Dollar Lake in Vilas County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Dollar Lake is one of the Vilas County waters in Wisconsin. It lies 1,611 feet above sea level. Surface area is around 108 acres, which gives you real water without needing a boat. About 1.6 miles of bank, so nothing stays unexplored for long. The town to know is Eagle River, 1.9 miles out. Rhinelander is 22 miles and Crandon 28 miles. The county line runs close by, so rules can change within a short drive.

• Where to Fish on Dollar Lake

  There is no published depth for this one, so start shallow and work out. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Records held for Vilas County cover bluegill, yellow perch, walleye, largemouth bass and rock bass. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. On Dollar Lake the first feature you find is usually worth a session.

• Seasonal Patterns

  In an average year July sits at 65°F and January at 9°F. Cold locks it up for a good stretch each year. Break-up comes around mid April, and the run that follows is short and strong. Climate averages put the opening at about mid April and the closing near late November. Early summer and early autumn carry the open-water season. At Dollar Lake the season follows that pattern closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing in our records says who may fish here. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. A marina sits within half a mile of the water. Expect a half a mile walk in from where the car goes. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Rules differ from one water to the next round here. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. Taylor Lake sits 0.9 miles off and takes the overflow. For Dollar Lake, the notice at the access point is the final word.