Horn Lake in Oconto County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Oconto County, Wisconsin, is where Horn Lake sits. It stands 1,329 feet above sea level. It runs to roughly 135 acres — big enough to hold fish away from the bank, small enough to learn. It ranks high for size among our Oconto County listings. Crandon is the closest place, 21 miles off. After that come Nashville at 23 miles and Antigo at 28 miles. It sits near the edge of the county, so check which rules apply.

• Where to Fish on Horn Lake

  Depth remains unrecorded, so treat the first session as a survey. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Species logged across Oconto County include brown trout, largemouth bass, bluegill, yellow perch and northern pike. County records show the wider picture rather than this one place. On Horn Lake that means starting tight and working out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-run averages give July about 67°F and January about 12°F. The year runs cold to warm and back, with clear transitions. Ice-out usually falls in mid April, and the weeks after it fish hardest. Open water usually runs from mid April until about late November. The first weeks of open water and the last are the ones to plan for. The season on Horn Lake follows the weather closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. Access is unmapped, which usually means a farm track and a walk. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Ask in the nearest town if you are unsure. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. Explosion Lake, 0.9 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. Confirm before you fish Horn Lake.