Bishop Lake, Wisconsin: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  You will find Bishop Lake in Forest County, Wisconsin. Elevation runs to 1,532 feet. At 288 acres this is proper open water rather than a pond. Roughly 2.8 miles of bank means you can walk to a fresh area when one goes quiet. It ranks high for size among our Forest County listings. Some 2.5 miles away sits Nashville, the nearest settlement. Further out sit Crandon (8 miles) and Rhinelander (22 miles). Being near a boundary, it pays to know which side you are fishing.

• Where to Fish on Bishop Lake

  There is no published depth for this one, so start shallow and work out. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Open biodiversity records for Forest County list brown trout, largemouth bass, yellow perch and northern pike. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. On Bishop Lake the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-run averages give July about 66°F and January about 10°F. A hard winter is normal, and the thaw brings a strong few weeks. Ice is part of the season here, ending near mid April. Climate figures give an open season running mid April to late November. Just after the ice goes and just before it returns, the fishing lifts. Expect Bishop Lake to follow that timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  No access rule appears in what we hold. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. Nothing built is recorded close to the bank here. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Season dates differ by species, so read the table. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. Should this one be busy, Mole Lake is 1.9 miles off. Confirm before you fish Bishop Lake.