Fishing Crescent Lake in Burnett County, Wisconsin

• Overview

  Set in Burnett County, Wisconsin, this is Crescent Lake. Pine and birch runs right down to the water. At about 35 acres, a day is enough to walk the shoreline properly. With about 1.1 miles of edge, you can try several depths in one session. The closest town, Spooner, is 14 miles away. Then Shell Lake, 17 miles, and Frederic, 27 miles. This one is safely inside the county line.

• Where to Fish on Crescent Lake

  Depth here is unknown, so count the lead down before committing. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Reported across Burnett County: brown trout, northern pike, largemouth bass and bluegill. It is the county picture; the agency list is water-specific. The near bank of Crescent Lake is often the one people ignore.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate records put July near 69°F and January near 9°F. Spring and autumn carry the fishing; summer and winter test it. Ice-out usually falls in mid April, and the weeks after it fish hardest. Break-up sits around mid April on average, with the water closing again about late November. The first weeks of open water and the last are the ones to plan for. It holds true on Crescent Lake more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access is not recorded for this water. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. Parking is mapped about half a mile from the bank. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Ask in the nearest town if you are unsure. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. Should this one be busy, Behr Lake is 1.2 miles off. What applies at Crescent Lake may have changed since it was mapped.