Duchien Lake, Wisconsin: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Out in Taylor County, Wisconsin, sits Duchien Lake. The ground round it is mixed forest. It covers about 5 acres, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. It is a small entry by Taylor County standards. Some 14 miles away sits Medford, the nearest settlement. Athens is 22 miles and Phillips 26 miles. The nearest edge is a long way off, so local rules apply throughout.

• Where to Fish on Duchien 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. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Fish documented in Taylor County include brown trout, largemouth bass, pumpkinseed, bluegill and yellow perch. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. Fish Duchien Lake where the bottom changes rather than where it looks deep.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warm month here averages 66°F; the cold one sits at 10°F. Cold locks it up for a good stretch each year. Winter fishing happens on the ice here, with open water back around mid April. Expect the water usable from around mid April until roughly late November. Just after the ice goes and just before it returns, the fishing lifts. Plan any trip to Duchien Lake around it.

• Tackle & Baits

  We hold no note on access for this one. Formal access is not mapped, so the last stretch is likely on foot. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Ask in the nearest town if you are unsure. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. Niene Lake, 0.2 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. Confirm before you fish Duchien Lake.