Fishing Upper Red Lake in Shawano County, Wisconsin

• Overview

  In Wisconsin, Upper Red Lake belongs to Shawano County. Elevation runs to 922 feet. With some 195 acres of water, there is room for a boat but no need of one. Some 4.3 miles of bank gives room to move when the wind turns. Size puts it in the front rank of our Shawano County list. Start from Keshena, 8.3 miles down the road. The big place round here is Green Bay, 45 miles distant. It sits well inside the county, so one set of rules covers it.

• Where to Fish on Upper Red Lake

  No depth figure appears in our records, so the bank has to tell you. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Species logged across Shawano County include brown trout, northern pike, largemouth bass, yellow perch and bluegill. The county list is broader than any single water. Read Upper Red Lake for ten minutes before the first cast goes out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Typical July readings run about 68°F; by January the average is down near 13°F. A full turn of seasons, with the strongest sport on either side of summer. The lid arrives early and lasts until roughly mid April. Break-up sits around mid April on average, with the water closing again about early December. The first weeks of open water and the last are the ones to plan for. Upper Red Lake runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access status is simply unknown for this water. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. The map shows no ramp or car park nearby, so this is a walk-in water. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Rules for this water may differ from the county norm. Night access is frequently treated as a separate matter. Moon Lake at 1.4 miles is the sensible second choice. The position on Upper Red Lake is worth confirming on the day.