Lake Dorothy in Iron County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Out in Iron County, Wisconsin, sits Lake Dorothy. The water sits 1,663 feet up. This is a pocket water of some 21 acres, and every part of it is reachable from the bank. It sits higher than most water we list in Wisconsin. For supplies, Hurley is 14 miles out. Further out sit Ironwood (14 miles) and Bessemer (15 miles). One jurisdiction covers this water end to end.

• Where to Fish on Lake Dorothy

  Depth is unmeasured here, so let the shoreline guide you. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. County-wide records name walleye, northern pike, yellow perch, muskellunge and rainbow trout. Take it as the county picture rather than a promise for this water. At Lake Dorothy light and wind decide more than tackle does.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July near 65°F and January near 10°F on the long-run figures. Spring and autumn carry the fishing; summer and winter test it. The lid usually goes in mid April, which opens the strongest weeks of the year. Ice clears near mid April and comes back about late November in a typical year. The middle of summer slows a little, with dawn and dusk carrying it. Expect Lake Dorothy to follow that timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. Formal access is not mapped, so the last stretch is likely on foot. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. A phone call first saves an afternoon. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. Barrel Spring Lake at 0.2 miles is the sensible second choice. Where Lake Dorothy is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.