Kelly Lake Fishing Guide, Oconto County, Wisconsin

• Overview

  Kelly Lake falls in Oconto County, part of Wisconsin. The setting is pine and birch. It measures some 368 acres, and wind has room to build across it. At about 3.6 miles of edge, most people work one arm at a time. Few waters listed in Oconto County are bigger. The closest town, Gillett, is 9.9 miles distant. Oconto Falls is 11 miles and Legend Lake 18 miles. The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Kelly Lake

  There is no published depth for this one, so start shallow and work out. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Fish documented in Oconto County include brown trout, largemouth bass and bluegill. County records show the wider picture rather than this one place. On Kelly Lake the first feature you find is usually worth a session.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The year swings from about 13°F in January to roughly 69°F in July. Winter puts a hard lid on this one. Look for the thaw near mid April; the fishing lifts straight after. Climate figures give an open season running mid April to early December. Early summer and early autumn carry the open-water season. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Kelly Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. No car park, ramp or path is recorded within easy reach of the shore. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Where a permit is needed, the nearest town usually sells it. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. For a change of water, Round Lake is 0.6 miles distant. The position on Kelly Lake is worth confirming on the day.