Fishing at Hawthorn Lake, Vilas County, Wisconsin

• Overview

  Hawthorn Lake is a Vilas County water, in Wisconsin. Height above sea level is 1,667 feet. Small at around 11 acres: two anglers spread out cover most of it. It is one of the smaller waters we list in Vilas County. Wakefield sits 18 miles from here and is the nearest stop. Bessemer is 22 miles away, with Lac du Flambeau at 23 miles. This one sits near enough to a boundary to be worth checking.

• Where to Fish on Hawthorn Lake

  Depth is not on record here, which means reading the ground instead. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Vilas County records list bluegill, yellow perch, walleye, largemouth bass and rock bass among the fish reported. Take it as the county picture rather than a promise for this water. On Hawthorn Lake the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between January at about 10°F and July at about 65°F, the water has a wide range to work through. Expect a real winter and a strong spring after it. Ice-out usually falls in late April, and the weeks after it fish hardest. The season between ice runs from about late April to late November. September and October fish steadily right up to the freeze. That is the shape of the year on Hawthorn Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  We have no record of the rules that apply on this bank. Mapping shows no built access close by; expect to walk in from wherever you can leave the car. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Rules differ from one water to the next round here. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. For a change of water, Buckthorn Lake is 0.3 miles distant. For Hawthorn Lake, the notice at the access point is the final word.