Sweeny Lake in Oneida County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Sweeny Lake is an Oneida County water, Wisconsin side. It sits at 1,581 feet above sea level. Surface area is around 191 acres, which gives you real water without needing a boat. With about 2.6 miles of edge, you can try several depths in one session. Size puts it in the front rank of our Oneida County list. The closest town, Lac du Flambeau, is 16 miles distant. Eagle River is 17 miles and Rhinelander 18 miles. This one sits near enough to a boundary to be worth checking.

• Where to Fish on Sweeny Lake

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Across Oneida County, recorded fish include brown trout, walleye, largemouth bass and northern pike. It is the county picture; the agency list is water-specific. Fish Sweeny Lake to its features, not to its size.

• Seasonal Patterns

  On the long-term average, July reads 66°F and January reads 9°F. Cold winters and warm summers give a wide working range. After mid April the shallows warm and the fish move up. In an average year the thaw lands around mid April and the freeze near late November. Fish feed hardest at the start and the close of the open season. That is the shape of the year on Sweeny Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. Mapping shows a ramp about half a mile from the shore. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Check locally before you travel, because a wasted drive is a long one. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. The nearest alternative is Cunard Lake, 0.9 miles out. Confirm before you fish Sweeny Lake.