Sturgeon Lake Fishing in Vilas County, Wisconsin

• Overview

  Wisconsin holds Sturgeon Lake, in Vilas County. The country round it is rolling bush from end to end. Around 31 acres of surface means several distinct areas to work. A shoreline of some 1.2 miles keeps the choices simple. For supplies, Lac du Flambeau is 12 miles out. Wakefield follows at 23 miles, then Bessemer at 25 miles. This one sits near enough to a boundary to be worth checking.

• Where to Fish on Sturgeon 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. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Fish documented in Vilas County include bluegill, yellow perch, walleye and largemouth bass. Read it as a county summary, not a water-by-water list. Sturgeon Lake responds to conditions more than to tactics.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Average temperature peaks around 65°F in July and bottoms out near 10°F in January. Winter shuts the surface down for months. Expect a solid lid for months and a thaw around mid April. Break-up sits around mid April on average, with the water closing again about late November. Reckon on open water from spring through to late autumn, with May and June the strongest. Time your trip to Sturgeon Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  No access rule appears in what we hold. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. There is camping recorded roughly half a mile off. Facilities include toilets around half a mile from here. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Check whether a boat is allowed before you tow one. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. Gem Lake, 0.7 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. Check the current arrangement for Sturgeon Lake.