Fishing Stone Lake in Iron County, Wisconsin

• Overview

  The Iron County end of Wisconsin holds Stone Lake. The water sits 1,585 feet up. It runs to roughly 76 acres — big enough to hold fish away from the bank, small enough to learn. The closest town, Lac du Flambeau, is 12 miles away. Green Bay sits 146 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Stone Lake

  There is no published depth for this one, so start shallow and work out. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Survey and observation records for Iron County include walleye, northern pike, yellow perch and muskellunge. County data is a starting point rather than a guarantee. At Stone Lake the water rewards a slow, careful approach.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July to average close to 66°F, with January the cold end at about 10°F. The freeze arrives properly here and holds. Count on hard cover from midwinter, and open water from mid April. On the long-run averages the water opens up around mid April and starts locking again about late November. The first weeks of open water and the last are the ones to plan for. It sets the rhythm of the year at Stone Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing we hold confirms whether access is permitted. The map shows no ramp or car park nearby, so this is a walk-in water. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Ask in the nearest town if you are unsure. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. The nearest alternative is Keough Lake, 0.4 miles out. Where Stone Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.