McElroy Lake Fishing Guide, Burnett County, Wisconsin

• Overview

  McElroy Lake is a Burnett County water, Wisconsin side. The ground round it is rolling bush. Small at around 7 acres: two anglers spread out cover most of it. It is one of the smaller waters we list in Burnett County. Spooner is the closest place, 20 miles off. The big place round here is Saint Paul, 89 miles distant. The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on McElroy Lake

  We hold no depth figure for this one. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Open biodiversity records for Burnett County list brown trout, northern pike, largemouth bass, bluegill and pumpkinseed. Records at county level tell you what is around, not what is stocked here. On McElroy Lake that means starting tight and working out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between January at about 9°F and July at about 68°F, the water has a wide range to work through. The middle months are generous; the ends are demanding. Winter locks it down, and mid April brings it back. Break-up near mid April, freeze-up near late November: that is the shape of an average year. Reckon on open water from spring through to late autumn, with May and June the strongest. It sets the rhythm of the year at McElroy Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. Nothing is listed nearby for parking or launching a boat. 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. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. For a change of water, Greenwood Lake is 0.4 miles distant. Signs at McElroy Lake carry more weight than any list.