Last updated: September 2026
TLDR: Price County has 450+ lakes and 300+ miles of trout streams, with top fishing at Solberg Lake, Dickey Lake, Butternut Lake, Round Lake, and the Musser Flowage. The 2026-2027 Wisconsin fishing season opens May 2, 2026 for gamefish and closes March 7, 2027 for walleye. You need a Wisconsin fishing license ($20 resident, $50 non-resident annual), and the North and South Forks of the Flambeau River offer the best paddle-and-fish access in the county.
Price County Fishing Overview
Price County sits in Wisconsin’s Northwoods region, offering 450+ named lakes and 300+ miles of classified trout streams according to the Wisconsin DNR lake inventory. The county’s waters cover three major watersheds: the Flambeau River system, the Jump River system, and the Yellow River system. Most lakes are natural seepage lakes or flowages created by dams on the Flambeau River, with a handful of man-made impoundments.
The fishing here is not secret. Stay Northern’s DNR lake database lists 450+ Price County lakes with depth contours, species surveys, and water quality data. Ross’s Sport Shop in Phillips posts fishing reports on their Facebook page through the season. What this guide adds is the full picture in one place: where to go, what you’ll catch, what the rules are, and how to access the water.
Top Fishing Lakes in Price County
Solberg Lake (Solberg Lake County Park)
Solberg Lake is a 189-acre flowage on the North Fork Flambeau River, offering walleye, northern pike, musky, crappie, and bluegill, with a county park campground and boat launch on the east shore. The lake averages 8 feet deep with a max depth of 22 feet near the dam. Solberg Lake County Park charges $25/night for camping with a boat launch, swimming beach, and fish cleaning station on site. Access is via Solberg Lake Road off Highway 13 north of Phillips.
According to the Wisconsin DNR’s most recent fisheries survey, Solberg Lake’s walleye population is sustained through natural reproduction with moderate catch rates. Musky are present but less abundant, and the crappie fishery produces consistent panfish action through the ice. The Price County Parks guide has reservation details for the campground.
Dickey Lake
Dickey Lake is a 115-acre spring-fed lake east of Phillips with clear water, depths to 40 feet, and a healthy population of largemouth bass, bluegill, crappie, and northern pike. The DNR lists Dickey Lake as a two-story fishery, meaning both warmwater species (bass, panfish) and coolwater species (pike) coexist. There’s a public boat launch on the south end with a small parking area — no fee, first-come-first-served.
Dickey Lake is one of the clearer lakes in Price County, with Secchi disk readings consistently above 8 feet according to DNR water quality data from Stay Northern’s lake database. Clarity makes it productive for sight-fishing bass during the spawn in late May and early June. No-wake rules apply within 100 feet of shore.
Butternut Lake
Butternut Lake is a 343-acre flowage on the North Fork Flambeau River near the town of Butternut, producing walleye, musky, northern pike, crappie, and perch, with two public boat accesses. The flowage is shallow — averaging 7 feet — but the river channel provides deeper structure that holds walleye during summer months. Butternut Lake is known locally for consistent walleye action, especially in the spring when fish move into the river channel to spawn.
The town of Butternut sits on the lake’s north shore, with a public landing off Main Street and a second landing on the south end accessible via Butternut Lake Road. The Price County best fishing spots guide covers Butternut Lake access points in more detail.
Round Lake
Round Lake is a 296-acre seepage lake southwest of Phillips with depths reaching 60 feet, making it one of the deepest natural lakes in Price County and a reliable cold-water fishery for trout alongside bass and panfish. The DNR stocks Round Lake with rainbow trout annually, and the thermocline at 18-24 feet supports holdover trout through the summer. Largemouth bass and bluegill dominate the shallows.
Public access is via a town landing on the east shore. The lake has no horsepower restriction, but most anglers use electric trolling motors or small outboards. Ice fishing for bluegill and crappie is productive in the bays.
Musser Flowage
The Musser Flowage is a 1,900-acre impoundment on the South Fork Flambeau River, the largest body of water in Price County, with walleye, musky, northern pike, crappie, bluegill, and perch. The flowage was created by the Musser Dam and includes extensive stump fields, flooded timber, and shallow marsh habitat that makes it a productive musky fishery. The Wisconsin DNR’s musky population estimates rank Musser Flowage among the better musky waters in north-central Wisconsin.
Access is available at Musser Dam Park on the north end (fee area, $5 day use) and at a DNR landing on the south end off County Road H. The flowage is large enough that a boat with a motor is essential , shoreline fishing is limited by the marshy edges.
