Pine Lake in Forest County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Out in Forest County, Wisconsin, sits Pine Lake. Height above sea level is 1,627 feet. About 2.6 sq miles, so local knowledge or a boat saves a lot of walking. Around 7.2 miles of bank, which is a long day on foot. Few waters listed in Forest County are bigger. Nearest place of any size is Crandon, 8.1 miles away. Then Nashville, 11 miles, and Eagle River, 21 miles. The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Pine Lake

  Published depth figures reach 15 feet at the lowest point. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Forest County records list brown trout, largemouth bass and yellow perch among the fish reported. The list covers the county rather than this water alone, so treat it as a guide. On Pine Lake the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate normals give 65°F for July and 10°F for January. Hard water is a season in its own right here. Break-up comes around mid April, and the run that follows is short and strong. The season between ice runs from about mid April to late November. Fishing peaks soon after break-up and again before the cold returns. Anyone fishing Pine Lake regularly works to that calendar.

• Tackle & Baits

  Our records carry no access rule either way. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. Records list it as a fishing water. A camping area sits within half a mile of here. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. State or provincial rules still apply whatever the bank status. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. Little Pine Lake sits 2.2 miles off and takes the overflow. Confirm access to Pine Lake locally before you travel.