Gorres Lake in Polk County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Set in Polk County, Gorres Lake is a Wisconsin water. The setting is mixed forest. This is a pocket water of some 8 acres, and every part of it is reachable from the bank. It is a small entry by Polk County standards. For supplies, Amery is 3.3 miles out. Clear Lake is 6.8 miles and Turtle Lake 9.3 miles. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Gorres Lake

  The records we hold are silent on depth, so plan to find it yourself. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Survey and observation records for Polk County include brown trout, rainbow trout, northern pike and largemouth bass. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. The shape of Gorres Lake decides where the fish sit.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July runs about 70°F on average, January about 10°F. Winter shuts things down for a spell, then spring reopens them fast. Count the season from break-up, usually early April. Averages suggest open water from about early April through to roughly late November. Fishing peaks soon after break-up and again before the cold returns. Time your trip to Gorres Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing we hold confirms whether access is permitted. Access points are not mapped for this water, which suits people who like quiet. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Check whether a boat is allowed before you tow one. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. Jim Lake at 0.6 miles is the sensible second choice. The position on Gorres Lake is worth confirming on the day.