Gem Lake Fishing in Forest County, Wisconsin

• Overview

  Gem Lake is listed under Forest County, Wisconsin. The ground round it is rolling bush. This is a pocket water of some 9 acres, and every part of it is reachable from the bank. Most waters listed here for Forest County are larger. For supplies, Crandon is 20 miles out. Green Bay sits 68 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. It sits near the edge of the county, so check which rules apply.

• Where to Fish on Gem Lake

  Without a survey to go on, judge depth from how the bank falls away. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Species logged across Forest County include brown trout, largemouth bass, yellow perch, northern pike and bluegill. Records at county level tell you what is around, not what is stocked here. At Gem Lake the first feature you find is worth twenty minutes.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The seasonal spread runs 11°F to 66°F. Winter shuts the surface down for months. Hard water holds through the cold months, breaking up near mid April. In an average year the thaw lands around mid April and the freeze near late November. September and October fish steadily right up to the freeze. It sets the rhythm of the year at Gem Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. No car park, ramp or path is recorded within easy reach of the shore. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Look for a notice board at the entrance. Close seasons apply to some species and not others. Curve Lake, 0.4 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. Signs at Gem Lake carry more weight than any list.