Fishing Little Pickerel Lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin

• Overview

  In Wisconsin, Little Pickerel Lake belongs to Vilas County. The surface lies 1,604 feet up. Surface area runs to about 22 acres — small enough to read in one session. Eagle River lies 12 miles from the water. Then Rhinelander, 18 miles, and Lac du Flambeau, 20 miles. Nearby, in order: Little Mamie Lake 0.2 miles away, Pickerel Lake lies 1.7 miles on, Hiawatha Lake 1.8 miles away, Lake Content lies 1.9 miles on and Fawn Lake 2.4 miles away. It sits near the edge of the county, so check which rules apply.

• Where to Fish on Little Pickerel Lake

  We hold no depth figure for this one. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Fish documented in Vilas County include bluegill, yellow perch, walleye, largemouth bass and rock bass. County data is a starting point rather than a guarantee. On Little Pickerel Lake the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July is the warm end of the year here, averaging about 66°F, while January sits near 9°F. Fishing here follows the temperature more than the calendar. After mid April the shallows warm and the fish move up. Averages suggest open water from about mid April through to roughly late November. June through September is the settled part of the year, with the shoulders busier for fish. Little Pickerel Lake runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  Ownership and access are not documented in what we hold. There is no mapped parking or launch close by, which usually means walking in. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Rules for this water may differ from the county norm. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. Failing this one, try Little Mamie Lake, 0.2 miles away. Treat Little Pickerel Lake as unsettled until someone local tells you otherwise.