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

• Overview

  In Wisconsin, Ellen Lake falls inside Vilas County. Elevation runs to 1,699 feet. At roughly 16 acres, the whole thing is within casting reach of a single walk. On size it sits at the modest end of our Vilas County list. Eagle River sits 13 miles from the bank. The big place round here is Green Bay, 116 miles distant. The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Ellen Lake

  No depth figure has reached our records, which makes a plummet useful. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Reported across Vilas County: bluegill, yellow perch, walleye and largemouth bass. Species recorded across the county may be limited to a few waters. Ellen Lake repays a walk before the first cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July to average close to 65°F, with January the cold end at about 9°F. The year splits cleanly: hard water, then open water. Winter fishing happens on the ice here, with open water back around late April. From about late April to around late November, expect open water on the long-run figures. The strong weeks are the first after break-up and the last before the freeze. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Ellen Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing on record says whether the bank is open or closed. Nothing is mapped in the way of a ramp or car park within a short radius. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Some banks are open only from a marked point. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. Long Lake, 1.6 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. Nothing here settles the position at Ellen Lake for certain.