Image Lake near Wakefield: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  Set in Vilas County, Image Lake is a Wisconsin water. The ground round it is mixed forest. Roughly 26 acres: a morning covers one end, an afternoon the other. Compared with other Wisconsin water on our list, it sits high. The nearest town is Wakefield, 19 miles away. After that come Lac du Flambeau at 22 miles and Bessemer at 23 miles. The county edge is within a short distance of the bank.

• Where to Fish on Image Lake

  We hold no depth figure for this one. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Reported across Vilas County: bluegill, yellow perch, walleye and largemouth bass. County records show what lives in the area; the local agency holds the water-by-water list. On Image Lake the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 65°F at the top of summer and 10°F at the bottom of winter. Spring and autumn carry the fishing; summer and winter test it. Ice fishing carries the winter, and the water opens about late April. Climate averages put the opening at about late April and the closing near late November. June through September is the settled part of the year, with the shoulders busier for fish. Time your trip to Image Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  Our records carry no access rule either way. Nothing is mapped in the way of a ramp or car park within a short radius. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. A phone call first saves an afternoon. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. The nearest alternative is Katie Lake, 0.2 miles out. Nothing here settles the position at Image Lake for certain.