Deer Lake Fishing near Hayward, Wisconsin

• Overview

  In Wisconsin, Deer Lake belongs to Washburn County. It stands 1,145 feet above sea level. This is a pocket water of some 21 acres, and every part of it is reachable from the bank. Our Washburn County list holds plenty of bigger water. You are 10 miles from Hayward. The nearest city of size is Saint Paul, 99 miles away. It sits well inside its county, with no border complications.

• Where to Fish on Deer Lake

  Our records carry no depth, so judge it from the bank. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Survey and observation records for Washburn County include largemouth bass, bluegill, northern pike and yellow perch. The county list is broader than any single water. The near bank of Deer Lake is often the one people ignore.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July to average close to 68°F, with January the cold end at about 9°F. A full turn of seasons, with the strongest sport on either side of summer. Count on hard cover from midwinter, and open water from mid April. From about mid April to around late November, expect open water on the long-run figures. The open run goes from the thaw to the freeze, and April through October covers most of it. The season on Deer Lake rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. There is no recorded infrastructure here; expect to find your own way in. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Rules differ from one water to the next round here. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. Should this one be busy, Hay Lake is 1.2 miles off. Treat Deer Lake as unsettled until someone local tells you otherwise.