Nick Lake Fishing near Spooner, Wisconsin

• Overview

  Set in Washburn County, Nick Lake is a Wisconsin water. The bank is 1,322 feet above sea level. It measures about 51 acres, which is a comfortable size for bank fishing. Shoreline comes to about 1.3 miles, small enough to learn in a day. Supplies mean a trip to Spooner, 16 miles off. Further out sit Shell Lake (16 miles) and Rice Lake (16 miles). Being near a boundary, it pays to know which side you are fishing.

• Where to Fish on Nick Lake

  The records we hold are silent on depth, so plan to find it yourself. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Fish documented in Washburn County include largemouth bass, bluegill, northern pike, yellow perch and walleye. The county list is broader than any single water. On Nick Lake a short move beats a long cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July near 68°F and January near 9°F on the long-run figures. The year runs cold to warm and back, with clear transitions. Expect a solid lid for months and a thaw 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. Nick Lake runs to its own calendar within the local pattern.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. The water borders Washburn County Forest - Spider Lake Unit, 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. Bank access can be seasonal on ground like this. Close seasons apply to some species and not others. If the gate is shut, Peters Lake at 0.7 miles is the nearest alternative. Nothing here settles the position at Nick Lake for certain.