Minnesota vs Wisconsin fishing license
For a visitor fishing fresh water for 3 days, Wisconsin is $7 cheaper than Minnesota. For a visitor's annual fresh-water license, Minnesota is $4 cheaper than Wisconsin. You need a license from age 16 in Minnesota and in Wisconsin.
- Free
- Official sources first
- Checked monthly
- Independent, not a state website
What visitors pay
Cheapest way for an adult non-resident to cover the trip, including required stamps, worked out from each state's price list. The cheaper state is marked.
| Trip | Minnesota | Wisconsin |
|---|---|---|
| Fresh water | ||
| 1 day | $14 | $15 |
| 3 days | $36 | $29 |
| 7 days | $43 | $33 |
| 1 year | $51 | $55 |
| Residents, annual | ||
| Fresh water | $25 | $20 |
| Prices for | 2026-27 | 2026-27 |
Rules side by side
| Minnesota | Wisconsin | |
|---|---|---|
| License needed from age | 16 | 16 |
| Senior residents | Free (fresh): Minnesota residents aged 90 or over Resident lifetime angling license (age 51 and over): $379 (ages 51+) | Resident senior fishing license (65 and over): $7 (ages 65+) |
| Senior visitors | Non-resident lifetime angling license (age 51 and over): $794 (ages 51+) | Normal visitor prices |
| Required stamps | None | None |
| Next free fishing day | May 8–9, 2027 (residents) Not yet announced | Jan 16–17, 2027 Jun 5–6, 2027 Not yet announced |
| On a charter | Yes: everyone who fishes needs their own license | Yes: everyone who fishes needs their own license |
| License on your phone | Accepted | Accepted |
| Annual licenses last | To 02-28 | To 03-31 |
| Last checked | Nov 4, 2026 | Nov 4, 2026 |
Full details and sources: Minnesota fishing license · Wisconsin fishing license
Shared waters
Minnesota-Wisconsin boundary waters (Mississippi River, St. Croix River, Lake Pepin, St. Louis River Estuary) (Minnesota rules)
Fish shore to shore with either a Minnesota or a Wisconsin license. Secondary source: Minnesota Fishing Regulations (eRegulations)
Mississippi River, St. Croix and St. Louis rivers (Minnesota) (Wisconsin rules)
Wisconsin and Minnesota residents with their own state's resident license, and non-residents with either state's license, may sport fish the boundary waters, including connected sloughs and backwaters. Follow the rules of the state whose waters you are in. Official source
Limits for fish found in both states
Guide only. Statewide rules; many waters have their own. Check each state's official rules before you keep a fish.
| Fish | Minnesota | Wisconsin |
|---|---|---|
| Largemouth bass |
Largemouth and smallmouth bass |
Largemouth and smallmouth bass |
| Smallmouth bass |
Largemouth and smallmouth bass |
Largemouth and smallmouth bass |
| Trout |
Lake trout Stream trout (brook, brown, rainbow, splake) |
Inland trout Great Lakes salmon and trout: set each year |
| Walleye |
Walleye and sauger: set each year |
Walleye, sauger and hybrids |
| Crappie |
bag 10 |
Panfish (bluegill, pumpkinseed, yellow perch, crappie) |
| Catfish |
Channel catfish Flathead catfish |
Catfish Rock, white and yellow bass, and bullheads |
| Northern pike |
Release all 30-40"; only 1 over 40"; bag 2 (Northeast zone; 2 more) |
Varies by water; check the DNR lake lookup; bag 5 total (North of US Highway 10; 1 more) |
| Yellow perch |
bag 20 a day; 40 in possession |
Panfish (bluegill, pumpkinseed, yellow perch, crappie) |
| Muskellunge (muskie) |
Muskellunge |
Muskellunge and hybrids |
Questions
Is a Minnesota fishing license valid in Wisconsin?
No. Each state needs its own license, except on shared waters covered by a border agreement: Minnesota-Wisconsin boundary waters (Mississippi River, St. Croix River, Lake Pepin, St. Louis River Estuary); Mississippi River, St. Croix and St. Louis rivers (Minnesota).
Which is cheaper for visitors, Minnesota or Wisconsin?
1 day (fresh water): Minnesota $14, Wisconsin $15. 1 year (fresh water): Minnesota $51, Wisconsin $55.
At what age do you need a fishing license in Minnesota and Wisconsin?
You need a license from age 16 in Minnesota and in Wisconsin.