Ground Hemlock Lake in Forest County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Within Forest County, Wisconsin, you have Ground Hemlock Lake. The land about it is lake country bush. Around 84 acres of surface means several distinct areas to work. Shoreline comes to about 1.6 miles, small enough to learn in a day. The closest town, Crandon, is 7 miles away. Nashville lies 8.5 miles off, Antigo another 27 miles. Two sets of local rules meet not far from this water.

• Where to Fish on Ground Hemlock Lake

  No figure exists for depth, so let the water show you. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Forest County records list brown trout, largemouth bass and yellow perch among the fish reported. It is the county picture; the agency list is water-specific. Ground Hemlock Lake gives up more to patience than to distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warm month here averages 65°F; the cold one sits at 10°F. Cold winters and warm summers give a wide working range. The lid usually sets by midwinter and gives way around mid April. Break-up near mid April, freeze-up near late November: that is the shape of an average year. Look to early summer and the first cool weeks of autumn. Anyone fishing Ground Hemlock Lake regularly works to that calendar.

• Tackle & Baits

  No access rule appears in what we hold. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. No made access appears within a short radius, so plan to park on a verge and walk. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Read any posted signs at the access point rather than assuming. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. For a change of water, Kimberly Lake is 1.5 miles distant. Treat Ground Hemlock Lake as unsettled until someone local tells you otherwise.