Dorothy Lake Fishing Guide, Vilas County, Wisconsin

• Overview

  Dorothy Lake stands in Vilas County, Wisconsin. The bank is 1,670 feet above sea level. Surface area runs to about 24 acres — small enough to read in one session. It sits higher than most water we list in Wisconsin. The closest town, Lac du Flambeau, is 22 miles distant. Further out sit Eagle River (23 miles) and Wakefield (28 miles). This one is safely inside the county line.

• Where to Fish on Dorothy Lake

  Nothing in our records gives a depth for this one. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Species logged across Vilas County include bluegill, yellow perch and walleye. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. The shape of Dorothy Lake decides where the fish sit.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warmest month averages 65°F, the coldest about 9°F. The year runs cold to warm and back, with clear transitions. Firm cover through the cold months, then open water from late April. Averages suggest open water from about late April through to roughly late November. September and October fish steadily right up to the freeze. Time your trip to Dorothy Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public sources are silent on who controls the bank. There is no mapped parking or launch nearby, which keeps numbers down. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. A phone call first saves an afternoon. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. Devils Lake at 1.1 miles is the sensible second choice. Nothing here settles the position at Dorothy Lake for certain.