Tom Bayou Fishing Guide, Waupaca County, Wisconsin

• Overview

  Tom Bayou lies within the bounds of Waupaca County, Wisconsin. This is mixed forest country. At 5 acres it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. On size it sits at the modest end of our Waupaca County list. New London lies 3.6 miles from the water. For a city, Green Bay is 40 miles off. One jurisdiction covers this water end to end.

• Where to Fish on Tom Bayou

  Our records carry no depth, so judge it from the bank. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Species logged across Waupaca County include brown trout, flathead catfish, rainbow trout and common carp. Read it as a county summary, not a water-by-water list. At Tom Bayou light and wind decide more than tackle does.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 70°F in July and bottom out at 15°F in January. The freeze arrives properly here and holds. Firm cover through the cold months, then open water from early April. The season between ice runs from about early April to early December. The shoulder weeks of the open season are the productive ones. At Tom Bayou the season follows that pattern closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. The nearest recorded ramp is Shaws boat landing, half a mile out. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Gates get locked out of season on water like this. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. For a change of water, Traders Bayou is 0.7 miles distant. For Tom Bayou in particular, ask before you travel.