Fishing at Carlin Lake, Vilas County, Wisconsin

• Overview

  This water sits in Vilas County, Wisconsin. The country round it is mixed forest from end to end. With some 155 acres of water, there is room for a boat but no need of one. Shoreline comes to about 2.3 miles, small enough to learn in a day. Compared with other Wisconsin water on our list, it sits high. The nearest town is Lac du Flambeau, 17 miles away. The nearest city of size is Green Bay, 144 miles away. It sits well inside its county, with no border complications.

• Where to Fish on Carlin Lake

  Nothing we hold settles how deep this runs. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Open biodiversity records for Vilas County list bluegill, yellow perch, walleye and largemouth bass. County records show what lives in the area; the local agency holds the water-by-water list. Take Carlin Lake a stretch at a time.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 65°F at the top of summer and 10°F at the bottom of winter. A hard winter is normal, and the thaw brings a strong few weeks. Count on hard cover from midwinter, and open water from late April. The season between ice runs from about late April to late November. The open run goes from the thaw to the freeze, and April through October covers most of it. Time your trip to Carlin Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  No access rule appears in what we hold. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. This falls in or next to protected ground, so rules will be tighter than usual. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Sort the permit out before you load the car. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. The nearest alternative is Katinka Lake, 0.8 miles out. For Carlin Lake in particular, ask before you travel.