Impoundment (Wisconsin River)

Lake Wausau

Marathon, Wisconsin

Lake Wausau is a 1,851-acre Wisconsin River impoundment in Marathon County with a maximum depth of 30 feet. WDNR lists panfish as abundant; smallmouth bass, northern pike and walleye are common.

Air temp in Rothschild, WI Loading current temperature…

Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Current air temperature at Lake Wausau (National Weather Service) ↗

Surface area1,851 acres

Max depth30 ft

Shoreline—

Boat motorsCheck local ordinances

Species

Fishery rating out of 5.

Bluegill●●●●○

Panfish listed by WDNR

Crappie●●●●○

Panfish listed by WDNR

Smallmouth Bass●●●●○

Common per WDNR

Northern Pike●●●●○

Common per WDNR

Walleye●●●●○

Common per WDNR

Muskellunge●●○○○

Present per WDNR

Largemouth Bass●●○○○

Present per WDNR

Boat launches

3 launch sites. Fees and hours change, so confirm before you go.

Pavilion Park / Kort Street boat landing (Rothschild)Public
Two launch areas per Village of RothschildDirections ↗
Domtar boat landingPublic
West bank of Wisconsin River near Rothschild Dam, off Sunrise Lane; open to public, owned by DomtarDirections ↗
More public accessPublic
See the WDNR lake page for all landingsDirections ↗

Size & creel limits

Special rules for this lake, confirmed from official state regulations. Minimum size and daily limit.

Species	Min size	Daily limit
Walleye 20-28 in protected; only 1 over 28 in; open all year	15 in	3 / day
Largemouth/Smallmouth Bass Open all year	14 in	5 / day
Northern Pike Open all year	See Wisconsin rules book ↗	5 / day
Muskellunge May 2 to Dec 31, 2026; open water only	50 in	1 / day
Panfish Open all year	See Wisconsin rules book ↗	25 / day
Catfish Open all year	See Wisconsin rules book ↗	10 / day
Trout See specific trout regulations	Varies	Varies

Other species in this lake: look up the limits at Wisconsin DNR ↗

Verified October 2026. Rules change, so confirm current limits with the Wisconsin DNR before you fish.

Bait & tackle nearby

Closest shops to the lake and its boat launches. Call ahead for live bait and hours.

Hollow Bait & TackleNearby
322 Cottage St., Wausau, WIDirections ↗
Cover It All LLCNearby
Wausau, WI715-870-2119 Directions ↗
M & J Marine, Inc.Nearby
Mosinee, WI715-693-6200 Directions ↗

Search more bait shops near Lake Wausau ↗

Local tips

River-influenced impoundment: fish current seams and edges near dams and inflows
Panfish are abundant; target them around cover
Check WDNR regulations for walleye, pike and musky before keeping fish

View on interactive map

Zoom and pan on a street, satellite or terrain map. Red pins are boat launches; blue pins are bait shops nearby.

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Always wear a life jacket and check your state's current regulations before you fish.