Lake · Madison, Dane, Wisconsin
Lake Monona at Madison
Location Snapshot
Lake Monona at Madison is an urban Wisconsin lake with weedlines, rocky breaks, developed shoreline, and connected Madison-chain habitat. Muskellunge, walleye, largemouth bass, and smallmouth bass are the principal supported targets.
Current Lake Rating
Point-in-time lake rating — separate from the trip recommendation below.
Excellent91
Conditions look excellent for a Generic fishing trip. Light to moderate wind should make casting and boat control easier.
Scores are model-specific and are not directly comparable across water types.
Rating confidence: Medium
Should I Go?
Go
Fishing guidance for this destination based on available lake conditions, weather, and seasonal context. It is not a boating, swimming, ice, or access-safety rating.
Recommendation confidence: Medium (70)
Guidance uses the shared lake fishing model. It is not destination-specific calibration.
Best window
Tue, 9:00 AM–12:00 PM
Why
- Cloud cover is generally suitable for fishing
- Recent precipitation has been light.
Current Readings
- Water level
- 844.79 ft
- Change over 24 hours
- 0.00 ft
- Trend
- Stable
- Water temperature
- 14.5 °C
- Last updated
- 58 min ago
≈ 58.1 °F
Source: USGS · LAKE MONONA AT MADISON, WI · 05429000 · Elevation, lake/res, NAVD88
Better Nearby Options
Checking nearby StrikeTracks waters…
Weather Near Lake
Current Weather
Clear
Temperature
39°F
Feels like
35°F
Wind
2 mph SE
Wind gust
6 mph
Current precipitation
0.00 in
Updated
Oct 20, 2026, 4:45 AM
Recent Rainfall
Estimated precipitation near this lake
Last 6 hours
0.00 in
Last 24 hours
0.00 in
Last 48 hours
0.00 in
Little recent rainfall near this lake.
Next 24 Hours
Tue 5 AM
Clear
Temp 39°F
Chance 0%
Precip 0.00 in
Wind 2 mph
Tue 9 AM
Partly cloudy
Temp 42°F
Chance 0%
Precip 0.00 in
Wind 4 mph
Tue 1 PM
Clear
Temp 61°F
Chance 0%
Precip 0.00 in
Wind 5 mph
Tue 5 PM
Clear
Temp 63°F
Chance 0%
Precip 0.00 in
Wind 5 mph
Tue 9 PM
Clear
Temp 48°F
Chance 0%
Precip 0.00 in
Wind 5 mph
Wed 1 AM
Clear
Temp 44°F
Chance 0%
Precip 0.00 in
Wind 5 mph
Four-Day Forecast
Tue, Oct 20
Partly cloudy
High 65°F / Low 38°F
Chance 0%
Precip 0.00 in
Max gust 12 mph
Wed, Oct 21
Clear
High 69°F / Low 40°F
Chance 2%
Precip 0.00 in
Max gust 13 mph
Thu, Oct 22
Overcast
High 70°F / Low 51°F
Chance 1%
Precip 0.00 in
Max gust 5 mph
Fri, Oct 23
Overcast
High 70°F / Low 51°F
Chance 0%
Precip 0.00 in
Max gust 29 mph
Weather and rainfall are estimated for this lake's coordinates. Local conditions can vary, especially in mountainous terrain and during isolated storms.
Recent rainfall can influence lake level and access, but the timing and magnitude depend on watershed size, soil conditions, and reservoir operations where applicable.
Weather data: Open-Meteo
Lake Elevation History
Elevation is reported relative to the datum used by this USGS monitoring site. Elevations from different lakes or datums should not be directly compared.
Loading historical elevation…
Fishery Profile
Documented species you may encounter at Lake Monona.
Species images are AI-generated illustrations for visual reference and may simplify natural variation. Fishery records are based on the cited agency sources. About fish illustrations
Fishery overview
Muskellunge are primary and stocked in Lake Monona at Madison. Largemouth bass are common and wild, and walleye are common. Smallmouth bass are present and wild. It covers 3,359 acres, averages 27 feet deep, and reaches 74 feet.
Target species
Muskellunge
Esox masquinongy
- Expectation
- Primary
- Population
- Stocked
- Native status
- introduced
- Confidence
- High confidence
Largemouth Bass
Micropterus nigricans
- Expectation
- Common
- Population
- Wild
- Native status
- native
- Confidence
- High confidence
Walleye
Sander vitreus
- Expectation
- Common
- Population
- Unknown
- Native status
- native
- Confidence
- High confidence
Smallmouth Bass
Micropterus dolomieu
- Expectation
- Present
- Population
- Wild
- Native status
- native
- Confidence
- High confidence
Fishery characteristics
- Composition
- Mixed wild and stocked
- Great Lakes tributary
- No
- Flow regime
- Natural flow
Best seasons
- Spring
- Summer
- Fall
Common techniques
- Boat fishing
- Fly fishing
- Shore fishing
- Spinning
- Trolling
Stocking information
Muskellunge are stocked in Lake Monona at Madison.
- Stocked
Muskellunge
Stocked · Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
Official sources
Hatch Match
General fly suggestions
- Popper-style surface flyGeneral warmwater surface family. Not an insect Hatch event.
- Woolly-bugger-style streamerGeneral warmwater streamer family. Not a baitfish Hatch event.
- Crayfish-style flyGeneral subsurface family. Crayfish forage is not a Hatch insect.
These are general fishing suggestions, not a report of insects currently hatching at this destination.
Location and Access
Cataloged lake location
Madison, Dane, Wisconsin
The map marker represents the cataloged waterbody or monitoring location and may not indicate legal parking or public access. Confirm access through the official information before visiting.
Lake Details
Town
Madison
County
Dane
Management Category
Yahara chain mixed lake
Regulation Scope
Lake Monona at Madison.
Regulation Summary
Lake Monona at Madison: WDNR inland lake rules. Confirm current official regulations.
Surface Area
3359 acres
Maximum Depth
74 ft
Average Depth
27 ft
Target Species
muskellunge, walleye, largemouth-bass, smallmouth-bass
Public Access
Public
Boat Launch
Available
Motor Restrictions
Local slow-no-wake areas and other boating ordinances may apply; check posted signs at public landings.