Mud Lake in Washburn County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Look for Mud Lake in the Washburn County part of Wisconsin. What surrounds it is pine and birch. With some 53 acres of water, there is room for a boat but no need of one. Hayward sits 8.3 miles from the bank. After that come Little Round Lake at 12 miles and Spooner at 15 miles. What else is close: Bass Lake roughly 0.6 miles, Bean Lake lies 1.9 miles on, Deep Lake roughly 2.1 miles, Devils Lake lies 2.6 miles on and Loon Lake roughly 2.6 miles. This one is safely inside the county line.

• Where to Fish on Mud Lake

  There is no published depth for this one, so start shallow and work out. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Reported across Washburn County: largemouth bass, bluegill, northern pike, yellow perch and walleye. Read it as a county summary, not a water-by-water list. On Mud Lake a short move beats a long cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 68°F at the top of summer and 9°F at the bottom of winter. Winter shuts the surface down for months. After mid April the shallows warm and the fish move up. Climate figures give an open season running mid April to late November. From the thaw to midsummer the fishing improves week by week. It holds true on Mud Lake more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing in our records says who may fish here. No made access appears within a short radius, so plan to park on a verge and walk. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Look for a notice board at the entrance. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. Bass Lake at 0.6 miles is the sensible second choice. Rules at Mud Lake are worth checking on the day.