Fishing South Blue Lake in Oneida County, Wisconsin

• Overview

  In Wisconsin, South Blue Lake belongs to Oneida County. The bank is 1,552 feet above sea level. It measures about 76 acres, which is a comfortable size for bank fishing. Roughly 1.6 miles of bank means you can walk to a fresh area when one goes quiet. You are 16 miles from Rhinelander. Green Bay sits 119 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on South Blue Lake

  No chart reached our records; the first cast is your sounding. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Oneida County records list brown trout, walleye, largemouth bass and northern pike among the fish reported. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. Treat South Blue Lake as a water to read rather than to cover.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 66°F at the top of summer and 9°F at the bottom of winter. Seasons are distinct, and each one fishes differently. The open season starts with the thaw, near enough mid April. The water is typically free of ice between mid April and late November. May into June fishes hardest, and September gives a second good stretch before the lid returns. That shapes the year on South Blue Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing in our records says who may fish here. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. Mapping is blank for access, so scout the approach before committing the car. 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. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. Lost Lake sits 0.9 miles off and takes the overflow. Check the position on South Blue Lake before loading the car.