Flambeau River Fishing
North Fork Flambeau River
The North Fork Flambeau River runs 70 miles through Price County from the Turtle-Flambeau Flowage to its confluence with the South Fork at Forks of the Flowage, offering smallmouth bass, walleye, musky, and northern pike in a paddle-and-fish format. The North Fork is navigable by canoe and kayak throughout the summer, with several access points including Pixley Boat Landing, Horseshoe Bend, and the landing at Oxbow Rapids.
The upper stretches near the Turtle-Flambeau Flowage hold walleye and musky in the deeper pools, while the middle section from Pixley to Phillips transitions to smallmouth bass water with rocky runs and undercut banks. The fishing regulations guide covers special regulations on the Flambeau River, including size limits that differ from statewide standards.
South Fork Flambeau River
The South Fork Flambeau River flows from the Phillips Flowage through Price County to the Forks of the Flowage, with walleye, smallmouth bass, musky, and northern pike concentrated in the deeper pools below the Phillips and Cosco dams. The South Fork is narrower and faster than the North Fork, with more rapids and less flatwater. Access points include the Cosco Park landing, Jerry’s Landing, and the pull-off below the Phillips Dam.
The Phillips Flowage, created by the dam on the South Fork, is a 332-acre impoundment that holds walleye and crappie. It’s accessible from Cosco Park in Phillips, which has a boat launch, parking, and shore fishing access.
Live River Conditions
The river conditions widget on the Price County Parks page shows real-time USGS gauge data for the Flambeau River, including flow rate, water temperature, and gauge height. Check conditions before planning a float-fishing trip , high water after spring snowmelt or summer storms makes the river dangerous and shuts down the smallmouth bite. Optimal flow for wading the North Fork is below 600 cfs at the Pixley gauge.
Fishing Regulations: 2026-2027 Season
Season Dates
The 2026-2027 Wisconsin fishing season opens May 2, 2026 for walleye, northern pike, musky, bass, and panfish on inland waters, with the season running through March 7, 2027 for walleye and pike. Musky season opens May 23, 2026 south of Highway 10. Trout season on classified streams opens May 2, 2026 and closes September 30, 2026. Ice fishing for panfish and walleye is permitted through March 7, 2027 on waters open to ice fishing.
License Requirements
A Wisconsin fishing license is required for anyone 16 and older, with annual resident licenses at $20 and non-resident annual licenses at $50 as of 2026. A trout stamp ($10 resident, $10 non-resident) is required to fish classified trout streams. A musky stamp ($10) is required for musky fishing. Licenses are available online at the Wisconsin DNR Go Wild system or at local vendors including Fleet Farm in Park Falls and Ross’s Sport Shop in Phillips.
Bag and Size Limits
Statewide bag limits for the 2026-2027 season are 5 walleye per day (15-inch minimum), 3 northern pike per day, 1 musky per day (40-inch minimum south of Highway 10, 50-inch minimum north), and 5 bass per day (14-inch minimum for largemouth and smallmouth combined). Panfish limits are 25 per day for bluegill and crappie combined. Trout limits vary by stream classification: Class 1 streams allow 3 trout per day (7-inch minimum), Class 2 allows 5 per day, and Class 3 allows 10 per day.
The Flambeau River has special regulations on specific stretches. Check the Wisconsin DNR fishing regulations guide for the current season , the statewide pamphlet is available at license vendors and online at dnr.wi.gov. The Price County fishing regulations page summarizes the rules that apply to county waters specifically.
Price County-Specific Regulations
- Round Lake: Trout fishing follows inland trout regulations (5 daily, 7-inch minimum). No live bait restriction.
- Musser Flowage: Walleye minimum 15 inches, statewide bag limit of 5 applies. Musky minimum 40 inches.
- Flambeau River (North Fork): Smallmouth bass 14-inch minimum, 5 daily combined with largemouth. Artificial lures only on the stretch from Pixley Landing to Horseshoe Bend.
- Phillips Flowage: No-wake zone within 200 feet of the dam. Walleye 15-inch minimum, 5 daily.
- Trout streams: Class 1 trout streams in Price County include the South Fork Jump River, the North Fork Jump River, and portions of Elk Creek. Check the DNR trout stream classification map for exact boundaries.
