Bear Paw Lake Fishing Guide, Oconto County, Wisconsin

• Overview

  Bear Paw Lake lies in Oconto County, in Wisconsin. The bank gives way to mixed forest. With some 47 acres of water, there is room for a boat but no need of one. Shoreline comes to about 1.6 miles, small enough to learn in a day. Nearest place of any size is Gillett, 21 miles away. Then Legend Lake, 21 miles, and Keshena, 24 miles. The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Bear Paw Lake

  Depth went unrecorded, which puts the reading back on you. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Species logged across Oconto County include brown trout, largemouth bass, bluegill, yellow perch and northern pike. Species recorded across the county may be limited to a few waters. On Bear Paw Lake that means starting tight and working out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July runs about 68°F on average, January about 13°F. The year runs cold to warm and back, with clear transitions. Winter locks it down, and mid April brings it back. Averages suggest open water from about mid April through to roughly early December. From the thaw to midsummer the fishing improves week by week. It holds true on Bear Paw Lake more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  No public source sets out the position on this bank. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. There is a mapped slipway roughly half a mile away. Parking sits half a mile out, which makes for a walk with tackle. A campsite lies half a mile away for anyone staying over. Parking space is the usual limit rather than the bank itself. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. The nearest alternative is Westphall Lake, 1.8 miles out. Where Bear Paw Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.