South Lake Fishing Guide, Florence County, Wisconsin

• Overview

  In Wisconsin, South Lake falls inside Florence County. The bank is 1,165 feet above sea level. Surface area runs to about 23 acres — small enough to read in one session. Iron Mountain is the closest town at 5.3 miles. Kingsford is 6.8 miles and Quinnesec 8.4 miles. Other water within reach: 0.3 miles away is East Lake, Long Lake about 0.6 miles, 0.7 miles away is Lilly Lake, Bass Lake about 0.9 miles and 1 mile away is Railroad Lake. It sits near the edge of the county, so check which rules apply.

• Where to Fish on South Lake

  Depth is not on record here, which means reading the ground instead. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Survey and observation records for Florence County include brown trout, rainbow trout and largemouth bass. Read it as a county summary, not a water-by-water list. On South Lake a short move beats a long cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate normals give 67°F for July and 11°F for January. Winter closes the water for a while, and the reopening is worth catching. Ice-out usually falls in mid April, and the weeks after it fish hardest. The open-water window runs from around mid April to about late November in an average year. The shoulder weeks of the open season are the productive ones. It sets the rhythm of the year at South Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access is not recorded for this water. Public mapping records no formal access here, so plan for a walk and soft ground. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Sort the permit out before you load the car. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. Should this one be busy, East Lake is 0.3 miles off. Nothing here settles the position at South Lake for certain.