Tower Lake Fishing near Eagle River, Wisconsin

• Overview

  Tower Lake is set in Vilas County, Wisconsin. It sits at 1,703 feet above sea level. The water covers some 26 acres, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. Compared with other Wisconsin water on our list, it sits high. The town to know is Eagle River, 17 miles out. Green Bay sits 130 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. There is no boundary nearby to worry about.

• Where to Fish on Tower Lake

  We hold no survey for this water; read the slope of the shoreline instead. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Vilas County records list bluegill, yellow perch, walleye and largemouth bass among the fish reported. Records at county level tell you what is around, not what is stocked here. Take Tower Lake a stretch at a time.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate normals give 65°F for July and 9°F for January. Expect a real winter and a strong spring after it. The lid usually goes in late April, which opens the strongest weeks of the year. Expect the water usable from around late April until roughly late November. The strongest runs come at either end of the open season. Time your trip to Tower Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access status is simply unknown for this water. Mapping shows no built access close by; expect to walk in from wherever you can leave the car. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Read any posted signs at the access point rather than assuming. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. For a change of water, Balsam Lake is 1 mile distant. What applies at Tower Lake may have changed since it was mapped.