Sidie Hollow Lake near Viroqua: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  Sidie Hollow Lake lies within the bounds of Vernon County, Wisconsin. Height above sea level is 958 feet. With some 35 acres of water, there is room for a boat but no need of one. A shoreline of some 1.7 miles keeps the choices simple. On size it sits at the modest end of our Vernon County list. Viroqua sits 3.7 miles from here and is the nearest stop. The nearest city of size is Rochester, 83 miles away. No boundary runs near, so the county rules hold throughout.

• Where to Fish on Sidie Hollow Lake

  Depth is not on record here, which means reading the ground instead. Standing timber shows when the level drops, and fish sit against it. Inflow corners move water, and moving water gathers fish. County-wide records name brown trout, common carp, rainbow trout and brook trout. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. Sidie Hollow Lake gives up more to patience than to distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The year swings from about 14°F in January to roughly 71°F in July. Cold locks it up for a good stretch each year. After early April the shallows warm and the fish move up. Expect the water usable from around early April until roughly early December. The strong weeks are the first after break-up and the last before the freeze. Plan any trip to Sidie Hollow Lake around it.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. Mapping shows a ramp about half a mile from the shore. There is somewhere to leave the car, half a mile off. You can camp about half a mile away, going by the mapping. Toilets are half a mile away, which matters on a long session. Rules for this water may differ from the county norm. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. Should this one be busy, Jersey Valley Lake 8 is 13 miles off. Check the position at Sidie Hollow Lake before loading the car.