Hay River
A river in Wisconsin
About Hay River
The Hay River runs 32 miles through Barron and Dunn counties, through Prairie Farm and Wheeler and down toward Tainter Lake. The survey gives it 485 acres of surface and 103 miles of bank.
Twenty-six miles are classified as Class II trout water. The river is also on the state's impaired waters list, a water quality listing that sits alongside the classification rather than cancelling it. Smallmouth habitat is classified as nursery and wadable warm water on the lower reaches.
One public landing is on record. For a trout river of this length that is normal — most of the fishing here is done wading, from bridges and public frontage.
Trout regulations vary by reach and season. Check the current DNR rules for the stretch being fished.
Written from Wisconsin DNR hydrography and fisheries data. State water ID WBIC 2068600.
How the state manages it
- smallmouth · Wadable Nursery Waters; Wadable Warm Water
- trout · CLASS II
Wisconsin DNR fisheries designations. These describe how the water is managed, not what is in it on any given day.
Fishing license
Wisconsin sells them online. Buy one from the state. We don’t know whether you need one — that depends on your age, where you live, the water, and what your guide’s own license covers.