Fishing Benoit Lake in Burnett County, Wisconsin

• Overview

  Benoit Lake is one of the Burnett County listings for Wisconsin. It stands 965 feet above sea level. At some 256 acres it is far too large to cover on foot in a day. There is roughly 3.6 miles of bank, more than one visit can cover properly. On our Burnett County list it sits near the top for size. Spooner lies 11 miles from the water. It is 81 miles to Saint Paul, the nearest city. The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Benoit Lake

  No figure exists for depth, so let the water show you. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Records held for Burnett County cover brown trout, northern pike, largemouth bass, bluegill and pumpkinseed. Species recorded across the county may be limited to a few waters. Fish Benoit Lake to its features, not to its size.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July near 69°F and January near 10°F on the long-run figures. Spring and autumn carry the fishing; summer and winter test it. Ice fishing carries the winter, and the water opens about mid April. Average temperatures cross freezing around mid April in spring and again near late November in autumn. Fishing peaks soon after break-up and again before the cold returns. It sets the rhythm of the year at Benoit Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public sources are silent on who controls the bank. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. Boat services are half a mile out at the marina. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. A landowner's word beats anything printed elsewhere. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. The nearest alternative is Smith Lake, 1.2 miles out. Treat Benoit Lake as unsettled until someone local tells you otherwise.