Fishing at Mud Lake, Florence County, Wisconsin

• Overview

  In Wisconsin, Mud Lake falls inside Florence County. Height above sea level is 1,280 feet. At roughly 24 acres, the whole thing is within casting reach of a single walk. For supplies, Iron Mountain is 12 miles out. Crystal Falls follows at 12 miles, then Kingsford at 13 miles. The line between counties passes nearby, which can change who manages the water.

• Where to Fish on Mud Lake

  Nothing in our records gives a depth for this one. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Survey and observation records for Florence County include brown trout, rainbow trout, largemouth bass and bluegill. County records show what lives in the area; the local agency holds the water-by-water list. Mud Lake repays a walk before the first cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  In an average year July sits at 66°F and January at 11°F. The freeze arrives properly here and holds. Winter fishing happens on the ice here, with open water back around mid April. The water is typically free of ice between mid April and late November. The shoulder weeks of the open season are the productive ones. Plan around that when you fish Mud Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. Parking sits half a mile out, which makes for a walk with tackle. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. A phone call first saves an afternoon. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. For a change of water, Fisher Lake is 1.2 miles distant. Ask locally about Mud Lake if anything is unclear.