Alder Pond in Columbia County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  The Columbia County end of Wisconsin holds Alder Pond. The surface lies 879 feet up. At 4 acres it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. On size it sits at the modest end of our Columbia County list. Prairie du Sac lies 3.7 miles from the water. Roxbury lies 4 miles off, Sauk City another 4.2 miles. Rules can differ a short way off, since the county line is near.

• Where to Fish on Alder Pond

  Our records carry no depth, so judge it from the bank. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Records held for Columbia County cover brown trout, common carp, rainbow trout, largemouth bass and northern pike. The list covers the county rather than this water alone, so treat it as a guide. On Alder Pond that means starting tight and working out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  On the long-term average, July reads 71°F and January reads 15°F. Winter shuts the surface down for months. Break-up comes around early April, and the run that follows is short and strong. The season between ice runs from about early April to early December. September and October fish steadily right up to the freeze. Expect Alder Pond to follow that timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing in our records says who may fish here. Access points are not mapped for this water, which suits people who like quiet. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Look for a notice board at the entrance. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. Should this one be busy, Fish Lake is 1.3 miles off. The position on Alder Pond is worth confirming on the day.