Fishing at Spring Lake, Oconto County, Wisconsin

• Overview

  Spring Lake is an Oconto County water, Wisconsin side. The bank is 1,309 feet above sea level. At 7 acres it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. It is a small entry by Oconto County standards. Crandon at 21 miles is the nearest place to stop. After that come Nashville at 24 miles and Antigo at 32 miles. A border sits close enough to be relevant to the paperwork.

• Where to Fish on Spring Lake

  Depth went unrecorded, which puts the reading back on you. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Oconto County records list brown trout, largemouth bass, bluegill, yellow perch and northern pike among the fish reported. The list covers the county rather than this water alone, so treat it as a guide. At Spring Lake the first feature you find is worth twenty minutes.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between January at about 12°F and July at about 66°F, the water has a wide range to work through. Cold locks it up for a good stretch each year. Expect a solid lid for months and a thaw around mid April. Expect the water usable from around mid April until roughly late November. June through September is the settled part of the year, with the shoulders busier for fish. The season on Spring Lake rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. Access is unmapped, which usually means a farm track and a walk. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Parking space is the usual limit rather than the bank itself. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. Bluegill Lake at 1.1 miles is the sensible second choice. Where Spring Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.