Porter Lakes near Hayward: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  This water sits in Bayfield County, Wisconsin. The ground round it is pine and birch. At 24 acres it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. A shoreline of some 1.5 miles keeps the choices simple. Head to Hayward, 18 miles away, for anything you forgot. Saint Paul sits 125 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. Rules here are straightforward: one county, one set of rules.

• Where to Fish on Porter Lakes

  Our records hold no depth for this water. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Fish documented in Bayfield County include rainbow smelt, brown trout, yellow perch and rainbow trout. County records show the wider picture rather than this one place. At Porter Lakes light and wind decide more than tackle does.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Seasonal averages run from 8°F in January up to 66°F in July. A full turn of seasons, with the strongest sport on either side of summer. The open season starts with the thaw, near enough mid April. The season between ice runs from about mid April to late November. Look to early summer and the first cool weeks of autumn. Time your trip to Porter Lakes by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  Ownership and access are not documented in what we hold. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. Recorded parking is half a mile off, far enough to travel light. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Season dates differ by species, so read the table. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. The nearest alternative is Perry Lake, 0.7 miles out. Confirm access to Porter Lakes locally before you travel.