Fifth Lake Fishing in Oneida County, Wisconsin

• Overview

  Set in Oneida County, Wisconsin, this is Fifth Lake. The setting is rolling bush. Surface area is around 239 acres, which gives you real water without needing a boat. Size puts it in the front rank of our Oneida County list. Start from Rhinelander, 7.6 miles down the road. The big place round here is Green Bay, 98 miles distant. It sits well inside the county, so one set of rules covers it.

• Where to Fish on Fifth Lake

  Depth went unrecorded, which puts the reading back on you. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. County-wide records name brown trout, walleye and largemouth bass. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. The shape of Fifth Lake rewards a slow walk along one bank.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July to average close to 66°F, with January the cold end at about 10°F. Expect a real winter and a strong spring after it. Once it clears, about mid April, the fishing comes on quickly. Averages place the thaw at mid April and the freeze at late November. Fish feed hardest at the start and the close of the open season. On Fifth Lake that shapes the whole year.

• Tackle & Baits

  We have no record of the rules that apply on this bank. You can camp about half a mile away, going by the mapping. A nature reserve borders this water, which usually brings restrictions. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Where the road in crosses private land, ask first. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. The nearest alternative is Fourth Lake, 0.9 miles out. Signs at Fifth Lake carry more weight than any list.