Peterson Lake Fishing near Gillett, Wisconsin

• Overview

  Peterson Lake sits in Oconto County, out in Wisconsin. The ground round it is rolling bush. This is a pocket water of some 8 acres, and every part of it is reachable from the bank. It is a small entry by Oconto County standards. For supplies, Gillett is 9.9 miles out. The nearest city of size is Green Bay, 39 miles away. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Peterson Lake

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Fish documented in Oconto County include brown trout, largemouth bass, bluegill, yellow perch and northern pike. County records show what lives in the area; the local agency holds the water-by-water list. Peterson Lake gives up more to patience than to distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July is the warm end of the year here, averaging about 69°F, while January sits near 13°F. A solid cap is the normal state through winter. Firm cover through the cold months, then open water from mid April. Open water usually runs from mid April until about early December. The open run goes from the thaw to the freeze, and April through October covers most of it. Peterson Lake runs to its own calendar within the local pattern.

• Tackle & Baits

  No access rule appears in what we hold. No launch point is recorded nearby, so this is a bank water unless you carry a boat in. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Where access is informal, keep it that way by behaving. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. If the gate is shut, Hoerth Lake at 0.4 miles is the nearest alternative. What applies at Peterson Lake may have changed since it was mapped.