Fishing Patterson Lake in Portage County, Wisconsin

• Overview

  You will find Patterson Lake in Portage County, Wisconsin. The setting is lake country bush on every side. It covers about 18 acres, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. For a base, Amherst sits 10 miles out. The big place round here is Green Bay, 70 miles distant. There is no boundary nearby to worry about.

• Where to Fish on Patterson Lake

  Depth is not on record here, so the bank has to tell you. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Species logged across Portage County include brown trout, rainbow trout, common carp and bluegill. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. At Patterson Lake the first feature you find is worth twenty minutes.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Average temperature peaks around 70°F in July and bottoms out near 14°F in January. Cold winters and warm summers give a wide working range. The lid usually sets by midwinter and gives way around early April. On average, early April opens the water and early December closes it again. September and October fish steadily right up to the freeze. At Patterson Lake the season follows that pattern closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. Access points are not mapped for this water, which suits people who like quiet. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Check whether a boat is allowed before you tow one. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. Failing this one, try Silver Lake, 2.3 miles away. Where Patterson Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.