.No, you generally cannot fish on someone else's private pier in Wisconsin without their permission. While Wisconsin's Public Trust Doctrine guarantees the right to fish in navigable waters, piers, docks, and boat lifts are considered private property. Accessing the shore or a pier usually requires walking on private land, which is illegal trespass.
Key Wisconsin Fishing Access Rules:
Navigable Waters: You may fish from a boat or while wading in the water, even if that water is in front of someone's private property.
Private Property: You cannot use the exposed shoreline (dry land) or private structures like piers and docks without the owner's consent.
"Feet-Wet" Law: When walking along a stream or shoreline, you must keep your feet in the water and cannot trespass on private land.
Exceptions: You may only step onto private property to avoid an obstruction that makes wading impossible, then must immediately return to the water.
For safety and to avoid conflict, it is best to ask permission or use public access points.

So, let's look at Monona Bay in Dane county. Ther must be 30 docks along this one shoreline. Ther are no sidewalks along the road on the lake side. But there is a 5' section of grass between the road edge and the lake shore. So, I'm thinking this must be city property so what you're saying I can use those docks to fish off of. I have fish that shoreline and caught some really nice large Mouth bass. But I never went out on any of those docks.

Beav if there is no sign saying it is posted and you leave voluntarily as soon as someone tells you , then you don't get the citation for trespassing in WI.

Thanks for the clarification. I learned something today.

Guy's that sink tree's etc around their docks figure they OWN all the water surrounding them. Big problem here on the Mississippi river around the Corpse of Engineer cabin leases. All gov land.