Pinkeye Lake Fishing in Vilas County, Wisconsin

• Overview

  Pinkeye Lake stands in Vilas County, Wisconsin. It sits at 1,663 feet above sea level. With some 42 acres of water, there is room for a boat but no need of one. It is high ground by Wisconsin standards. Some 14 miles away sits Eagle River, the nearest settlement. Then Iron River, 29 miles, and Stambaugh, Iron River, 30 miles. This one is safely inside the county line.

• Where to Fish on Pinkeye Lake

  No published figure covers depth, so learn it as you fish. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. County-wide records name bluegill, yellow perch, walleye and largemouth bass. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. At Pinkeye Lake the water rewards a slow, careful approach.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Average temperature peaks around 65°F in July and bottoms out near 9°F in January. Winter puts a hard lid on this one. Hard water holds through the cold months, breaking up near late April. Going by climate averages, expect open water from about late April until roughly late November. The open run goes from the thaw to the freeze, and April through October covers most of it. It sets the rhythm of the year at Pinkeye Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing in our records says who may fish here. There is no recorded infrastructure here; expect to find your own way in. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Season dates differ by species, so read the table. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. Failing this one, try Little Portage Lake, 0.7 miles away. Treat Pinkeye Lake as unsettled until someone local tells you otherwise.