Bashaw Lake in Burnett County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  The Burnett County entry here is Bashaw Lake, in Wisconsin. The country round it is lake country bush from end to end. It measures about 170 acres, which is a comfortable size for bank fishing. Around 3.5 miles of bank, which is a long day on foot. Shell Lake lies 11 miles from the water. Further out sit Spooner (13 miles) and Frederic (18 miles). The boundary is close enough to be worth checking before you fish.

• Where to Fish on Bashaw Lake

  Depth figures are not published for this one. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Open biodiversity records for Burnett County list brown trout, northern pike, largemouth bass, bluegill and pumpkinseed. Take it as the county picture rather than a promise for this water. The shape of Bashaw Lake rewards a slow walk along one bank.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The year swings from about 10°F in January to roughly 69°F in July. Seasons are distinct, and each one fishes differently. Ice is part of the season here, ending near mid April. The water is typically free of ice between mid April and late November. The first weeks of open water and the last are the ones to plan for. That is the shape of the year on Bashaw Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public sources are silent on who controls the bank. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. No car park, ramp or path is recorded within easy reach of the shore. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Gates get locked out of season on water like this. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. The nearest alternative is Bass Lake, 2.2 miles out. What applies at Bashaw Lake may have changed since it was mapped.