Murphy Lake, Wisconsin: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Look for Murphy Lake in the Washington County part of Wisconsin. This is rolling bush country. At roughly 18 acres, the whole thing is within casting reach of a single walk. Some 6.3 miles away sits Hartford, the nearest settlement. Merton is 6.3 miles and Okauchee Lake 8.2 miles. Within a short drive: Malloy Lake within 0.3 miles, McConville Lake 0.5 miles away, Beck Lake within 0.7 miles, Hickey Lake 2.5 miles away and Lowes Lake within 2.7 miles. The county edge is within a short distance of the bank.

• Where to Fish on Murphy Lake

  Depth is unmeasured here, so let the shoreline guide you. 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. Records held for Washington County cover common carp, pumpkinseed, green sunfish, largemouth bass and bluegill. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. At Murphy Lake the first feature you find is worth twenty minutes.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 70°F in July and bottom out at 17°F in January. Winter shuts the surface down for months. Ice fishing carries the winter, and the water opens about early April. From about early April to around early December, expect open water on the long-run figures. Fish feed hardest at the start and the close of the open season. It sets the rhythm of the year at Murphy Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  No access rule appears in what we hold. The water borders Zinn Preserve, so expect the reserve rules to apply. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Read any posted signs at the access point rather than assuming. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. Malloy Lake at 0.3 miles is the sensible second choice. Where Murphy Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.