Is waterway public or private
This is directly from Wisconsin Trout Fishing Regulations

Public or Private?

How Do I Know If I?m Trespassing?

? Navigability determines whether a waterway is public or private.
Navigable lakes and streams are public waterways.

? A waterway is navigable if it has a bed and banks and it is
possible to fl oat a canoe or other small craft at sometime of
the year?even if only during spring floods.

? Because they are public, you may use navigable waters for
fishing, boating, swimming or other recreational activities,
provided public access is available, or you have permission of
the land owner to cross their property to reach the waterway.
Once on a navigable waterway,

AS LONG AS YOU KEEP
YOUR FEET WET, YOU MAY WALK ALONG THE BED OF
THE STREAM, FISH, SWIM, OR BOAT IN ANY NAVIGABLE
LAKE OR STREAM.

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KEY to what you just read:

? A waterway is navigable if it has a bed and banks and it is
possible to float a canoe or other small craft at sometime of
the year?even if only during spring floods.

All streams with water in them year round are navigable

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Trout streams are the SIDEWALKS of the outdoors in Wisconsin.
Landowners do NOT own the stream.

If you ask politely a couple times and they say NO. WADE IT.

If they bother you call police and get them charged with harassing an angler.

Most bridges with weight limitation on them are public bridges. You have a small
easement to enter the water and get your feet wet. I don't care if the landowner owns
2000 acres in each directions you are LEGAL.

Wade from public easement on to private land is OK also. The ones that preach NOT wading just don't want you to interfere with THEIR home field advantage or they own the land.

Take a digital camera with you and film unruly land owners. it will work well in court.