Fishing Chain Lakes in Douglas County, Wisconsin

• Overview

  Chain Lakes falls in Douglas County, part of Wisconsin. It lies 1,060 feet above sea level. With some 95 acres of water, there is room for a boat but no need of one. The whole outline is near 2.0 miles, and most of it is walkable. Supplies mean a trip to Hayward, 18 miles off. Saint Paul is the closest city, 109 miles away. A county boundary sits nearby, which can matter for local access rules.

• Where to Fish on Chain Lakes

  Depth is not on record here, so the bank has to tell you. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Public occurrence data for Douglas County names yellow perch, walleye and white sucker. Records at county level tell you what is around, not what is stocked here. Fish Chain Lakes where the bottom changes rather than where it looks deep.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-run averages give July about 67°F and January about 9°F. Winter shuts the surface down for months. Hard water holds through the cold months, breaking up near mid April. Averages place the thaw at mid April and the freeze at late November. The weeks after the thaw and the ones before the freeze are the strongest. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Chain Lakes.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing on record says whether the bank is open or closed. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. Mapping records no facilities at all near this water. Walleye come to jigs worked slow near bottom, and to trolled crankbaits along the drops at dusk. A landowner's word beats anything printed elsewhere. Night access is frequently treated as a separate matter. Should this one be busy, Red Lake is 1.8 miles off. Rules at Chain Lakes are worth checking on the day.