Taylor Lake Fishing in Bayfield County, Wisconsin

• Overview

  Taylor Lake is one of the Bayfield County waters in Wisconsin. It lies 1,424 feet above sea level. The water covers some 84 acres, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. Roughly 1.6 miles of bank means you can walk to a fresh area when one goes quiet. On our Bayfield County list it sits near the top for size. Some 24 miles away sits Ashland, the nearest settlement. Little Round Lake lies 26 miles off, Hayward another 27 miles. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Taylor Lake

  Depth here is unknown, so count the lead down before committing. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. County-wide records name rainbow smelt, brown trout, yellow perch and rainbow trout. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. Treat Taylor Lake as a water to read rather than to cover.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 66°F in July and bottom out at 9°F in January. A hard winter is normal, and the thaw brings a strong few weeks. Ice is part of the season here, ending near mid April. Open water usually runs from mid April until about late November. Fishing peaks soon after break-up and again before the cold returns. That is the shape of the year on Taylor Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  The access position is unclear from public sources. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. Formal access is not mapped, so the last stretch is likely on foot. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Take the rules with you rather than trusting memory. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. The nearest alternative is Bullhead Lake, 0.8 miles out. Check the position at Taylor Lake before loading the car.