Decorah Lake Fishing in Juneau County, Wisconsin

• Overview

  Decorah Lake belongs to Juneau County, Wisconsin. Height above sea level is 863 feet. At some 295 acres it is far too large to cover on foot in a day. The perimeter runs near 5.2 miles, so plan the walk before you start. By elevation it sits in the lower part of our Wisconsin listings. Nearest town is Mauston, 0.8 miles off. The big place round here is Madison, 62 miles distant. The nearest edge is a long way off, so local rules apply throughout.

• Where to Fish on Decorah Lake

  There is no recorded depth, so work from what you can see. The arms fish better than the open middle whenever the water is up. Levels move with the draw rather than the rain on water like this. Survey and observation records for Juneau County include brown trout, common carp, bluegill, yellow perch and northern pike. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. Decorah Lake gives up its fish to patience rather than distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The year swings from about 15°F in January to roughly 71°F in July. Expect a real winter and a strong spring after it. The lid usually goes in early April, which opens the strongest weeks of the year. Break-up near early April, freeze-up near early December: that is the shape of an average year. Just after the ice goes and just before it returns, the fishing lifts. On Decorah Lake that shapes the whole year.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public data does not answer the access question here. There is a slipway on the shore, half a mile from the water we list. The nearest mapped parking is half a mile away, so the last stretch is on foot. Toilets show in mapping about half a mile away. Sort the permit out before you load the car. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. Failing this one, try 0.2 Reservoir, 5.7 miles away. Nothing on Decorah Lake should be assumed from this page alone.