Fishing Pickerel Lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin

• Overview

  In Wisconsin, Pickerel Lake belongs to Vilas County. It sits at 1,585 feet above sea level. It measures some 615 acres, and wind has room to build across it. The margin runs to about 9.8 miles in total. Few waters listed in Vilas County are bigger. The nearest town is Eagle River, 14 miles away. The big place round here is Green Bay, 120 miles distant. The boundary is close enough to be worth checking before you fish.

• Where to Fish on Pickerel Lake

  No depth figure has reached our records, which makes a plummet useful. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Reported across Vilas County: bluegill, yellow perch, walleye, largemouth bass and rock bass. County records show what lives in the area; the local agency holds the water-by-water list. At Pickerel Lake light and wind decide more than tackle does.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July is the warm end of the year here, averaging about 66°F, while January sits near 9°F. Hard water is a season in its own right here. Firm cover through the cold months, then open water from mid April. On average, mid April opens the water and late November closes it again. Reckon on open water from spring through to late autumn, with May and June the strongest. On Pickerel Lake the same rules apply, with local timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. You can launch: the ramp is half a mile away. The car has to stay half a mile away, which shapes how much tackle you bring. Check whether a boat is allowed before you tow one. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. Should this one be busy, Little Pickerel Lake is 1.7 miles off. Check the position on Pickerel Lake before loading the car.