Print it. Bag it. Bring it.Phones die, screens crack, and most of this water has no signal. Print this map, fold it into a zip-top bag or dry bag with your license, and you have a backup your electronics can’t give you. Every marker is numbered so you can say exactly where you are.
| # | Point | Type | Lat, Lon | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Burrows Park City of Madison | Park / conservation area | 43.10230, -89.36632 | East-shore neighbourhood park with lawn down to the water. |
| 2 | Deon's Live Bait & Minnows East Madison | Bait, tackle & fly shop | 43.10655, -89.35336 | Live bait and minnows about a mile east of the Burrows Park shore. |
| 3 | Beach Park City of Madison | Park / conservation area | 43.11188, -89.37164 | Small east-shore beach park below Maple Bluff. |
| 4 | Maple Bluff Marina Maple Bluff, east shore | Access / boat ramp | 43.12409, -89.37549 | Village marina basin on the east shore, just north of the Governor's Mansion. |
| 5 | Warner Park City of Madison | Park / conservation area | 43.12733, -89.37615 | Large north-east park and lagoon; boat launch and shoreline frontage. |
| 6 | Lerdahl Park City of Madison | Park / conservation area | 43.13196, -89.38859 | North-shore park on the bay west of Warner Park. |
| 7 | Cherokee Marsh - Mendota Unit Dane County conservancy | Park / conservation area | 43.14257, -89.40756 | Marsh and wild-rice conservancy where the Yahara enters the lake. |
| 8 | Westport Road Yahara inlet | Bridge crossing | 43.15094, -89.40427 | County bridge over the Yahara just above the lake. |
| 9 | State Highway 113 WI 113, Yahara inlet | Bridge crossing | 43.15072, -89.40199 | Highway crossing of the Yahara at the north inlet. |
| 10 | Skipper Buds Yahara inlet, north end | Access / boat ramp | 43.15178, -89.40568 | Full-service marina at the north end where the Yahara River enters the lake. |
| 11 | Jackson's Landing Westshire Conservancy | Access / boat ramp | 43.14770, -89.41558 | Paddle landing on the Yahara above the lake, inside the Westshire Conservancy. |
| 12 | Park Office Governor Nelson State Park | Agency / conservation office | 43.13750, -89.43995 | Wisconsin DNR park office on the north shore; permits and launch information. |
| 13 | Mendota County Park Campground Dane County | Campsite | 43.11113, -89.46840 | The only campground on the lake; west shore, inside Mendota County Park. |
| 14 | Mendota County Park Dane County | Park / conservation area | 43.10957, -89.46885 | West-shore county park with picnic grounds and lake frontage. |
| 15 | Century Avenue CTH M / CTH Q, Middleton | Bridge crossing | 43.10597, -89.48366 | Crossing at the Pheasant Branch inlet on the west shore. |
| 16 | Marshall Park City of Madison | Park / conservation area | 43.09237, -89.48282 | West-shore park at the Pheasant Branch mouth; the main public launch on this side. |
| 17 | Marshall Boats Marshall Park | Outfitter / canoe rental | 43.09326, -89.48208 | Seasonal canoe, kayak and boat rental at the Marshall Park launch. |
| 18 | Capital Avenue Street End Spring Harbor, west shore | Access / boat ramp | 43.08667, -89.47241 | City street-end lake access on the west shore; shore fishing, no trailer ramp. |
| # | Point | Type | Lat, Lon | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19 | Spring Harbor Beach City of Madison | Park / conservation area | 43.08275, -89.46950 | Beach and shoreline park in Spring Harbor bay. |
| 20 | Merrill Spring Merrill Springs Park | Spring | 43.08139, -89.46660 | Shoreline spring on the west side, cold inflow at the lake edge. |
| 21 | Shorewood Hills Marina Shorewood Hills | Access / boat ramp | 43.08137, -89.45975 | Small village marina on the south-west shore. |
| 22 | Bigfoot Park Shorewood Hills | Park / conservation area | 43.08277, -89.45293 | Wooded shoreline park on the south-west shore. |
| 23 | Raymer's Cove Lakeshore Nature Preserve | Point of interest | 43.08905, -89.44002 | Steep-sided cove in the preserve; walk-in shore fishing off the sandstone bank. |
| 24 | Frautschi (Second) Point Lakeshore Nature Preserve | Point of interest | 43.09272, -89.43102 | Wooded point on the south shore with deep water close in. |
| 25 | Picnic Point Lakeshore Nature Preserve | Point of interest | 43.08977, -89.41519 | Mile-long peninsula splitting University Bay; shore access the whole way out. |
| 26 | Lakeshore Nature Preserve UW-Madison | Park / conservation area | 43.08169, -89.42392 | Four miles of undeveloped south-shore woods, coves and points open to walk-in anglers. |
| 27 | Memorial Union Swim Pier UW Memorial Union Terrace | Access / boat ramp | 43.07713, -89.39931 | Pier off the Union Terrace; the most-used walk-in shore access on the south shore. |
| 28 | Rutabaga Paddlesports South Madison | Outfitter / canoe rental | 43.03423, -89.38117 | Large paddlesports shop and outfitter south of the isthmus. |
| 29 | Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources GEF-2, downtown Madison | Agency / conservation office | 43.07531, -89.38022 | DNR central headquarters, four blocks off the south shore. |
| 30 | James Madison Park City of Madison | Park / conservation area | 43.08211, -89.38252 | Downtown lakefront park with beach, pier and launch. |
| 31 | Giddings Park City of Madison | Park / conservation area | 43.08711, -89.37680 | Small park on the shore between James Madison and Tenney parks. |
| 32 | Tenney Park City of Madison | Park / conservation area | 43.09431, -89.37129 | Park at the Yahara outlet; shore fishing along the lagoon and locks. |
| 33 | Tenney Park Breakwater Tenney Park | Point of interest | 43.09537, -89.37226 | Stone breakwater at the Yahara outlet, the classic open-water shore spot. |
| 34 | Sherman Avenue Tenney Park | Bridge crossing | 43.09469, -89.36984 | Bridge over the Yahara outlet channel beside the locks. |
| 35 | USGS 05428000 Lake Mendota At Madison Primary level reference | USGS gauge | 43.09500, -89.37012 | |
| 36 | Mendota Locks Dam Yahara outlet | Dam / hazard | 43.09503, -89.37026 | Dam and lock structure controlling the lake; stay well clear of the gates. |
Gauge: USGS 05428000 — LAKE MENDOTA AT MADISON, WI. Live flow on the web page.
Species: Black Crappie, Bluegill, Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Yellow Perch
Regulations: dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/fishing/regulations
Emergency: call 911 and give the number of the nearest point on this map plus its coordinates.
Marshall Park and Warner Park: public ramps on the west and north shores.
Tenney Park and James Madison Park: shore and pier access in the city.
Governor Nelson State Park: ramp, beach and shore fishing on the north shore.
Yahara River: the connection to Lake Monona and the rest of the chain.
Extensive shoreline and pier access throughout Madison.
Ice fishing is popular and access is easy from city parks.
Note: a busy urban lake with heavy recreational and sailing traffic in summer.
Winter: walleye, perch and panfish through the ice, with easy access.
Spring: the walleye season opens and bass move into the shallow bays.
Summer: weed edges for walleye and pike, bass on the rock, busy afternoons.
Fall: cooling water and the best walleye fishing of the open-water year.