Fishing Red Lake in Washburn County, Wisconsin

• Overview

  Red Lake lies in Washburn County, in Wisconsin. The setting is mixed forest. Surface area is around 39 acres, which gives you real water without needing a boat. About 1.2 miles of bank, so nothing stays unexplored for long. You are 14 miles from Shell Lake. Beyond it, Spooner at 15 miles and Rice Lake at 15 miles. A county line runs close by, so local bylaws can differ within a short drive.

• Where to Fish on Red Lake

  Depth is unmeasured here, so let the shoreline guide you. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Fish documented in Washburn County include largemouth bass, bluegill, northern pike, yellow perch and walleye. Read it as a county summary, not a water-by-water list. On Red Lake a short move beats a long cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The seasonal spread runs 9°F to 68°F. Cold winters and warm summers give a wide working range. Ice-out usually falls in mid April, and the weeks after it fish hardest. Averages place the thaw at mid April and the freeze at late November. June through September is the settled part of the year, with the shoulders busier for fish. On Red Lake that shapes the whole year.

• Tackle & Baits

  Our records carry no access rule either way. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. Nothing is listed nearby for parking or launching a boat. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Rules for this water may differ from the county norm. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. The nearest alternative is Loon Lake, 0.6 miles out. For Red Lake in particular, ask before you travel.