Browns Lake, Wisconsin: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Browns Lake lies in Washburn County, Wisconsin. The land about it is rolling bush. Surface area is around 26 acres, which gives you real water without needing a boat. Shell Lake sits 5.4 miles from here and is the nearest stop. It is 83 miles to Saint Paul, the nearest city. In the same area: Sport Lake some 1.2 miles off, Casper Lake (1.3 miles), Miller Lake some 1.6 miles off, Ripley Lake (2.1 miles) and Stone Lake some 2.2 miles off. The nearest boundary is a fair way off.

• Where to Fish on Browns Lake

  No depth figure appears in our records, so the bank has to tell you. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. County-wide records name largemouth bass, bluegill and northern pike. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. Browns Lake fishes better once you know its edges.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warmest month averages 68°F, the coldest about 9°F. The freeze arrives properly here and holds. The freeze runs deep into the year, with break-up near mid April. Averages place the thaw at mid April and the freeze at late November. Look to early summer and the first cool weeks of autumn. Browns Lake fishes to that pattern most years.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public sources are silent on who controls the bank. Access points are not mapped for this water, which suits people who like quiet. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Check locally before you travel, because a wasted drive is a long one. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. If the gate is shut, Sport Lake at 1.2 miles is the nearest alternative. Check the position on Browns Lake before loading the car.