Upper Eau Claire Lake Fishing in Bayfield County, Wisconsin

• Overview

  Wisconsin holds Upper Eau Claire Lake, in Bayfield County. Elevation runs to 1,129 feet. This is sizeable water at about 1,100 acres, and a boat opens up most of it. The edge covers about 10 miles, enough to hold several distinct areas. Few waters listed in Bayfield County are bigger. The town to know is Lake Nebagamon, 18 miles out. Hayward is 21 miles away, with Little Round Lake at 24 miles. This one is safely inside the county line.

• Where to Fish on Upper Eau Claire Lake

  No figure exists for depth, so let the water show you. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. County-wide records name rainbow smelt, brown trout, yellow perch, rainbow trout and white sucker. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. Work Upper Eau Claire Lake in sections rather than trying to cover it.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate records put July near 67°F and January near 8°F. Fishing here follows the temperature more than the calendar. The freeze runs deep into the year, with break-up near mid April. The water is typically free of ice between mid April and late November. The strong weeks are the first after break-up and the last before the freeze. It holds true on Upper Eau Claire Lake more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing on record says whether the bank is open or closed. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. Launch at Upper Eau Claire Boat Landing, half a mile from the water. Mapping puts a reserve boundary across this water; check what it allows. Season dates differ by species, so read the table. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. Birch Lake, 0.9 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. None of that is settled for Upper Eau Claire Lake in what we hold.