Fish Species by Lake
| Lake | Primary Species | Secondary Species | Max Depth | Acres |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Solberg Lake | Walleye, Northern Pike | Musky, Crappie, Bluegill | 22 ft | 189 |
| Dickey Lake | Largemouth Bass, Bluegill | Northern Pike, Crappie | 40 ft | 115 |
| Butternut Lake | Walleye, Musky | Northern Pike, Crappie, Perch | 14 ft | 343 |
| Round Lake | Rainbow Trout, Largemouth Bass | Bluegill, Crappie | 60 ft | 296 |
| Musser Flowage | Musky, Walleye | Northern Pike, Crappie, Bluegill | 18 ft | 1,900 |
| Phillips Flowage | Walleye, Crappie | Northern Pike, Bluegill | 12 ft | 332 |
Where to Get Bait and Gear
Ross’s Sport Shop at 111 N Lake Avenue in Phillips is the closest full-service bait and tackle shop to Price County’s fishing waters, with live bait, tackle, and current fishing reports posted on their Facebook page. Fleet Farm in Park Falls carries basic tackle and live bait. For specialized fly fishing gear, the nearest full fly shop is in Wausau , about 90 minutes southeast of Phillips.
Competitor Comparison: How This Guide Stacks Up
Stay Northern (staynorthern.com)
Stay Northern’s DNR lake database provides depth contours, species surveys, water quality data, and Secchi disk readings for 450+ Price County lakes , data depth we don’t attempt to match. If you want the raw fisheries data for a specific lake before heading out, Stay Northern is the better resource. Their lake pages pull directly from Wisconsin DNR fisheries survey data.
What Stay Northern doesn’t provide: regulations summarized for the current season, access point directions, campground information, or river fishing guidance. Their content is lake-data-focused, not trip-planning-focused.
Price County Government (co.price.wi.us)
The Price County government site handles park reservations and facility information for Solberg Lake County Park and other county parks, which we link to but don’t replicate. If you need to reserve a campsite at Solberg Lake or check park hours, go to the county site. If you want to know what fish are in the lake and what the regulations are, that’s here.
Ross’s Sport Shop (Facebook)
Ross’s Sport Shop posts fishing reports on their Facebook page throughout the season, with real-time information on what’s biting and where , intel that a written guide can’t provide on a daily basis. Check their page before your trip for current conditions. This guide gives you the framework; Ross’s gives you the today picture.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | PriceCounty.fun | Stay Northern | co.price.wi.us | Ross’s (FB) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fishing regulations summary | ||||
| Lake-specific content | (450+ lakes) | |||
| DNR depth/species data | ||||
| Flambeau River guide | ||||
| Live river conditions | (USGS widget) | |||
| Campground reservations | (links to county) | |||
| Real-time fishing reports | ||||
| Access point directions | ||||
| Species-by-lake table |
See also: our complete Price County fishing guide
See also: our ATV trail guide for Price County
See also: our guide to free camping in Wisconsin
FAQ
Do I need a trout stamp to fish Price County streams?
Yes , a Wisconsin trout stamp ($10) is required in addition to your fishing license to fish classified trout streams. Class 1 trout streams in Price County include the South Fork Jump River, North Fork Jump River, and portions of Elk Creek. The stamp is available through the DNR Go Wild online system.
When does walleye season open in Price County?
Walleye season opens May 2, 2026 on inland waters and runs through March 7, 2027. The 15-inch minimum size limit applies statewide. Bag limit is 5 per day.
Can I ice fish on Price County lakes?
Yes , ice fishing for walleye, panfish, and northern pike is permitted through March 7, 2027 on waters open to ice fishing. Musky season closes December 31, 2026. Check ice thickness before heading out , the DNR recommends 4 inches of clear ice for walking, 5-6 inches for snowmobiles or ATVs.
Where can I launch a boat on the Flambeau River?
Public boat landings on the North Fork include Pixley Boat Landing, Horseshoe Bend, and Oxbow Rapids. On the South Fork, access points include Cosco Park in Phillips, Jerry’s Landing, and the landing below the Phillips Dam. All are free with no reservation required.
What’s the best lake for musky fishing in Price County?
Musser Flowage offers the best musky fishing in Price County, with 1,900 acres of flooded timber and marsh habitat that produces consistent action. Butternut Lake and Solberg Lake also hold musky, but at lower density. The 40-inch minimum size limit applies south of Highway 10, and a musky stamp is required.
Where can I buy a Wisconsin fishing license in Price County?
Licenses are available online at the Wisconsin DNR Go Wild system, at Fleet Farm in Park Falls, and at Ross’s Sport Shop at 111 N Lake Avenue in Phillips. Resident annual licenses cost $20, non-resident annual licenses cost $50, and a 1-day non-resident license costs $15.
Sources
- Price County Fishing Regulations Guide
- Price County Best Fishing Spots
- Price County Parks Guide
- Wisconsin DNR , fishing regulations, license portal, lake data
- Stay Northern . DNR lake database for Price County
- Price County Government , park reservations and facilities
- Ross’s Sport Shop Facebook page , fishing reports