Cole Lake near Niagara: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  The Marinette County entry here is Cole Lake, in Wisconsin. It stands 981 feet above sea level. At 17 acres it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. Nearest place of any size is Niagara, 19 miles away. Kingsford is 20 miles and Quinnesec 21 miles. Other water nearby: Dolan Lake sits 0.2 miles out, Annabelle Lake at 1.1 miles, Lillie Lake sits 1.2 miles out, John Lake at 1.3 miles and Elm Flats Lake sits 1.3 miles out. No border sits close enough to matter.

• Where to Fish on Cole Lake

  No figure exists for depth, so let the water show you. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Survey and observation records for Marinette County include brown trout, rainbow trout and largemouth bass. County records show the wider picture rather than this one place. At Cole Lake the water rewards a slow, careful approach.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July is the warm end of the year here, averaging about 67°F, while January sits near 12°F. Fishing here follows the temperature more than the calendar. Expect a solid lid for months and a thaw around mid April. The season between ice runs from about mid April to early December. The shoulder weeks of the open season are the productive ones. It holds true on Cole Lake more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  The access position is unclear from public sources. No car park, ramp or path is recorded within easy reach of the shore. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. State or provincial rules still apply whatever the bank status. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. Dolan Lake at 0.2 miles is the sensible second choice. Nothing on Cole Lake should be assumed from this page alone.