Fishing McCabe Lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin

• Overview

  McCabe Lake is one of the Vilas County waters in Wisconsin. It sits at 1,598 feet above sea level. Surface area runs to about 14 acres — small enough to read in one session. On size it sits at the modest end of our Vilas County list. The nearest place of any size is Lac du Flambeau, 11 miles away. Further out sit Wakefield (24 miles) and Bessemer (25 miles). A border sits close enough to be relevant to the paperwork.

• Where to Fish on McCabe Lake

  Nothing we hold settles how deep this runs. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Fish documented in Vilas County include bluegill, yellow perch, walleye and largemouth bass. Species recorded across the county may be limited to a few waters. On McCabe Lake the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate normals give 65°F for July and 10°F for January. Spring and autumn carry the fishing; summer and winter test it. Ice fishing carries the winter, and the water opens about mid April. Average temperatures cross freezing around mid April in spring and again near late November in autumn. Just after the ice goes and just before it returns, the fishing lifts. That shapes the year on McCabe Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  The access position is unclear from public sources. There is recorded parking some half a mile off. A pier half a mile from here gives a platform over deeper water. There is a campsite half a mile from the water. There are toilets half a mile off. Parking space is the usual limit rather than the bank itself. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. Should this one be busy, McKinney Lake is 0.5 miles off. Signs at McCabe Lake carry more weight than any list.