Somo Lake near Tomahawk: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  The Oneida County end of Wisconsin holds Somo Lake. It sits at 1,447 feet above sea level. At 404 acres this is proper open water rather than a pond. Shoreline length is close to 7.8 miles, and each section fishes a little differently. Size puts it in the front rank of our Oneida County list. For supplies, Tomahawk is 7.6 miles out. Then Rhinelander, 24 miles, and Merrill, 25 miles. The boundary is close enough to be worth checking before you fish.

• Where to Fish on Somo Lake

  Depth remains unrecorded, so treat the first session as a survey. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. County-wide records name brown trout, walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. The near bank of Somo Lake is often the one people ignore.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The seasonal spread runs 10°F to 66°F. Expect a real winter and a strong spring after it. Once it clears, about mid April, the fishing comes on quickly. The open-water window runs from around mid April to about late November in an average year. Spring is short and heavy here; autumn is longer and steadier. Anyone fishing Somo Lake regularly works to that calendar.

• Tackle & Baits

  We hold no note on access for this one. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. No built facilities appear in mapping around this water. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. State or provincial rules still apply whatever the bank status. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. Rice River Flowage, 5.5 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. Check the position at Somo Lake before loading the car.