Lerche Lake in Bayfield County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  You will find Lerche Lake in Bayfield County, Wisconsin. This is lake country bush ground. At roughly 17 acres, the whole thing is within casting reach of a single walk. The closest town, Hayward, is 14 miles away. For a city, Saint Paul is 121 miles off. Within easy reach: West Lake a shade over 0.1 miles, Ole Lake roughly 1.4 miles, Dawn Lake a shade over 2.1 miles, Dawn Lake roughly 2.2 miles and Fuller Lake a shade over 2.7 miles. A border sits close enough to be relevant to the paperwork.

• Where to Fish on Lerche Lake

  No chart reached our records; the first cast is your sounding. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Reported across Bayfield County: rainbow smelt, brown trout, yellow perch, rainbow trout and white sucker. The list covers the county rather than this water alone, so treat it as a guide. On Lerche Lake the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate normals give 66°F for July and 8°F for January. A solid cap is the normal state through winter. Winter fishing happens on the ice here, with open water back around mid April. The lid tends to go about mid April and return around late November. Reckon on open water from spring through to late autumn, with May and June the strongest. That is the shape of the year on Lerche Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access status is simply unknown for this water. Mapping shows no built access close by; expect to walk in from wherever you can leave the car. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Rules for this water may differ from the county norm. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. If the gate is shut, West Lake at 0.1 miles is the nearest alternative. Signs at Lerche Lake carry more weight than any list.