Pelican Lake Fishing near Park Falls, Wisconsin

• Overview

  In Wisconsin, Pelican Lake belongs to Sawyer County. Country round the bank runs to lake country bush. With some 30 acres of water, there is room for a boat but no need of one. Shoreline comes to about 0.9 miles, small enough to learn in a day. Park Falls lies 13 miles from the water. Beyond it, Phillips at 17 miles and Ladysmith at 33 miles. A county line runs close by, so local bylaws can differ within a short drive.

• Where to Fish on Pelican Lake

  We hold no depth figure for this one. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Sawyer County records list walleye, brown trout, largemouth bass, muskellunge and northern pike among the fish reported. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. On Pelican Lake the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between January at about 10°F and July at about 66°F, the water has a wide range to work through. Four clear seasons, with a proper winter at one end. Hard cover is dependable here; it goes around mid April. The season between ice runs from about mid April to late November. Early summer and early autumn carry the open-water season. Expect Pelican Lake to follow that timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. Parking is not close: half a mile from the bank, and no nearer option is mapped. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. A landowner's word beats anything printed elsewhere. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. For a change of water, Carp Lake is 1 mile distant. Check the position at Pelican Lake before loading the car.