Bass Lake Fishing in Barron County, Wisconsin

• Overview

  Bass Lake sits in Barron County, out in Wisconsin. Beyond the shoreline you have rolling bush. It covers about 17 acres, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. On size it sits at the modest end of our Barron County list. The nearest town is Rice Lake, 12 miles away. Then Cameron, 18 miles, and Shell Lake, 18 miles. Two sets of local rules meet not far from this water.

• Where to Fish on Bass Lake

  Nothing we hold settles how deep this runs. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Records held for Barron County cover brown trout, largemouth bass, northern pike and walleye. Species recorded across the county may be limited to a few waters. On Bass Lake the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The year swings from about 9°F in January to roughly 68°F in July. Winter closes the water for a while, and the reopening is worth catching. The lid usually goes in mid April, which opens the strongest weeks of the year. Going by climate averages, expect open water from about mid April until roughly late November. From the thaw to midsummer the fishing improves week by week. The season on Bass Lake rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  We hold no note on access for this one. Parking sits half a mile out, which makes for a walk with tackle. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Bank access can be seasonal on ground like this. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. Pickerel Lake at 1.2 miles is the sensible second choice. Treat Bass Lake as unsettled until someone local tells you otherwise.