Gunlock Lake, Wisconsin: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  The Vilas County end of Wisconsin holds Gunlock Lake. It lies 1,568 feet above sea level. The water covers around 264 acres, which puts most of it out of reach from the bank. There is roughly 4.6 miles of bank, more than one visit can cover properly. On our Vilas County list it sits near the top for size. The town to know is Lac du Flambeau, 5.2 miles out. Further out sit Rhinelander (27 miles) and Eagle River (28 miles). The county edge is within a short distance of the bank.

• Where to Fish on Gunlock Lake

  Open data we checked carries no depth for this water. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Records held for Vilas County cover bluegill, yellow perch and walleye. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. On Gunlock Lake a short move beats a long cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between January at about 9°F and July at about 66°F, the water has a wide range to work through. The season turns properly here, and fish follow it closely. Ice fishing carries the winter, and the water opens about mid April. Going by climate averages, expect open water from about mid April until roughly late November. June through September is the settled part of the year, with the shoulders busier for fish. Gunlock Lake runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing we hold confirms whether access is permitted. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. There is no recorded infrastructure here; expect to find your own way in. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Some banks are open only from a marked point. Night access is frequently treated as a separate matter. Placid Twin Lakes, 0.4 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. Where Gunlock Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.