Inkpot Lake, Wisconsin: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  In Wisconsin, Inkpot Lake belongs to Vilas County. It sits in rolling bush. Small at around 15 acres: two anglers spread out cover most of it. It is one of the smaller waters we list in Vilas County. Lac du Flambeau sits 6.5 miles from here and is the nearest stop. Green Bay is the closest city, 130 miles away. Rules here are straightforward: one county, one set of rules.

• Where to Fish on Inkpot Lake

  Our records carry no depth, so judge it from the bank. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Vilas County records list bluegill, yellow perch, walleye, largemouth bass and rock bass among the fish reported. Species recorded across the county may be limited to a few waters. On Inkpot Lake the first feature you find is usually worth a session.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages move between 9°F in January and 66°F in July. Four clear seasons, with a proper winter at one end. Winter fishing happens on the ice here, with open water back around mid April. The open-water window runs from around mid April to about late November in an average year. Spring is short and heavy here; autumn is longer and steadier. It holds true on Inkpot Lake more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. A launch point is recorded some 0.9 miles off. A nature reserve borders this water, which usually brings restrictions. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Rules for this water may differ from the county norm. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. Franklin Lake, 0.7 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. None of that is settled for Inkpot Lake in what we hold.