Lake Eleven near Medford: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  Set in Taylor County, Wisconsin, this is Lake Eleven. Elevation runs to 1,453 feet. Medford sits 12 miles from here and is the nearest stop. Thorp is 18 miles away, with Abbotsford at 21 miles. Within a short run: Richter Lake some 0.6 miles off, Thief Lake (0.9 miles), Polack Lake some 1.6 miles off, Anderson Lake (1.7 miles) and Mud Lake some 2.2 miles off. No border sits close enough to matter.

• Where to Fish on Lake Eleven

  We hold no survey for this water; read the slope of the shoreline instead. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. County-wide records name brown trout, largemouth bass and pumpkinseed. The county list is broader than any single water. On Lake Eleven the first feature you find is usually worth a session.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July to average close to 67°F, with January the cold end at about 10°F. A full turn of seasons, with the strongest sport on either side of summer. Once it clears, about mid April, the fishing comes on quickly. Break-up sits around mid April on average, with the water closing again about late November. Right after break-up, and again as the nights sharpen, is when to go. It sets the rhythm of the year at Lake Eleven.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. Nothing is listed nearby for parking or launching a boat. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Local rules can differ across the county line, so check where you stand. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. If the gate is shut, Richter Lake at 0.6 miles is the nearest alternative. Nothing on Lake Eleven should be assumed from this page alone.