Fishing Mud Lake in Oconto County, Wisconsin

• Overview

  Mud Lake sits in Oconto County, out in Wisconsin. The surface lies 1,191 feet up. It covers about 4 acres, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. Most waters listed here for Oconto County are larger. The nearest town is Legend Lake, 24 miles away. After that come Keshena at 25 miles and Gillett at 27 miles. It sits well inside the county, so one set of rules covers it.

• Where to Fish on Mud Lake

  No depth figure has reached our records, which makes a plummet useful. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Across Oconto County, recorded fish include brown trout, largemouth bass and bluegill. County records show what lives in the area; the local agency holds the water-by-water list. On Mud Lake a short move beats a long cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate normals give 67°F for July and 12°F for January. A full turn of seasons, with the strongest sport on either side of summer. Expect a solid lid for months and a thaw around mid April. Averages place the thaw at mid April and the freeze at early December. From the thaw to midsummer the fishing improves week by week. Mud Lake runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  We hold no note on access for this one. No built facilities appear in mapping around this water. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Look for a notice board at the entrance. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. For a change of water, Lower Island Lake is 0.3 miles distant. Treat Mud Lake as unsettled until someone local tells you otherwise.