Judd Lake Fishing in Iron County, Wisconsin

• Overview

  The Iron County end of Wisconsin holds Judd Lake. The water sits 1,617 feet up. You can fish the entire water from one spot if you pick it well. It is one of the smaller waters we list in Iron County. Lac du Flambeau is the closest place, 16 miles off. Green Bay sits 150 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. Local rules may differ a few miles either side of here.

• Where to Fish on Judd Lake

  Our records carry no depth, so judge it from the bank. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Species logged across Iron County include walleye, northern pike, yellow perch and muskellunge. County records show what lives in the area; the local agency holds the water-by-water list. Judd Lake responds to conditions more than to tactics.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July to average close to 65°F, with January the cold end at about 10°F. Fishing here follows the temperature more than the calendar. The freeze runs deep into the year, with break-up near mid April. Average temperatures cross freezing around mid April in spring and again near late November in autumn. The weeks after the thaw and the ones before the freeze are the strongest. Judd Lake runs to its own calendar within the local pattern.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. Mapping is blank for access, so scout the approach before committing the car. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. A landowner's word beats anything printed elsewhere. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. If the gate is shut, Wallace Lake at 0.2 miles is the nearest alternative. Treat access at Judd Lake as something to verify.