Horn Lake near Merrill: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  Look for Horn Lake in Lincoln County, Wisconsin. The bank is 1,522 feet above sea level. This is a pocket water of some 12 acres, and every part of it is reachable from the bank. Merrill at 8.9 miles is the nearest place to stop. It is 96 miles to Green Bay, the nearest city. Within a short run: Thompson Lake sits 0.4 miles out, Horseshoe Lake at 0.6 miles, Knight Lake sits 1.1 miles out, Anient Lake at 1.3 miles and Larson Lake sits 1.4 miles out. The nearest boundary is a fair way off.

• Where to Fish on Horn Lake

  The records we hold are silent on depth, so plan to find it yourself. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Species logged across Lincoln County include brown trout, rainbow trout, pumpkinseed, walleye and bluegill. Read it as a county summary, not a water-by-water list. Fish Horn Lake to its features, not to its size.

• Seasonal Patterns

  In an average year July sits at 67°F and January at 10°F. The season turns properly here, and fish follow it closely. Ice is part of the season here, ending near mid April. Climate figures give an open season running mid April to late November. The first weeks of open water and the last are the ones to plan for. Horn Lake runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. There is somewhere to leave the car, half a mile off. The water sits inside or beside a nature reserve, so expect extra rules. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. A landowner's word beats anything printed elsewhere. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. If the gate is shut, Thompson Lake at 0.4 miles is the nearest alternative. Check the position at Horn Lake before loading the car.