Little Riley Lake, Wisconsin: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Set in Forest County, Little Riley Lake is a Wisconsin water. The setting is lake country bush on every side. At roughly 25 acres, the whole thing is within casting reach of a single walk. Crandon sits 7.4 miles from here and is the nearest stop. Nashville is 13 miles away, with Rhinelander at 32 miles. The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Little Riley Lake

  The records we hold are silent on depth, so plan to find it yourself. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Public occurrence data for Forest County names brown trout, largemouth bass, yellow perch, northern pike and bluegill. The list covers the county rather than this water alone, so treat it as a guide. The shape of Little Riley Lake decides where the fish sit.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between January at about 11°F and July at about 65°F, the water has a wide range to work through. Winter closes the water for a while, and the reopening is worth catching. Ice fishing carries the winter, and the water opens about mid April. Climate figures give an open season running mid April to late November. May into June fishes hardest, and September gives a second good stretch before the lid returns. Plan around that when you fish Little Riley Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access is not recorded for this water. Public data shows nothing built here, so treat the whole approach as informal. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Rules for this water may differ from the county norm. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. Riley Lake sits 1 mile off and takes the overflow. Check the position on Little Riley Lake before loading the car.