Hooker Lake in Kenosha County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Hooker Lake falls in Kenosha County, part of Wisconsin. Beyond the shoreline you have mixed forest. It measures about 103 acres, which is a comfortable size for bank fishing. About 1.9 miles of bank, so nothing stays unexplored for long. By elevation it sits in the lower part of our Wisconsin listings. Nearest town is Salem, 0.6 miles off. After that come Paddock Lake at 1.3 miles and Bristol at 2.6 miles. Two sets of local rules meet not far from this water.

• Where to Fish on Hooker Lake

  Depth is not on record here, so the bank has to tell you. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Kenosha County records list common carp, bluegill, pumpkinseed, brown trout and largemouth bass among the fish reported. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. On Hooker Lake the first feature you find is usually worth a session.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warm month here averages 71°F; the cold one sits at 19°F. Fishing here follows the temperature more than the calendar. Once it clears, about late March, the fishing comes on quickly. On the long-run averages the water opens up around late March and starts locking again about mid December. From the thaw to midsummer the fishing improves week by week. Plan any trip to Hooker Lake around it.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. A made slipway is half a mile from here, which settles the boat question. The mapped parking is Boat Trailer Parking, half a mile away. Facilities run to toilets half a mile from the water. Check whether a boat is allowed before you tow one. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. Montgomery Lake sits 0.9 miles off and takes the overflow. Check the position on Hooker Lake before loading the car.