Punch Lake Fishing near Lac du Flambeau, Wisconsin

• Overview

  In Wisconsin, Punch Lake falls inside Vilas County. The ground around here is pine and birch. Small at around 23 acres: two anglers spread out cover most of it. It sits higher than most water we list in Wisconsin. The nearest place of any size is Lac du Flambeau, 8.4 miles away. The big place round here is Green Bay, 130 miles distant. A county line runs close by, so local bylaws can differ within a short drive.

• Where to Fish on Punch Lake

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Survey and observation records for Vilas County include bluegill, yellow perch, walleye, largemouth bass and rock bass. County records show what lives in the area; the local agency holds the water-by-water list. Punch Lake responds to conditions more than to tactics.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-term averages put July at about 65°F and January near 9°F. A full turn of seasons, with the strongest sport on either side of summer. Winter locks it down, and mid April brings it back. Averages place the thaw at mid April and the freeze at late November. The strongest runs come at either end of the open season. That shapes the year on Punch Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  No public source sets out the position on this bank. Public data shows nothing built here, so treat the whole approach as informal. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Where a permit is needed, the nearest town usually sells it. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. Pauto Lake sits 0.6 miles off and takes the overflow. Check the position on Punch Lake before loading the car.