Hat Lake near Merrill: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  Hat Lake lies within the bounds of Lincoln County, Wisconsin. The setting is pine and birch. Surface area runs to about 4 acres — small enough to read in one session. It is a small entry by Lincoln County standards. Merrill lies 8.1 miles from the water. Tomahawk is 12 miles and Maine 19 miles. The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Hat Lake

  Nothing in our records gives a depth for this one. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Public occurrence data for Lincoln County names brown trout, rainbow trout, pumpkinseed and walleye. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. At Hat Lake the water rewards a slow, careful approach.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-run averages give July about 67°F and January about 10°F. Cold winters and warm summers give a wide working range. Hard cover is dependable here; it goes around mid April. Ice clears near mid April and comes back about late November in a typical year. Just after the ice goes and just before it returns, the fishing lifts. Plan any trip to Hat Lake around it.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public data does not answer the access question here. No built facilities appear in mapping around this water. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Look for a notice board at the entrance. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. For a change of water, Heart Lake is 0.2 miles distant. Treat Hat Lake as unsettled until someone local tells you otherwise.