Rock Lake Fishing in Bayfield County, Wisconsin

• Overview

  Set in Bayfield County, Rock Lake is a Wisconsin water. Elevation runs to 1,411 feet. Roughly 34 acres: a morning covers one end, an afternoon the other. For a base, Little Round Lake sits 18 miles out. The big place round here is Saint Paul, 127 miles distant. Within a short drive: Emerson Lake (0.6 miles), 0.9 miles away is Hidden Lake, Frels Lake (1.1 miles), 1.2 miles away is Birch Lake and Spring Lake (1.2 miles). It sits well inside the county, so one set of rules covers it.

• Where to Fish on Rock Lake

  Open data we checked carries no depth for this water. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. County-wide records name rainbow smelt, brown trout, yellow perch and rainbow trout. The list covers the county rather than this water alone, so treat it as a guide. Rock Lake gives up its fish to patience rather than distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warm month here averages 66°F; the cold one sits at 8°F. Four clear seasons, with a proper winter at one end. Break-up comes around mid April, and the run that follows is short and strong. Expect the water usable from around mid April until roughly late November. June through September is the settled part of the year, with the shoulders busier for fish. The season on Rock Lake rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. The car has to stay half a mile away, which shapes how much tackle you bring. There is a campsite 160 yards from the water. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Gates get locked out of season on water like this. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. For a change of water, Emerson Lake is 0.6 miles distant. For Rock Lake, the notice at the access point is the final word.