Island Lake in Douglas County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  You will find Island Lake in Douglas County, Wisconsin. The bank gives way to mixed forest. Surface area is around 46 acres, which gives you real water without needing a boat. 12 miles away sits Lake Nebagamon, the nearest town. Saint Paul is the closest city, 117 miles away. Within a short run: Muskrat Lake at 0.9 miles, Bass Lake within 1.3 miles, Long Lake at 1.4 miles, Twin Lakes within 1.7 miles and Upper Saint Croix Lake at 1.7 miles. There is no boundary nearby to worry about.

• Where to Fish on Island Lake

  Open data we checked carries no depth for this water. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Records held for Douglas County cover yellow perch, walleye and white sucker. County records show the wider picture rather than this one place. On Island Lake the first feature you find is usually worth a session.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July near 67°F and January near 8°F on the long-run figures. Fishing here follows the temperature more than the calendar. Ice fishing carries the winter, and the water opens about mid April. The open-water window runs from around mid April to about late November in an average year. June through September is the settled part of the year, with the shoulders busier for fish. Island Lake fishes to that pattern most years.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. Access points are not mapped for this water, which suits people who like quiet. For walleye, a jig and minnow near the bottom is the standard; evenings beat middays. Some banks are open only from a marked point. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. Should this one be busy, Muskrat Lake is 0.9 miles off. Rules at Island Lake are worth checking on the day.