Black Lake near Iola: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  Black Lake is one of the Waupaca County waters in Wisconsin. Height above sea level is 919 feet. This is a pocket water of some 4 acres, and every part of it is reachable from the bank. Our Waupaca County list holds plenty of bigger water. Iola at 2.9 miles is the nearest place to stop. Manawa lies 8.1 miles off, Waupaca another 8.7 miles. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Black Lake

  The records we hold are silent on depth, so plan to find it yourself. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Open biodiversity records for Waupaca County list brown trout, flathead catfish, rainbow trout and common carp. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. On Black Lake the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July to average close to 70°F, with January the cold end at about 14°F. The year splits cleanly: hard water, then open water. Count the season from break-up, usually early April. Going by climate averages, expect open water from about early April until roughly early December. The weeks after the thaw and the ones before the freeze are the strongest. On Black Lake that shapes the whole year.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. No made access appears within a short radius, so plan to park on a verge and walk. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Check whether a boat is allowed before you tow one. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. Hermanson Lake at 0.6 miles is the sensible second choice. Check the current arrangement for Black Lake.