Picture Lake near Hayward: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  Picture Lake is one of the Bayfield County waters in Wisconsin. The water sits 1,375 feet up. Roughly 27 acres: a morning covers one end, an afternoon the other. Nearest town is Hayward, 19 miles off. It is 126 miles to Saint Paul, the nearest city. The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Picture Lake

  Without a survey to go on, judge depth from how the bank falls away. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. County-wide records name rainbow smelt, brown trout, yellow perch and rainbow trout. The county list is broader than any single water. On Picture Lake the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The year swings from about 8°F in January to roughly 66°F in July. Expect a real winter and a strong spring after it. Ice fishing carries the winter, and the water opens about mid April. Ice clears near mid April and comes back about late November in a typical year. The middle of summer slows a little, with dawn and dusk carrying it. It sets the rhythm of the year at Picture Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. Nothing is mapped in the way of a ramp or car park within a short radius. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Sort the permit out before you load the car. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. Motyka Lake sits 0.6 miles off and takes the overflow. Check the current arrangement for Picture Lake.