Pigeon Lake, Wisconsin: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Set in Waupaca County, Wisconsin, this is Pigeon Lake. The water sits 801 feet up. The water covers some 120 acres, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. The perimeter runs near 5.3 miles, so plan the walk before you start. It ranks high for size among our Waupaca County listings. Nearest town is Clintonville, 0.7 miles off. The big place round here is Green Bay, 38 miles distant. A county boundary sits nearby, which can matter for local access rules.

• Where to Fish on Pigeon Lake

  The records we hold are silent on depth, so plan to find it yourself. Standing timber shows when the level drops, and fish sit against it. Draw-down through summer strips the margins, so follow the water out. Survey and observation records for Waupaca County include brown trout, flathead catfish, rainbow trout and common carp. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. Fish Pigeon Lake where the bottom changes rather than where it looks deep.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate normals give 69°F for July and 14°F for January. The year runs cold to warm and back, with clear transitions. Once it clears, about early April, the fishing comes on quickly. The open-water window runs from around early April to about early December in an average year. September and October fish steadily right up to the freeze. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Pigeon Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access is not recorded for this water. Mapping shows a ramp about half a mile from the shore. A car park lies half a mile away, so the walk in is short. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Some banks are open only from a marked point. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. Wagner Lake at 4.7 miles is the sensible second choice. Check the current arrangement for Pigeon Lake.