Tom Bayou

Special Fishing regulations: This lake has special fishing regulations that differ from statewide or border water regulations for those species identified below and take precedence. Regulations listed below are currently in place. Visit the fishing regulations page for links to upcoming regulations for specific lakes.

Special Waterbody Regulations

• Open all year for all species except muskellunge, northern pike, flathead catfish and lake sturgeon.
• Catch and release fishing for largemouth and smallmouth bass is open year round unless otherwise noted.
• Motor Trolling is allowed with up to 3 hooks, baits, or lures, per angler.

Special Species Regulations

• Shovelnose sturgeon: Closed: No fishing allowed.
• White perch: Open All Year: The daily bag limit is 0. One may be killed and transported to a WDNR Office.
• Lake sturgeon: Closed: No fishing allowed.
• Cisco and whitefish: Open All Year: No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is 10.
• Bullheads: Open All Year: No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is unlimited.
• Sauger and hybrids: Open All Year: The daily bag limit is 1.
• Panfish: Open All Year: No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is 25.
• Flathead catfish: May 4, 2024 to September 30, 2024: The minimum length is 30, but flathead catfish from 36” to 42” may not be kept.The daily bag limit is 1.
• Catfish: Open All Year: See specific species regulations in this group.
• Channel catfish: Open All Year: No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is 25 in total, but only 24 if one flathead catfish is included.
• Northern pike: May 4, 2024 to March 2, 2025: The minimum length limit is 26” and the daily bag limit is 2.
• Trout: See specific regulations: https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/fishing/trout/.
• Muskellunge and hybrids: May 4, 2024 to December 31, 2024: The minimum length limit is 50” and the daily bag limit is 1.
• Largemouth bass and smallmouth bass: Open All Year: The minimum length limit is 14” and the daily bag limit is 5.
• Walleye, sauger, and hybrids: Open All Year: No minimum length limit and the daily bag is 3, only one of which may be a sauger or hybrid.
• Paddlefish: Closed: No fishing allowed.
• Rock, yellow, and white bass: Open All Year: 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.
• Round goby: Open All Year: The daily bag limit is 0. One may be killed and transported to a WDNR Office.
• Ruffe: Open All Year: The daily bag limit is 0. One may be killed and transported to a WDNR Office.