Frels Lake Fishing in Bayfield County, Wisconsin

• Overview

  Frels Lake falls in Bayfield County, part of Wisconsin. The bank is 1,417 feet above sea level. At 9 acres it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. It is one of the smaller waters we list in Bayfield County. Little Round Lake sits 17 miles from here and is the nearest stop. After that come Hayward at 19 miles and Ashland at 32 miles. This one is safely inside the county line.

• Where to Fish on Frels Lake

  No chart reached our records; the first cast is your sounding. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Bayfield County records list rainbow smelt, brown trout, yellow perch, rainbow trout and white sucker among the fish reported. County records show the wider picture rather than this one place. At Frels Lake the water rewards a slow, careful approach.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-run averages give July about 66°F and January about 8°F. Cold winters and warm summers give a wide working range. Ice fishing carries the winter, and the water opens about mid April. Averages place the thaw at mid April and the freeze at late November. The weeks after the thaw and the ones before the freeze are the strongest. Frels Lake runs to its own calendar within the local pattern.

• Tackle & Baits

  Ownership and access are not documented in what we hold. Public data shows nothing built here, so treat the whole approach as informal. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Take the rules with you rather than trusting memory. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. Birch Lake sits 0.2 miles off and takes the overflow. Signs at Frels Lake carry more weight than any list.