Pine Lake Fishing near Rhinelander, Wisconsin

• Overview

  The Oneida County entry here is Pine Lake, in Wisconsin. The country here is pine and birch. It measures about 241 acres, which is a comfortable size for bank fishing. With about 2.9 miles of edge, you can try several depths in one session. It is among the larger waters listed here for Oneida County. The nearest town is Rhinelander, 6.2 miles away. Further out sit Eagle River (15 miles) and Nashville (22 miles). It sits well inside the county, so one set of rules covers it.

• Where to Fish on Pine Lake

  Depth is not on record here, which means reading the ground instead. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Fish documented in Oneida County include brown trout, walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. Read Pine Lake before you fish it and the day goes better.

• Seasonal Patterns

  On the long-term average, July reads 66°F and January reads 10°F. Winter closes the water for a while, and the reopening is worth catching. Break-up comes around mid April, and the run that follows is short and strong. Average temperatures cross freezing around mid April in spring and again near late November in autumn. The strongest runs come at either end of the open season. Time your trip to Pine Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  No public source sets out the position on this bank. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. There is no recorded infrastructure here; expect to find your own way in. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Local rules can differ across the county line, so check where you stand. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. The nearest alternative is Bass Lake, 0.8 miles out. Signs at Pine Lake carry more weight than any list.