Fishing Leader Lake in Douglas County, Wisconsin

• Overview

  Out in Douglas County, Wisconsin, sits Leader Lake. Elevation runs to 1,024 feet. At about 171 acres, a day is enough to walk the shoreline properly. Size puts it in the front rank of our Douglas County list. Hayward lies 22 miles from the water. The nearest city of size is Saint Paul, 105 miles away. This one sits near enough to a boundary to be worth checking.

• Where to Fish on Leader Lake

  Depth is not on record here, so the bank has to tell you. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Fish documented in Douglas County include yellow perch, walleye and white sucker. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. Read Leader Lake before you fish it and the day goes better.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July is the warm end of the year here, averaging about 68°F, while January sits near 9°F. A solid cap is the normal state through winter. Winter locks it down, and mid April brings it back. Open water usually runs from mid April until about late November. The middle of summer slows a little, with dawn and dusk carrying it. Leader Lake runs to its own calendar within the local pattern.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing on record says whether the bank is open or closed. The water sits inside or beside a nature reserve, so expect extra rules. Walleye come to jigs worked slow near bottom, and to trolled crankbaits along the drops at dusk. Season dates differ by species, so read the table. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. For a change of water, Wagner Lake is 0.6 miles distant. Confirm access to Leader Lake locally before you travel.