Black Otter Lake Fishing in Outagamie County, Wisconsin

• Overview

  Black Otter Lake falls in Outagamie County, part of Wisconsin. The water sits 794 feet up. With some 78 acres of water, there is room for a boat but no need of one. By elevation it sits in the lower part of our Wisconsin listings. Hortonville is the closest place, 0.4 miles off. New London is 6.8 miles away, with Appleton at 12 miles. The county line runs close by, so rules can change within a short drive.

• Where to Fish on Black Otter Lake

  Without a survey to go on, judge depth from how the bank falls away. Levels move with the draw rather than the rain on water like this. Points where the flooded channel swings in are the reliable ones. County-wide records name bluegill, largemouth bass, pumpkinseed and northern pike. The list covers the county rather than this water alone, so treat it as a guide. Black Otter Lake gives up more to patience than to distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July near 70°F and January near 15°F on the long-run figures. Winter closes the water for a while, and the reopening is worth catching. Ice-out usually falls in early April, and the weeks after it fish hardest. Ice usually gives way near early April, and forms again about early December. Just after the ice goes and just before it returns, the fishing lifts. The season on Black Otter Lake rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  No access rule appears in what we hold. There is recorded parking some half a mile off. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Ask in the nearest town if you are unsure. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. For a change of water, Shaky Lake is 4.8 miles distant. Check the current arrangement for Black Otter Lake.