Crandall Lake Fishing in Oconto County, Wisconsin

• Overview

  Crandall Lake sits in Oconto County, out in Wisconsin. Land around it is lake country bush. This is a pocket water of some 17 acres, and every part of it is reachable from the bank. Head to Crandon, 31 miles away, for anything you forgot. It is 62 miles to Green Bay, the nearest city. The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Crandall Lake

  Without a survey to go on, judge depth from how the bank falls away. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Fish documented in Oconto County include brown trout, largemouth bass and bluegill. Take it as the county picture rather than a promise for this water. Fish Crandall Lake to its features, not to its size.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate normals give 67°F for July and 12°F for January. Winter closes the water for a while, and the reopening is worth catching. Hard cover is dependable here; it goes around mid April. In an average year the thaw lands around mid April and the freeze near early December. The strongest runs come at either end of the open season. Time your trip to Crandall Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public sources are silent on who controls the bank. Mapping shows a campsite some half a mile from the water. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Bank access can be seasonal on ground like this. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. Lackawanna Lake at 0.9 miles is the sensible second choice. Nothing here settles the position at Crandall Lake for certain.