Hammil Lake, Wisconsin: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Hammil Lake lies in Bayfield County, in Wisconsin. This is mixed forest ground. It runs to roughly 78 acres — big enough to hold fish away from the bank, small enough to learn. About 1.5 miles of bank, so nothing stays unexplored for long. Size puts it in the front rank of our Bayfield County list. The nearest town is Hayward, 19 miles away. The nearest city of size is Saint Paul, 126 miles away. It sits well inside its county, with no border complications.

• Where to Fish on Hammil Lake

  Nothing we hold settles how deep this runs. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Bayfield County records list rainbow smelt, brown trout, yellow perch, rainbow trout and white sucker among the fish reported. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. At Hammil Lake light and wind decide more than tackle does.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The seasonal spread runs 8°F to 66°F. The year runs cold to warm and back, with clear transitions. Look for the thaw near mid April; the fishing lifts straight after. Average temperatures cross freezing around mid April in spring and again near late November in autumn. Spring is short and heavy here; autumn is longer and steadier. Time your trip to Hammil Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  No access rule appears in what we hold. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. No built facilities appear in mapping around this water. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Parking is often the real limit rather than the bank itself. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. For a change of water, Samoset Lake is 0.4 miles distant. Confirm before you fish Hammil Lake.