Fishing at Hansen Lake, Ashland County, Wisconsin

• Overview

  Within Ashland County, Wisconsin, you have Hansen Lake. The ground round it is mixed forest. About 22 acres of surface, which puts the far bank inside easy sight. You are 4.1 miles from Park Falls. Further out sit Phillips (18 miles) and Lac du Flambeau (23 miles). The county line runs close by, so rules can change within a short drive.

• Where to Fish on Hansen Lake

  We hold no depth figure for this one. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Public occurrence data for Ashland County names rainbow smelt, yellow perch, white sucker, johnny darter and brown trout. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. On Hansen Lake the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-term averages put July at about 66°F and January near 10°F. Expect a real winter and a strong spring after it. The open season starts with the thaw, near enough mid April. The open-water window runs from around mid April to about late November in an average year. The open run goes from the thaw to the freeze, and April through October covers most of it. Time your trip to Hansen Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. Access points are not mapped for this water, which suits people who like quiet. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Check locally before you travel, because a wasted drive is a long one. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. Failing this one, try Bullhead Lake, 0.5 miles away. What applies at Hansen Lake may have changed since it was mapped.