Fishing at Deer Lake, Douglas County, Wisconsin

• Overview

  Deer Lake is a Douglas County water, in Wisconsin. It sits at 1,027 feet above sea level. It covers about 20 acres, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. Some 23 miles away sits Lake Nebagamon, the nearest settlement. For a city, Saint Paul is 104 miles off. The nearest edge is a long way off, so local rules apply throughout.

• Where to Fish on Deer Lake

  Nothing we hold settles how deep this runs. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Douglas County records list yellow perch, walleye and white sucker among the fish reported. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. Deer Lake fishes better once you know its edges.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The seasonal spread runs 9°F to 68°F. Winter shuts the surface down for months. The lid arrives early and lasts until roughly mid April. Average temperatures cross freezing around mid April in spring and again near late November in autumn. Reckon on open water from spring through to late autumn, with May and June the strongest. The season on Deer Lake rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  No access rule appears in what we hold. Access is unmapped, which usually means a farm track and a walk. Walleye come to jigs worked slow near bottom, and to trolled crankbaits along the drops at dusk. Bank access can be seasonal on ground like this. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. The nearest alternative is Round Lake, 0.7 miles out. Confirm access to Deer Lake locally before you travel.