Muskrat Lake Fishing near Lake Nebagamon, Wisconsin

• Overview

  Muskrat Lake is listed under Douglas County, Wisconsin. Land around it is mixed forest. This is a pocket water of some 23 acres, and every part of it is reachable from the bank. Lake Nebagamon lies 12 miles from the water. Saint Paul is the closest city, 116 miles away. Others worth noting: Bass Lake within 0.7 miles, Island Lake lies 0.9 miles on, Twin Lakes within 1.1 miles, Long Lake lies 1.4 miles on and Flat Lake within 1.8 miles. It sits well inside its county, with no border complications.

• Where to Fish on Muskrat Lake

  Depth went unrecorded, which puts the reading back on you. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Records held for Douglas County cover yellow perch, walleye, white sucker and black crappie. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. Muskrat Lake gives up its fish to patience rather than distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 67°F at the top of summer and 8°F at the bottom of winter. Cold winters and warm summers give a wide working range. Firm cover through the cold months, then open water from mid April. Open water usually runs from mid April until about late November. The open run goes from the thaw to the freeze, and April through October covers most of it. At Muskrat Lake the season follows that pattern closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  The access position is unclear from public sources. There are toilets half a mile off. Walleye come to jigs worked slow near bottom, and to trolled crankbaits along the drops at dusk. Parking is often the real limit rather than the bank itself. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. Bass Lake, 0.7 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. For Muskrat Lake in particular, ask before you travel.