Mud Lake Fishing near Portage, Wisconsin

• Overview

  Mud Lake sits within Columbia County in Wisconsin. The country round it is rolling bush from end to end. At roughly 6 acres, the whole thing is within casting reach of a single walk. It is a small entry by Columbia County standards. Nearest place of any size is Portage, 0.8 miles away. For a city, Madison is 33 miles off. No border sits close enough to matter.

• Where to Fish on Mud Lake

  Depth remains unrecorded, so treat the first session as a survey. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Survey and observation records for Columbia County include brown trout, common carp and rainbow trout. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. Mud Lake gives up its fish to patience rather than distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-run averages give July about 71°F and January about 16°F. The year runs cold to warm and back, with clear transitions. Ice-out usually falls in early April, and the weeks after it fish hardest. The lid tends to go about early April and return around early December. Reckon on open water from spring through to late autumn, with May and June the strongest. Expect Mud Lake to follow that timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access is not recorded for this water. A ramp is mapped within half a mile. The nearest car park is half a mile from the water. Toilets show in mapping about half a mile away. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. State or provincial rules still apply whatever the bank status. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. For a change of water, Silver Lake is 0.7 miles distant. What applies at Mud Lake may have changed since it was mapped.