Fishing at Gordon Lake, Ashland County, Wisconsin

• Overview

  Gordon Lake lies in Ashland County, in Wisconsin. The country here is pine and birch. Roughly 137 acres: a morning covers one end, an afternoon the other. Some 3.8 miles of bank gives room to move when the wind turns. Size puts it in the front rank of our Ashland County list. The nearest town is Park Falls, 18 miles away. Hurley is 28 miles away, with Ironwood at 29 miles. It sits well inside the county, so one set of rules covers it.

• Where to Fish on Gordon Lake

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Reported across Ashland County: rainbow smelt, yellow perch, white sucker and johnny darter. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. Gordon Lake fishes better once you know its edges.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Seasonal averages run from 9°F in January up to 65°F in July. Four clear seasons, with a proper winter at one end. Look for the thaw near mid April; the fishing lifts straight after. The season between ice runs from about mid April to late November. Reckon on open water from spring through to late autumn, with May and June the strongest. Plan around that when you fish Gordon Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  We have no record of the rules that apply on this bank. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. There is camping recorded roughly half a mile off. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Gates get locked out of season on water like this. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. Torrey Lake sits 0.9 miles off and takes the overflow. What applies at Gordon Lake may have changed since it was mapped.