Anglers at Fort McCoy required to get new licenses, permits April 1

Photo By Scott Sturkol | Two anglers take time to try their fishing skills at Suukjak Sep Lake at Pine View Campground on Sept. 28, 2018, at Fort McCoy, Wis. Open year-round, Pine View Campground is part of Pine View Recreation Area. This area also includes Whitetail Ridge and Sportsman’s Range. The campground is nestled in a wooded area about a quarter mile west of Fort McCoy’s cantonment area and is bounded by Suukjak Sep Lake on the east and the La Crosse River on the west and south. (U.S. Army Photo by Scott T. Sturkol, Public Affairs Office, Fort McCoy, Wis.)  

FORT MCCOY, WI, UNITED STATES

03.26.2020

Story by Scott Sturkol                                                                                         

Fort McCoy Public Affairs Office           

Anglers looking to go fishing at Fort McCoy in April will be required to get a new Wisconsin fishing license and Fort McCoy fishing permit beginning April 1.

“To fish at Fort McCoy, an angler is required to have a Wisconsin fishing license and a Fort McCoy fishing permit,” said Fisheries Biologist John Noble with the Directorate of Public Works Environmental Division Natural Resources Branch. “If anglers are going to fish for trout too, they must also have the Wisconsin annual trout stamp.”

Annually, Fort McCoy fishing permits and Wisconsin fishing licenses are good from April 1 to March 31. This covers the many fishing seasons and also includes ice fishing through the winter.

To purchase a Wisconsin fishing license and trout stamp, anglers can go to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) GoWild system at https://gowild.wi.gov.

Fort McCoy fishing permits are only available through an individual’s iSportsman account and must be purchased online using a credit or debit card. Those who have not used iSportsman will first need to register at https://ftmccoy.isportsman.net prior to purchasing any permits.

This is a one-time registration, Noble said. If the account holder has forgotten his or her username/permit number or password/PIN, he or she should contact the Permit Sales Office during open hours to get it reset.

Once an account has been created, the individual can log in and select “Acquire Permit(s)” to view available permits and applications. Select the desired permit or permit application by clicking “Add to Cart.”

Follow the permit or application prompts and then click “Save.”

To purchase permits, select “View Cart and Checkout,” follow the prompts for payment, and confirm the order. Once payment is received, permits will be posted to the iSportsman account. Fort McCoy permits are not transferable or refundable.

“Anglers should also remember, with the exception of Lost Lake and the North Flowage, Fort McCoy lakes and ponds are closed until May 2 — the start of the Wisconsin inland fishing season,” Noble said. “Anglers are able to harvest panfish at the North Flowage and Lost Lake throughout the year.”

Noble said also effective April 1, anglers can participate in the new Wisconsin catch-and-release bass season on Lost Lake and North Flowage. This is in addition to the ongoing stream trout fishing catch-and-release season that anglers can participate in up until the regular fishing season begins May 2.

“Anglers must check the game line by calling 866-277-1597, or they can view the game line on the i-Sportsman website to assure the waters they intend to fish are open,” Noble said.

To learn more about any Fort McCoy fishing and hunting permits, or view maps, or look up fishing and hunting regulations, visit the i-Sportsman website at https://ftmccoy.isportsman.net.

• Date Taken: 03.26.2020
• Date Posted: 03.26.2020 10:15
• Story ID: 365931
• Location: FORT MCCOY, WI, US