Stratton Ponds, Wisconsin: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Stratton Ponds is one of the Bayfield County waters in Wisconsin. The water sits 1,276 feet up. Small at around 8 acres: two anglers spread out cover most of it. It is one of the smaller waters we list in Bayfield County. Lake Nebagamon lies 22 miles from the water. Ashland is 24 miles and Washburn 27 miles. It sits well inside its county, with no border complications.

• Where to Fish on Stratton Ponds

  There is no recorded depth, so work from what you can see. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Bayfield County records list rainbow smelt, brown trout, yellow perch, rainbow trout and white sucker among the fish reported. The list covers the county rather than this water alone, so treat it as a guide. Work Stratton Ponds in sections rather than trying to cover it.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warm month here averages 66°F; the cold one sits at 9°F. The year runs cold to warm and back, with clear transitions. Look for the thaw near mid April; the fishing lifts straight after. The open-water window runs from around mid April to about late November in an average year. September and October fish steadily right up to the freeze. On Stratton Ponds the same rules apply, with local timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  No access rule appears in what we hold. No slipway, car park or made path shows up nearby in mapping, so treat access as rough. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Take the rules with you rather than trusting memory. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. If the gate is shut, Nelson Lake at 0.4 miles is the nearest alternative. Check the current arrangement for Stratton Ponds.