Lake Monona Fishing Guide, Dane County, Wisconsin

• Overview

  Look for Lake Monona in Dane County, Wisconsin. The land about it is pine and birch. This is big water, about 5.3 sq miles, and in a wind it behaves like a small sea. The outline measures near 13 miles, so local knowledge counts. Size puts it in the front rank of our Dane County list. Head to Monona, 1.3 miles away, for anything you forgot. The nearest city of size is Madison, 2.5 miles away. This one is safely inside the county line.

• Where to Fish on Lake Monona

  Charted depth runs to roughly 70 feet at its lowest. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Fish documented in Dane County include brown trout, common carp and bluegill. Species recorded across the county may be limited to a few waters. The shape of Lake Monona rewards a slow walk along one bank.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The seasonal spread runs 17°F to 72°F. The year runs cold to warm and back, with clear transitions. Look for the thaw near early April; the fishing lifts straight after. The season between ice runs from about early April to mid December. The strong weeks are the first after break-up and the last before the freeze. Expect Lake Monona to follow that timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. Expect a half a mile walk in from where the car goes. A jetty or pier is mapped about half a mile from here. Picnic facilities are recorded some half a mile out. There are toilets half a mile off. Ask in the nearest town if you are unsure. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. For a change of water, Upper Mud Lake is 3 miles distant. None of that is settled for Lake Monona in what we hold.