Fishing at Echo Lake, Iron County, Wisconsin

• Overview

  Echo Lake lies in Iron County, in Wisconsin. The water sits 1,591 feet up. At about 212 acres, a day is enough to walk the shoreline properly. At about 4.9 miles of edge, most people work one arm at a time. It ranks high for size among our Iron County listings. The closest town, Lac du Flambeau, is 17 miles distant. For a city, Green Bay is 152 miles off. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Echo Lake

  Nothing in our records gives a depth for this one. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Survey and observation records for Iron County include walleye, northern pike and yellow perch. County records show what lives in the area; the local agency holds the water-by-water list. The near bank of Echo Lake is often the one people ignore.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-term averages put July at about 65°F and January near 10°F. Winter closes the water for a while, and the reopening is worth catching. After mid April the shallows warm and the fish move up. The season between ice runs from about mid April to late November. Reckon on open water from spring through to late autumn, with May and June the strongest. That shapes the year on Echo Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  No public source sets out the position on this bank. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. A ramp is mapped within half a mile. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Look for a notice board at the entrance. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. If the gate is shut, Rice Lake at 0.6 miles is the nearest alternative. For Echo Lake in particular, ask before you travel.