Pokegama Lake Fishing near Shell Lake, Wisconsin

• Overview

  In Wisconsin, Pokegama Lake falls inside Burnett County. It lies 961 feet above sea level. Roughly 235 acres: a morning covers one end, an afternoon the other. Shoreline length is close to 4.5 miles, and each section fishes a little differently. Size puts it in the front rank of our Burnett County list. Some 14 miles away sits Shell Lake, the nearest settlement. Then Spooner, 15 miles, and Frederic, 15 miles. The boundary is close enough to be worth checking before you fish.

• Where to Fish on Pokegama Lake

  Nothing we hold settles how deep this runs. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Reported across Burnett County: brown trout, northern pike, largemouth bass and bluegill. Take it as the county picture rather than a promise for this water. At Pokegama Lake light and wind decide more than tackle does.

• Seasonal Patterns

  On the long-term average, July reads 69°F and January reads 10°F. A hard winter is normal, and the thaw brings a strong few weeks. Count the season from break-up, usually mid April. Ice clears near mid April and comes back about late November in a typical year. Late spring and early autumn carry the year between them. Plan any trip to Pokegama Lake around it.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing we hold confirms whether access is permitted. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. Nothing is listed nearby for parking or launching a boat. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Some banks are open only from a marked point. Close seasons apply to some species and not others. Twin Lakes, 1.6 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. Treat Pokegama Lake as unsettled until someone local tells you otherwise.