Fishing Mud Lake in Jefferson County, Wisconsin

• Overview

  Wisconsin holds Mud Lake, in Jefferson County. The country round it is mixed forest from end to end. At some 316 acres it is far too large to cover on foot in a day. On our Jefferson County list it sits near the top for size. For supplies, Lake Koshkonong is 1 mile out. For a city, Madison is 28 miles off. The county line runs close by, so rules can change within a short drive.

• Where to Fish on Mud Lake

  No figure exists for depth, so let the water show you. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Fish documented in Jefferson County include common carp, bluegill, green sunfish and walleye. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. On Mud Lake the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July runs about 72°F on average, January about 17°F. Winter shuts things down for a spell, then spring reopens them fast. The freeze runs deep into the year, with break-up near late March. The water is typically free of ice between late March and mid December. June through September is the settled part of the year, with the shoulders busier for fish. Mud Lake runs to its own calendar within the local pattern.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public data does not answer the access question here. Formal access is not mapped, so the last stretch is likely on foot. For the pike, wire up and throw larger lures along the weed edges. Where the road in crosses private land, ask first. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. If the gate is shut, Haumerson Pond at 3.9 miles is the nearest alternative. Check the position on Mud Lake before loading the car.