Riley Lake, Wisconsin: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Riley Lake is set in Forest County, Wisconsin. It sits at 1,572 feet above sea level. With some 207 acres of water, there is room for a boat but no need of one. The bank runs about 2.5 miles all the way round, so one visit can cover most of it. On our Forest County list it sits near the top for size. For a base, Crandon sits 6.5 miles out. Nashville is 12 miles and Rhinelander 31 miles. No boundary runs near, so the county rules hold throughout.

• Where to Fish on Riley Lake

  No figure exists for depth, so let the water show you. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Open biodiversity records for Forest County list brown trout, largemouth bass, yellow perch and northern pike. County records show what lives in the area; the local agency holds the water-by-water list. Riley Lake gives up its fish to patience rather than distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The year swings from about 11°F in January to roughly 65°F in July. The year runs cold to warm and back, with clear transitions. Ice is part of the season here, ending near mid April. Going by climate averages, expect open water from about mid April until roughly late November. Just after the ice goes and just before it returns, the fishing lifts. It holds true on Riley Lake more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. There is no mapped parking or launch nearby, which keeps numbers down. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Parking space is the usual limit rather than the bank itself. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. Little Riley Lake sits 1 mile off and takes the overflow. Treat access at Riley Lake as something to verify.