Nestle Lake in Bayfield County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Nestle Lake lies in Bayfield County, Wisconsin. Elevation runs to 1,115 feet. Surface area runs to about 6 acres — small enough to read in one session. On size it sits at the modest end of our Bayfield County list. The nearest place of any size is Lake Nebagamon, 15 miles away. After that come Ashland at 24 miles and Washburn at 26 miles. The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Nestle Lake

  Depth is not on record here, so the bank has to tell you. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Fish documented in Bayfield County include rainbow smelt, brown trout, yellow perch and rainbow trout. Take it as the county picture rather than a promise for this water. On Nestle Lake the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 67°F at the top of summer and 9°F at the bottom of winter. The year splits cleanly: hard water, then open water. Hard cover is dependable here; it goes around mid April. Going by climate averages, expect open water from about mid April until roughly late November. Right after break-up, and again as the nights sharpen, is when to go. Plan any trip to Nestle Lake around it.

• Tackle & Baits

  We have no record of the rules that apply on this bank. This lies within protected land, so the rules will be stricter than usual. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Look for a notice board at the entrance. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. Bass Lake sits 0.3 miles off and takes the overflow. The position on Nestle Lake is worth confirming on the day.