Cook Lake Fishing near Eagle River, Wisconsin

• Overview

  Cook Lake is set in Oneida County, Wisconsin. It stands 1,637 feet above sea level. With some 32 acres of water, there is room for a boat but no need of one. Compared with other Wisconsin water on our list, it sits high. Eagle River at 11 miles is the nearest place to stop. The big place round here is Green Bay, 104 miles distant. It sits well inside the county, so one set of rules covers it.

• Where to Fish on Cook Lake

  Depth figures are not published for this one. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Species logged across Oneida County include brown trout, walleye and largemouth bass. Records at county level tell you what is around, not what is stocked here. Cook Lake responds to conditions more than to tactics.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The year swings from about 10°F in January to roughly 65°F in July. Winter puts a hard lid on this one. After mid April the shallows warm and the fish move up. Climate figures give an open season running mid April to late November. Late spring and early autumn carry the year between them. It sets the rhythm of the year at Cook Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. Access points are not mapped for this water, which suits people who like quiet. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Where the road in crosses private land, ask first. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. For a change of water, Hutchinson Lake is 0.5 miles distant. Where Cook Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.