
The earlier open harvest season for trout does not apply to inland lakes and ponds. For those waters, the traditional first Saturday in May opener still applies (May 2, this year). No changes have been made to the trout season dates or bag limits on Lake Superior, Lake Michigan, Green Bay or Green Bay tributaries.
Look, It’s Slime Mold!
Spot this colorful organism in the spring issue of Wisconsin Natural Resources magazine.
Wisconsin spring can mean warming temperatures and sometimes wet weather. Besides spring flowers, these conditions also might bring something more unusual – slime mold!
This unique organism, classified in the Protist kingdom, can suddenly appear as a colorful blob on things like mulch or an old stump. Yesterday, nothing. Today, blob.
In its most dramatic stage, called the plasmodium, slime mold builds a network of tubes that look like veins, allowing it to pulse itself towards food, moving up to an inch per hour as it consumes mostly bacteria found in and on wood.
Slime molds appear in a variety of shapes, sizes and colors, and they often have odd names, like “chocolate tube” or “dog vomit” (really!). They help tidy up the forest floor as they recycle decaying organic matter back into the food web.
You can “Meet nature’s cleanup crew” in the Kids Corner feature of the latest Wisconsin Natural Resources magazine. Plus, find a recipe to make your own edible “slime mold” from marshmallows and powdered sugar – and have fun playing with your food!
Check out the spring digital edition now or get the print issue delivered when you subscribe, renew or give a gift online. You also can call 1-800-678-9472 to order a subscription today. |
T-Shirt Weather Approaching
It’s hard to believe that spring has officially sprung in the same week portions of the state experienced record levels of snowfall. Nonetheless, Wisconsin weather is fickle and temperatures are rising today and into the weekend – just in time for spring!
Celebrate the incoming t-shirt weather and the changing of the seasons by checking out DNR merch!
With designs featuring fishing, hunting, public lands, rare species and more, you’re sure to find the perfect fit to show your love for nature this spring.
Proceeds from DNR merchandise directly support conservation and environmental education and outreach initiatives across Wisconsin. Officially licensed Smokey Bear products also support the National Fire Prevention Program.
Free shipping is available on all orders over $75. All online orders are shipped within 2-5 business days.
Sign up for DNR email alerts to be the first to hear about the new items. |
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