Chain Lake Fishing in Washburn County, Wisconsin

• Overview

  Washburn County in Wisconsin is where Chain Lake sits. Land around it is rolling bush. At 23 acres it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. Shell Lake is the closest town at 3.2 miles. The big place round here is Saint Paul, 80 miles distant. No boundary runs near, so the county rules hold throughout. It sits far enough from the road to feel away from things.

• Where to Fish on Chain Lake

  Depth here is unknown, so count the lead down before committing. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Public occurrence data for Washburn County names largemouth bass, bluegill and northern pike. Species recorded across the county may be limited to a few waters. On Chain Lake the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 69°F at the top of summer and 9°F at the bottom of winter. Winter puts a hard lid on this one. Break-up comes around mid April, and the run that follows is short and strong. Ice clears near mid April and comes back about late November in a typical year. The first weeks of open water and the last are the ones to plan for. Anyone fishing Chain Lake regularly works to that calendar.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access is not recorded for this water. There is no mapped parking or launch close by, which usually means walking in. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Local rules can differ across the county line, so check where you stand. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. Failing this one, try Round Lake, 0.4 miles away. Check the current arrangement for Chain Lake.