Bottle Lake Fishing Guide, Oconto County, Wisconsin

• Overview

  Set in Oconto County, Bottle Lake is a Wisconsin water. The surroundings are mixed forest. It covers about 7 acres, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. Most waters listed here for Oconto County are larger. Gillett at 26 miles is the nearest place to stop. The nearest city of size is Green Bay, 53 miles away. The nearest edge is a long way off, so local rules apply throughout.

• Where to Fish on Bottle Lake

  We hold no depth figure for this one. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Open biodiversity records for Oconto County list brown trout, largemouth bass, bluegill and yellow perch. Take it as the county picture rather than a promise for this water. The shape of Bottle Lake rewards a slow walk along one bank.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July runs about 67°F on average, January about 12°F. Expect a real winter and a strong spring after it. Once it clears, about mid April, the fishing comes on quickly. In an average year the thaw lands around mid April and the freeze near early December. Just after the ice goes and just before it returns, the fishing lifts. Anyone fishing Bottle Lake regularly works to that calendar.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access is not recorded for this water. Mapping is blank for access, so scout the approach before committing the car. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Ask in the nearest town if you are unsure. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. Failing this one, try Hazel Lake, 0.2 miles away. Ask locally about Bottle Lake if anything is unclear.