Fishing at Pretty Lake, Waushara County, Wisconsin

• Overview

  This water sits in Waushara County, Wisconsin. Elevation runs to 892 feet. This is a pocket water of some 16 acres, and every part of it is reachable from the bank. Mount Morris sits 6.2 miles from the bank. Beyond it, King at 9.8 miles and Wautoma at 9.8 miles. Not far off: Gilbert Lake within 1.9 miles, Bonneville Lake about 2 miles, Silver Lake within 2.4 miles, Wilson Lake about 2.5 miles and Wild Rose Millpond 53 within 2.6 miles. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Pretty Lake

  Depth is not on record here, which means reading the ground instead. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Waushara County records list brown trout, rainbow trout, bluegill, largemouth bass and northern pike among the fish reported. Take it as the county picture rather than a promise for this water. Pretty Lake repays a walk before the first cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July runs about 71°F on average, January about 15°F. Four clear seasons, with a proper winter at one end. The lid usually goes in early April, which opens the strongest weeks of the year. The water is typically free of ice between early April and early December. The middle of summer slows a little, with dawn and dusk carrying it. The season on Pretty Lake rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing we hold confirms whether access is permitted. There is no mapped parking or launch nearby, which keeps numbers down. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Parking is often the real limit rather than the bank itself. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. Failing this one, try Gilbert Lake, 1.9 miles away. Confirm before you fish Pretty Lake.