Little Butternut Lake Fishing near Luck, Wisconsin

• Overview

  The Polk County entry here is Little Butternut Lake, in Wisconsin. The bank is 1,191 feet above sea level. Around 185 acres of surface means several distinct areas to work. The bank runs about 2.2 miles all the way round, so one visit can cover most of it. On our Polk County list it sits near the top for size. Luck sits 1.1 miles from here and is the nearest stop. Frederic is 6.5 miles and Saint Croix Falls 13 miles. One jurisdiction covers this water end to end.

• Where to Fish on Little Butternut Lake

  Nothing in our records gives a depth for this one. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Open biodiversity records for Polk County list brown trout, rainbow trout and northern pike. Species recorded across the county may be limited to a few waters. The shape of Little Butternut Lake decides where the fish sit.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July to average close to 69°F, with January the cold end at about 10°F. Hard water is a season in its own right here. Count the season from break-up, usually mid April. Averages place the thaw at mid April and the freeze at late November. June through September is the settled part of the year, with the shoulders busier for fish. Anyone fishing Little Butternut Lake regularly works to that calendar.

• Tackle & Baits

  No public source sets out the position on this bank. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. You can park half a mile away and walk in from there. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Parking space is the usual limit rather than the bank itself. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. If the gate is shut, Big Butternut Lake at 2.1 miles is the nearest alternative. Where Little Butternut Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.