Fishing Deer Lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin

• Overview

  Deer Lake lies in Vilas County, in Wisconsin. It sits at 1,667 feet above sea level. Surface area is around 67 acres, which gives you real water without needing a boat. The edge runs 1.3 miles or so, easy to work in an afternoon. It is high ground by Wisconsin standards. Start from Eagle River, 12 miles down the road. After that come Lac du Flambeau at 30 miles and Iron River at 31 miles. No boundary runs near, so the county rules hold throughout.

• Where to Fish on Deer Lake

  There is no recorded depth, so work from what you can see. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. County-wide records name bluegill, yellow perch, walleye, largemouth bass and rock bass. County records show the wider picture rather than this one place. Deer Lake gives up more to patience than to distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Seasonal averages run from 9°F in January up to 65°F in July. Four clear seasons, with a proper winter at one end. Hard water holds through the cold months, breaking up near late April. On the long-run averages the water opens up around late April and starts locking again about late November. Right after break-up, and again as the nights sharpen, is when to go. On Deer Lake that shapes the whole year.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing in our records says who may fish here. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. Mapping shows an empty shoreline: no ramp, no jetty, no marked entry. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Rules for this water may differ from the county norm. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. If the gate is shut, Reiter Lake at 0.4 miles is the nearest alternative. For Deer Lake in particular, ask before you travel.