Ham Lake Fishing in Forest County, Wisconsin

• Overview

  Ham Lake is one of the Forest County listings for Wisconsin. Country round the bank runs to mixed forest. Small at around 19 acres: two anglers spread out cover most of it. The town to know is Crandon, 12 miles out. Green Bay is the closest city, 75 miles away. It sits well inside its county, with no border complications. It sits away from the main road, which keeps the noise down.

• Where to Fish on Ham Lake

  Depth remains unrecorded, so treat the first session as a survey. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Species logged across Forest County include brown trout, largemouth bass, yellow perch, northern pike and bluegill. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. Treat Ham Lake as a water to read rather than to cover.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The year swings from about 11°F in January to roughly 65°F in July. A solid cap is the normal state through winter. The lid arrives early and lasts until roughly mid April. Going by climate averages, expect open water from about mid April until roughly late November. The shoulder weeks of the open season are the productive ones. It holds true on Ham Lake more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public sources are silent on who controls the bank. Mapping shows no built access close by; expect to walk in from wherever you can leave the car. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. A landowner's word beats anything printed elsewhere. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. Mud Lake Number One at 0.5 miles is the sensible second choice. The position on Ham Lake is worth confirming on the day.