Cub Lake in Iron County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Cub Lake is one of the Iron County listings for Wisconsin. Beyond the shoreline you have mixed forest. It covers about 10 acres, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. On size it sits at the modest end of our Iron County list. For a base, Lac du Flambeau sits 11 miles out. Beyond it, Park Falls at 25 miles and Hurley at 25 miles. The line between counties passes nearby, which can change who manages the water.

• Where to Fish on Cub Lake

  Depth is unmeasured here, so let the shoreline guide you. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. County-wide records name walleye, northern pike, yellow perch and muskellunge. The list covers the county rather than this water alone, so treat it as a guide. Read Cub Lake before you fish it and the day goes better.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Seasonal averages run from 10°F in January up to 65°F in July. Four clear seasons, with a proper winter at one end. Count on hard cover from midwinter, and open water from mid April. The lid tends to go about mid April and return around late November. June through September is the settled part of the year, with the shoulders busier for fish. Cub Lake runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. There is no mapped parking or launch nearby, which keeps numbers down. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Look for a notice board at the entrance. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. For a change of water, Little Bear Lake is 0.9 miles distant. The position on Cub Lake is worth confirming on the day.