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

• Overview

  Vilas County, Wisconsin, is where Chub Lake sits. It stands 1,601 feet above sea level. Surface area runs to about 13 acres — small enough to read in one session. It is a small entry by Vilas County standards. Lac du Flambeau is the closest town at 11 miles. Wakefield follows at 24 miles, then Bessemer at 26 miles. A border sits close enough to be relevant to the paperwork.

• Where to Fish on Chub Lake

  Depth figures are not published for this one. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Fish documented in Vilas County include bluegill, yellow perch and walleye. Records at county level tell you what is around, not what is stocked here. The shape of Chub Lake decides where the fish sit.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The seasonal spread runs 10°F to 65°F. A solid cap is the normal state through winter. The lid usually sets by midwinter and gives way around mid April. Average temperatures cross freezing around mid April in spring and again near late November in autumn. The first weeks of open water and the last are the ones to plan for. That is the shape of the year on Chub Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access is not recorded for this water. The car has to stay half a mile away, which shapes how much tackle you bring. There is a campsite 0.9 miles from the water. Mapping records toilets within half a mile. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Parking space is the usual limit rather than the bank itself. Night access is frequently treated as a separate matter. For a change of water, McKinney Lake is 0.2 miles distant. Check the position at Chub Lake before loading the car.