Deer Lake Fishing Guide, Lincoln County, Wisconsin

• Overview

  Look for Deer Lake in Lincoln County, Wisconsin. It sits at 1,457 feet above sea level. Around 130 acres of surface means several distinct areas to work. A shoreline of some 2.1 miles keeps the choices simple. Few waters listed in Lincoln County are bigger. Tomahawk lies 5.5 miles from the water. Green Bay sits 108 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. Two sets of local rules meet not far from this water.

• 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. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Lincoln County records list brown trout, rainbow trout and pumpkinseed among the fish reported. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. Deer Lake gives up its fish to patience rather than distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July is the warm end of the year here, averaging about 67°F, while January sits near 10°F. Winter shuts the surface down for months. Ice fishing carries the winter, and the water opens about mid April. Climate averages put the opening at about mid April and the closing near late November. The open run goes from the thaw to the freeze, and April through October covers most of it. Plan any trip to Deer Lake around it.

• Tackle & Baits

  We hold no note on access for this one. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. Expect a half a mile walk in from where the car goes. Mapping shows a jetty some half a mile off. Toilets are half a mile away, which matters on a long session. Mapping puts a reserve boundary across this water; check what it allows. A landowner's word beats anything printed elsewhere. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. Should this one be busy, Crystal Lake is 0.6 miles off. Confirm before you fish Deer Lake.