Kellners Lake in Manitowoc County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Kellners Lake is a Manitowoc County water, Wisconsin side. Everything around it is mixed forest. This is a pocket water of some 14 acres, and every part of it is reachable from the bank. It lies lower than most water we list in Wisconsin. Some 6.3 miles away sits Cooperstown, the nearest settlement. Further out sit Cato (6.7 miles) and Denmark (7.6 miles). The boundary is near enough that local access rules are worth double-checking.

• Where to Fish on Kellners Lake

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Open biodiversity records for Manitowoc County list brown trout, rainbow trout, common carp, Chinook salmon and Coho salmon. At least one recorded species is protected in parts of its range; read the local rules before targeting anything. Read Kellners Lake before you fish it and the day goes better.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-term averages put July at about 69°F and January near 17°F. Cold locks it up for a good stretch each year. Ice fishing carries the winter, and the water opens about early April. The season between ice runs from about early April to early December. Right after break-up, and again as the nights sharpen, is when to go. Kellners Lake runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. Access points are not mapped for this water, which suits people who like quiet. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Ask in the nearest town if you are unsure. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. Mott Lake, 6.2 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. Confirm access to Kellners Lake locally before you travel.