High Lake near Antigo: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  Look for High Lake in Langlade County, Wisconsin. The country here is pine and birch. With some 27 acres of water, there is room for a boat but no need of one. Nearest town is Antigo, 11 miles off. Then Nashville, 17 miles, and Crandon, 23 miles. Within a short run: Kimball Lake 0.7 miles, Sunfish Lake sits 1 mile out, Borth Lake 1.1 miles, Lower Bass Lake sits 1.2 miles out and Lower Clear Lake 1.7 miles. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on High Lake

  No chart reached our records; the first cast is your sounding. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Langlade County records list brown trout, rainbow trout, largemouth bass and bluegill among the fish reported. It is the county picture; the agency list is water-specific. Anyone new to High Lake should walk it once before setting up.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Typical July readings run about 66°F; by January the average is down near 10°F. Expect a real winter and a strong spring after it. The lid usually sets by midwinter and gives way around mid April. The water is typically free of ice between mid April and late November. September and October fish steadily right up to the freeze. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to High Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. No slipway, car park or made path shows up nearby in mapping, so treat access as rough. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Read any posted signs at the access point rather than assuming. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. For a change of water, Kimball Lake is 0.7 miles distant. For High Lake in particular, ask before you travel.