Green Bay ice fishing

Green Bay is the long arm of Lake Michigan that runs up between the Door Peninsula and the Wisconsin and Michigan mainland. The city of Green Bay sits at the south end, where the Fox River comes in, about a two-hour drive from Milwaukee. Sturgeon Bay, the main town on the Door County side, is about an hour past Green Bay, or around two and a half hours from Milwaukee.

This is big water. It fishes more like a Great Lake than an inland lake, and it gives you a lot of options in one trip, from river-mouth walleye near the city to whitefish on the reefs off Door County.

Where people fish

At the south end, the lower bay and the Fox River draw a lot of walleye anglers. The Fox River and lower Green Bay are known for big walleye, and plenty of people think the next state record could come out of the river.

Up the Door County side, Sturgeon Bay is the hub. The Sturgeon Bay shipping channel, Riley's Bay, and Little Sturgeon Bay are popular because they're more sheltered from cold winds. Farther out, reefs like Larson's Reef draw whitefish anglers, and Sand Bay and the western shore of the bay are also known for whitefish.

What you're fishing for and when

Walleye and yellow perch have always been the main targets on Green Bay. In recent years whitefish through the ice have become a big part of the fishery too, and they're a lot of the reason people now make the trip up to Door County in winter.

A rough picture of the season, based on what local anglers report:

• Early December: perch and northern pike in the Sturgeon Bay shipping channel.
• January: once the bay freezes, people go after walleye, pike, perch, and whitefish across the bay.
• February: walleye, perch, pike, bluegill, and brown trout, especially on Green Bay itself.
• March: walleye, brown trout, and pike around Sturgeon Bay.

Every winter is different. Treat this as a guide to what people target, not a promise of when you'll be able to get out.

Kinds of trips

A lot of anglers here fish on their own from portable shelters, and pop-up shelters start appearing across the bay once it freezes. A basic portable isn't a big investment if you plan to come back.

Guided trips are the easiest way in, especially for whitefish, where knowing the reefs and depth matters. Full-service guided days usually include a warm shanty with a floor, gear, and someone who knows the water. Guides often start well before dawn so the shanties are warm by the time you get there.

Licenses and rules

Anyone 16 or older needs a Wisconsin fishing license. Kids 15 and under fish free.

If you're fishing for trout or salmon on Green Bay, including the brown trout that show up through the ice, you also need the Great Lakes Salmon and Trout Stamp. As of the current fees, it's $10 for residents and nonresidents.

Green Bay and Lake Michigan have their own seasons and limits, separate from inland waters. Check the current Wisconsin hook and line regulations. The 2026-2027 guide is current as of this writing. The northern part of the bay borders Michigan, and Michigan waters need a Michigan fishing license and follow Michigan's rules.

Permanent shanties, or any shanty you don't take off the ice each day, must be removed from Green Bay and Lake Michigan by the first Sunday after March 12. That was March 15 in 2026. Portables can keep going after that if you take them off the ice at the end of each day.

One rule that catches people out: on the Fox River downstream of the De Pere dam in Brown County, shelters always have to come off the ice daily and whenever they're not in use.

Before you go

Green Bay is open, wind-swept water, and ice on the bay can break up and drift. On a single day in February 2023, the Coast Guard rescued 11 people from a drifting ice floe on Green Bay.

• Talk to a local bait shop or guide about current conditions before you head out, and check in again during your trip.
• Watch the wind forecast closely. A shift in wind can open water between you and shore.
• Avoid river mouths, inlets, outlets, and narrows, where current can thin the ice. Watch for pressure ridges.
• Weather is not a stand-in for ice. A cold week doesn't mean the bay is fishable.
• Fish with a friend, carry a phone, and wear a float coat or life jacket. Bring creepers, a spud bar, and rope.
• Get the Great Lakes stamp if there's any chance you'll target trout.