Fishing at Explosion Lake, Oconto County, Wisconsin

• Overview

  Set in Oconto County, Explosion Lake is a Wisconsin water. This is lake country bush country. Surface area is around 45 acres, which gives you real water without needing a boat. Nearest place of any size is Crandon, 22 miles away. The nearest city of size is Green Bay, 63 miles away. Two sets of local rules meet not far from this water.

• Where to Fish on Explosion Lake

  We hold no depth figure for this one. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Across Oconto County, recorded fish include brown trout, largemouth bass, bluegill, yellow perch and northern pike. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. Explosion Lake fishes better once you know its edges.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 67°F at the top of summer and 12°F at the bottom of winter. The year splits cleanly: hard water, then open water. Ice-out usually falls in mid April, and the weeks after it fish hardest. Climate averages put the opening at about mid April and the closing near late November. The strongest runs come at either end of the open season. Plan any trip to Explosion Lake around it.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing we hold confirms whether access is permitted. No car park, ramp or path is recorded within easy reach of the shore. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Rules differ from one water to the next round here. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. The nearest alternative is Lauder Lake, 0.4 miles out. Treat access at Explosion Lake as something to verify.