McKenzie Lake in Burnett County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  The Burnett County entry here is McKenzie Lake, in Wisconsin. The surroundings are mixed forest. It measures some 1,130 acres, and wind has room to build across it. Around 6.8 miles of bank, which is a long day on foot. It ranks high for size among our Burnett County listings. Nearest town is Spooner, 9.8 miles off. Saint Paul sits 85 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. The nearest boundary is a fair way off.

• Where to Fish on McKenzie Lake

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. County-wide records name brown trout, northern pike, largemouth bass, bluegill and pumpkinseed. Records at county level tell you what is around, not what is stocked here. Read McKenzie Lake for ten minutes before the first cast goes out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-term averages put July at about 69°F and January near 9°F. Cold winters and warm summers give a wide working range. Ice-out usually falls in mid April, and the weeks after it fish hardest. Going by climate averages, expect open water from about mid April until roughly late November. June through September is the settled part of the year, with the shoulders busier for fish. McKenzie Lake fishes to that pattern most years.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing on record says whether the bank is open or closed. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. No car park, ramp or path is recorded within easy reach of the shore. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Gates get locked out of season on water like this. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. Failing this one, try Little Bass Lake, 1.4 miles away. For McKenzie Lake, the notice at the access point is the final word.