Ripley Lake Fishing in Washburn County, Wisconsin

• Overview

  Look for Ripley Lake in the Washburn County part of Wisconsin. Pine and birch runs right down to the water. With some 37 acres of water, there is room for a boat but no need of one. Around 1.5 miles of margin, front to back. Spooner lies 7.1 miles from the water. For a city, Saint Paul is 85 miles off. It sits well inside the county, so one set of rules covers it.

• Where to Fish on Ripley 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. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Across Washburn County, recorded fish include largemouth bass, bluegill and northern pike. County records show the wider picture rather than this one place. At Ripley Lake light and wind decide more than tackle does.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Average temperature peaks around 68°F in July and bottoms out near 9°F in January. Cold winters and warm summers give a wide working range. The freeze runs deep into the year, with break-up near mid April. Open water usually runs from mid April until about late November. The strong weeks are the first after break-up and the last before the freeze. Ripley Lake runs to its own calendar within the local pattern.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access status is simply unknown for this water. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. A made slipway is 0.9 miles from here, which settles the boat question. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Read any posted signs at the access point rather than assuming. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. For a change of water, Deep Lake is 0.9 miles distant. Where Ripley Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.