Buck Lake Fishing in Bayfield County, Wisconsin

• Overview

  Buck Lake sits in Bayfield County, out in Wisconsin. The ground around here is lake country bush. It covers about 6 acres, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. It is one of the smaller waters we list in Bayfield County. For a base, Lake Nebagamon sits 19 miles out. Saint Paul is the closest city, 140 miles away. The nearest boundary is a fair way off.

• Where to Fish on Buck Lake

  Without a survey to go on, judge depth from how the bank falls away. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Fish documented in Bayfield County include rainbow smelt, brown trout and yellow perch. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. On Buck Lake a short move beats a long cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warmest month averages 66°F, the coldest about 9°F. The year splits cleanly: hard water, then open water. Winter locks it down, and mid April brings it back. The water is typically free of ice between mid April and late November. September and October fish steadily right up to the freeze. That is the shape of the year on Buck Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public sources are silent on who controls the bank. A camping area sits within half a mile of here. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Gates get locked out of season on water like this. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. Failing this one, try Honey Lake, 0.6 miles away. Where Buck Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.