Ember Lake in Polk County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Ember Lake falls in Polk County, part of Wisconsin. It lies 1,263 feet above sea level. About 12 acres of surface, which puts the far bank inside easy sight. It is a small entry by Polk County standards. 9.9 miles away sits Cumberland, the nearest town. Beyond it, Luck at 13 miles and Frederic at 13 miles. Rules here are straightforward: one county, one set of rules.

• Where to Fish on Ember Lake

  Depth went unrecorded, which puts the reading back on you. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Records held for Polk County cover brown trout, rainbow trout, northern pike and largemouth bass. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. Ember Lake responds to conditions more than to tactics.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 69°F at the top of summer and 10°F at the bottom of winter. A full turn of seasons, with the strongest sport on either side of summer. Winter locks it down, and mid April brings it back. From about mid April to around late November, expect open water on the long-run figures. Just after the ice goes and just before it returns, the fishing lifts. Anyone fishing Ember Lake regularly works to that calendar.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access status is simply unknown for this water. Public mapping records no formal access here, so plan for a walk and soft ground. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Parking is often the real limit rather than the bank itself. Night access is frequently treated as a separate matter. Failing this one, try Grouse Lake, 0.6 miles away. Where Ember Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.