Priest Lake near Phillips: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  Priest Lake is set in Price County, Wisconsin. It lies 1,437 feet above sea level. The water covers some 31 acres, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. Roughly 0.8 miles of bank means you can walk to a fresh area when one goes quiet. The closest town, Phillips, is 8.1 miles distant. Park Falls is 8.8 miles and Lac du Flambeau 30 miles. There is no boundary nearby to worry about.

• Where to Fish on Priest Lake

  We hold no survey for this water; read the slope of the shoreline instead. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Records held for Price County cover yellow perch, walleye, northern pike, bluegill and brown trout. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. At Priest Lake the first feature you find is worth twenty minutes.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The year swings from about 10°F in January to roughly 67°F in July. The season turns properly here, and fish follow it closely. Break-up comes around mid April, and the run that follows is short and strong. Averages suggest open water from about mid April through to roughly late November. The strong weeks are the first after break-up and the last before the freeze. On Priest Lake the same rules apply, with local timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing we hold confirms whether access is permitted. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. There is no recorded infrastructure here; expect to find your own way in. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Parking space is the usual limit rather than the bank itself. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. The nearest alternative is Axels Lake, 0.7 miles out. Confirm before you fish Priest Lake.