Fishing Dates Millpond in Columbia County, Wisconsin

• Overview

  Out in Columbia County, Wisconsin, sits Dates Millpond. The setting is rolling bush. It runs to roughly 188 acres — big enough to hold fish away from the bank, small enough to learn. On our Columbia County list it sits near the top for size. The town to know is Pardeeville, 7.6 miles out. Beyond it, Portage at 8.3 miles and Montello at 11 miles. The county line runs close by, so rules can change within a short drive.

• Where to Fish on Dates Millpond

  Depth figures are not published for this one. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. County-wide records name brown trout, common carp and rainbow trout. The list covers the county rather than this water alone, so treat it as a guide. Take Dates Millpond a stretch at a time.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between January at about 16°F and July at about 71°F, the water has a wide range to work through. Winter shuts things down for a spell, then spring reopens them fast. After early April the shallows warm and the fish move up. On average, early April opens the water and early December closes it again. Just after the ice goes and just before it returns, the fishing lifts. The season on Dates Millpond rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing we hold confirms whether access is permitted. Nothing built is recorded close to the bank here. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Parking space is the usual limit rather than the bank itself. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. For a change of water, Mulhern Lake is 1.2 miles distant. Check the position on Dates Millpond before loading the car.