Scoof Lake near Medford: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  Scoof Lake is set in Taylor County, Wisconsin. Everything around it is rolling bush. With some 29 acres of water, there is room for a boat but no need of one. The bank runs about 0.9 miles all the way round, so one visit can cover most of it. For a base, Medford sits 11 miles out. Rochester is the closest city, 126 miles away. No border sits close enough to matter.

• Where to Fish on Scoof Lake

  There is no recorded depth, so work from what you can see. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Species logged across Taylor County include brown trout, largemouth bass, pumpkinseed, bluegill and yellow perch. The list covers the county rather than this water alone, so treat it as a guide. Scoof Lake fishes better once you know its edges.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The seasonal spread runs 10°F to 67°F. Winter puts a hard lid on this one. Expect a solid lid for months and a thaw around mid April. The lid tends to go about mid April and return around late November. The strong weeks are the first after break-up and the last before the freeze. Expect Scoof Lake to follow that timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. There is no recorded infrastructure here; expect to find your own way in. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Gates get locked out of season on water like this. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. Cranberry Lake at 0.5 miles is the sensible second choice. Confirm access to Scoof Lake locally before you travel.