James Lake Fishing near Medford, Wisconsin

• Overview

  The Taylor County entry here is James Lake, in Wisconsin. It sits at 1,713 feet above sea level. Roughly 46 acres: a morning covers one end, an afternoon the other. With about 1.6 miles of edge, you can try several depths in one session. Compared with other Wisconsin water on our list, it sits high. Medford is the closest place, 16 miles off. It is 122 miles to Green Bay, the nearest city. A border sits close enough to be relevant to the paperwork.

• Where to Fish on James Lake

  Without a survey to go on, judge depth from how the bank falls away. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Reported across Taylor County: brown trout, largemouth bass and pumpkinseed. The list covers the county rather than this water alone, so treat it as a guide. James Lake gives up its fish to patience rather than distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate normals give 66°F for July and 9°F for January. Expect a real winter and a strong spring after it. Ice-out usually falls in mid April, and the weeks after it fish hardest. The water is typically free of ice between mid April and late November. Fish feed hardest at the start and the close of the open season. That shapes the year on James Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. Overnight stays are possible 150 yards away. The water borders Rib Lake School Forest, so reserve rules are likely to apply. Check whether a boat is allowed before you tow one. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. If the gate is shut, North Harper Lake at 1.5 miles is the nearest alternative. Ask locally about James Lake if anything is unclear.