Rainbow Smelt
Osmerus mordax · Osmeridae
About this fish
- Spawning
- March and April
- Largest length
- up to 35.6 cm (14 inches)
- Lifespan
- up to 5 years
- Matures at
- about 2.5 years old
Values come from a national database of the United States, not Wisconsin surveys: maximum length is the species' largest recorded anywhere, and spawning months are range-wide (Wisconsin timing, in a colder climate, can be later).
USGS FishTraits 14.3 (CC0). Credit: Frimpong and Angermeier, U.S. Geological Survey.
31 open records of this fish in Wisconsin were used here.
Lakes where it has been recorded
From open fish survey and museum records. A record shows the fish was found near the lake in that year, not that it is there now.
Showing 9 of 9 lakes
- Lake SuperiorWisconsinrecorded 1953 to 2025 (6 records)stocked, recorded
- Crystal LakeVilas County88 acres · 67 ft deeprecorded 1996 to 2006 (2 records)Clearstocked, recorded
- Lake MichiganWisconsin0.4 acresrecorded 1931 to 1999 (6 records)stocked, recorded
- Midge LakeVilas County8.0 acres · 38 ft deeprecorded 1997 to 1998 (2 records)Clearrecorded
- Sparkling LakeVilas County127 acres · 64 ft deeprecorded 1988 (1 record)Lowstocked, recorded
- Cisco LakeBayfield County95 acres · 105 ft deeprecorded 1983 (1 record)Clearstocked, recorded
- Sturgeon BayWisconsin4,945 acresrecorded 1982 (1 record)stocked, recorded
- Bond LakeDouglas County292 acres · 67 ft deeprecorded 1977 (1 record)Clearstocked, recorded
- Tomahawk LakeBayfield County134 acres · 42 ft deeprecorded 1961 to 1972 (3 records)Clearrecorded