Red Lake, Wisconsin: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  The Vilas County entry here is Red Lake, in Wisconsin. The bank gives way to lake country bush. The water covers some 42 acres, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. It sits higher than most water we list in Wisconsin. 16 miles away sits Lac du Flambeau, the nearest town. For a city, Green Bay is 143 miles off. No boundary runs near, so the county rules hold throughout.

• Where to Fish on Red Lake

  Nothing in our records gives a depth for this one. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Open biodiversity records for Vilas County list bluegill, yellow perch, walleye and largemouth bass. Species recorded across the county may be limited to a few waters. Fish Red Lake where the bottom changes rather than where it looks deep.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between January at about 10°F and July at about 65°F, the water has a wide range to work through. The season turns properly here, and fish follow it closely. Firm cover through the cold months, then open water from late April. Average temperatures cross freezing around late April in spring and again near late November in autumn. The middle of summer slows a little, with dawn and dusk carrying it. The season on Red Lake rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public data does not answer the access question here. Launching is possible: a slipway lies half a mile off. This falls in or next to protected ground, so rules will be tighter than usual. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. A landowner's word beats anything printed elsewhere. Close seasons apply to some species and not others. For a change of water, Little Hurst Lake is 0.6 miles distant. Check the current arrangement for Red Lake.