Fishing Big Lake in Shawano County, Wisconsin

• Overview

  The Shawano County end of Wisconsin holds Big Lake. This is rolling bush ground. Surface area is around 65 acres, which gives you real water without needing a boat. Bank access stretches around 1.6 miles in total. Keshena is the closest town at 7.2 miles. The big place round here is Green Bay, 47 miles distant. Being near a boundary, it pays to know which side you are fishing.

• Where to Fish on Big Lake

  Our records carry no depth, so judge it from the bank. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Shawano County records list brown trout, northern pike and largemouth bass among the fish reported. Take it as the county picture rather than a promise for this water. Work Big Lake in sections rather than trying to cover it.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warm month here averages 68°F; the cold one sits at 13°F. Winter closes the water for a while, and the reopening is worth catching. The freeze runs deep into the year, with break-up near mid April. Going by climate averages, expect open water from about mid April until roughly early December. June through September is the settled part of the year, with the shoulders busier for fish. That is the shape of the year on Big Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. No launch point is recorded nearby, so this is a bank water unless you carry a boat in. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Sort the permit out before you load the car. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. If the gate is shut, Mud Lake at 0.4 miles is the nearest alternative. Where Big Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.