Fishing at Deer Lake, Kenosha County, Wisconsin

• Overview

  Look for Deer Lake in the Kenosha County part of Wisconsin. Land around it is rolling bush. At about 59 acres, a day is enough to walk the shoreline properly. There is roughly 1.2 miles of shoreline here, which is a short walk end to end. It is low-lying compared with other Wisconsin water we list. The nearest town is Antioch, 3.2 miles away. Elgin is the closest city, 34 miles away. The boundary is near enough that local access rules are worth double-checking.

• Where to Fish on Deer Lake

  No depth figure appears in our records, so the bank has to tell you. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Reported across Kenosha County: common carp, bluegill, pumpkinseed, brown trout and largemouth bass. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. The shape of Deer Lake rewards a slow walk along one bank.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-run averages give July about 71°F and January about 19°F. The year runs cold to warm and back, with clear transitions. Count on hard cover from midwinter, and open water from late March. On the long-run averages the water opens up around late March and starts locking again about mid December. September and October fish steadily right up to the freeze. Deer Lake fishes to that pattern most years.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access status is simply unknown for this water. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. Redwing Slough State Natural Area covers ground next to the water; its rules will apply on that side. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Rules differ from one water to the next round here. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. Mud Lake sits 1.2 miles off and takes the overflow. Rules at Deer Lake are worth checking on the day.