Fishing Paya Lake in Oconto County, Wisconsin

• Overview

  Paya Lake lies in Oconto County, in Wisconsin. It lies 1,168 feet above sea level. With some 105 acres of water, there is room for a boat but no need of one. With about 1.7 miles of edge, you can try several depths in one session. Size puts it in the front rank of our Oconto County list. The closest town, Legend Lake, is 27 miles distant. Further out sit Gillett (28 miles) and Keshena (28 miles). The nearest boundary is a fair way off.

• Where to Fish on Paya 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. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Public occurrence data for Oconto County names brown trout, largemouth bass, bluegill, yellow perch and northern pike. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. Anyone new to Paya Lake should walk it once before setting up.

• Seasonal Patterns

  On the long-term average, July reads 67°F and January reads 12°F. The year splits cleanly: hard water, then open water. Ice is part of the season here, ending near mid April. The season between ice runs from about mid April to early December. The open run goes from the thaw to the freeze, and April through October covers most of it. Expect Paya Lake to follow that timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  The access position is unclear from public sources. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. No slipway, car park or made path shows up nearby in mapping, so treat access as rough. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. A landowner's word beats anything printed elsewhere. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. Buck Lake sits 1.1 miles off and takes the overflow. Ask locally about Paya Lake if anything is unclear.