Bug Lake in Vilas County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Bug Lake stands in Vilas County, Wisconsin. It lies 1,699 feet above sea level. It covers about 4 acres, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. It is one of the smaller waters we list in Vilas County. The nearest town is Lac du Flambeau, 21 miles away. The big place round here is Green Bay, 142 miles distant. The county line runs close by, so rules can change within a short drive.

• Where to Fish on Bug Lake

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Public occurrence data for Vilas County names bluegill, yellow perch and walleye. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. Work Bug Lake in sections rather than trying to cover it.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Typical July readings run about 65°F; by January the average is down near 9°F. The middle months are generous; the ends are demanding. Winter fishing happens on the ice here, with open water back around late April. Averages suggest open water from about late April through to roughly late November. June through September is the settled part of the year, with the shoulders busier for fish. That shapes the year on Bug Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  We have no record of the rules that apply on this bank. Part of this sits inside or beside Catherine Wolter Wilderness Area, so read the notices. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. State or provincial rules still apply whatever the bank status. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. John Lake at 0.3 miles is the sensible second choice. For Bug Lake in particular, ask before you travel.