Pole Lake in Ashland County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  In Wisconsin, Pole Lake belongs to Ashland County. The country here is mixed forest. Surface area runs to about 11 acres — small enough to read in one session. Our Ashland County list holds plenty of bigger water. Little Round Lake lies 25 miles from the water. It is 134 miles to Saint Paul, the nearest city. It sits well inside the county, so one set of rules covers it.

• Where to Fish on Pole Lake

  No depth figure appears in our records, so the bank has to tell you. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Records held for Ashland County cover rainbow smelt, yellow perch, white sucker, johnny darter and brown trout. County data is a starting point rather than a guarantee. Read Pole Lake before you fish it and the day goes better.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Average temperature peaks around 66°F in July and bottoms out near 9°F in January. A solid cap is the normal state through winter. Look for the thaw near mid April; the fishing lifts straight after. Expect the water usable from around mid April until roughly late November. The shoulder weeks of the open season are the productive ones. That shapes the year on Pole Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public data does not answer the access question here. Nothing in the way of made access shows up nearby: no ramp, no car park, no path. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Parking space is the usual limit rather than the bank itself. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. The nearest alternative is Upper Clam Lake, 0.6 miles out. Rules at Pole Lake are worth checking on the day.