Little Rib Lake in Taylor County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Out in Taylor County, Wisconsin, sits Little Rib Lake. It sits at 1,575 feet above sea level. It measures about 25 acres, which is a comfortable size for bank fishing. A shoreline of some 0.9 miles keeps the choices simple. Medford lies 14 miles from the water. Athens follows at 21 miles, then Tomahawk at 26 miles. There is no boundary nearby to worry about.

• Where to Fish on Little Rib Lake

  No figure exists for depth, so let the water show you. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Public occurrence data for Taylor County names brown trout, largemouth bass and pumpkinseed. County records show what lives in the area; the local agency holds the water-by-water list. Work Little Rib Lake in sections rather than trying to cover it.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warmest month averages 66°F, the coldest about 9°F. Hard water is a season in its own right here. Winter locks it down, and mid April brings it back. Going by climate averages, expect open water from about mid April until roughly late November. The open run goes from the thaw to the freeze, and April through October covers most of it. Anyone fishing Little Rib Lake regularly works to that calendar.

• Tackle & Baits

  We hold no note on access for this one. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. This lies within protected land, so the rules will be stricter than usual. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Season dates differ by species, so read the table. Night access is frequently treated as a separate matter. Should this one be busy, Kennedy Lake is 0.3 miles off. For Little Rib Lake in particular, ask before you travel.