Little Devil Lake Fishing near Shell Lake, Wisconsin

• Overview

  Set in Washburn County, Little Devil Lake is a Wisconsin water. The country here is mixed forest. At about 52 acres, a day is enough to walk the shoreline properly. A shoreline of some 1.2 miles keeps the choices simple. The town to know is Shell Lake, 8.5 miles out. Spooner lies 8.8 miles off, Rice Lake another 16 miles. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Little Devil Lake

  Depth went unrecorded, which puts the reading back on you. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Species logged across Washburn County include largemouth bass, bluegill, northern pike and yellow perch. Records at county level tell you what is around, not what is stocked here. The shape of Little Devil Lake rewards a slow walk along one bank.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The year swings from about 9°F in January to roughly 68°F in July. A hard winter is normal, and the thaw brings a strong few weeks. Look for the thaw near mid April; the fishing lifts straight after. Ice usually gives way near mid April, and forms again about late November. The shoulder weeks of the open season are the productive ones. Expect Little Devil Lake to follow that timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access status is simply unknown for this water. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. A ramp is mapped within half a mile. A campsite lies half a mile away for anyone staying over. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Some banks are open only from a marked point. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. Chinty Lake, 0.4 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. For Little Devil Lake, the notice at the access point is the final word.