Hess Lake Fishing in Oneida County, Wisconsin

• Overview

  Hess Lake is an Oneida County water, Wisconsin side. The setting is rolling bush on every side. At 13 acres it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. It is one of the smaller waters we list in Oneida County. 2.3 miles away sits Rhinelander, the nearest town. Tomahawk follows at 18 miles, then Nashville at 20 miles. Local rules may differ a few miles either side of here.

• Where to Fish on Hess Lake

  We hold no survey for this water; read the slope of the shoreline instead. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Reported across Oneida County: brown trout, walleye and largemouth bass. Read it as a county summary, not a water-by-water list. The shape of Hess Lake decides where the fish sit.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate records put July near 67°F and January near 10°F. The year splits cleanly: hard water, then open water. After mid April the shallows warm and the fish move up. Open water usually runs from mid April until about late November. Reckon on open water from spring through to late autumn, with May and June the strongest. It sets the rhythm of the year at Hess Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public data does not answer the access question here. The nearest car park is half a mile from the water. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Rules for this water may differ from the county norm. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. The nearest alternative is Landberg Lake, 0.7 miles out. Confirm access to Hess Lake locally before you travel.