Upper Wapato Lake in Oconto County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  The Oconto County end of Wisconsin holds Upper Wapato Lake. Height above sea level is 1,348 feet. At about 50 acres, a day is enough to walk the shoreline properly. Shoreline comes to about 1.1 miles, small enough to learn in a day. The closest town, Crandon, is 22 miles away. Beyond it, Nashville at 24 miles and Antigo at 26 miles. Being near a boundary, it pays to know which side you are fishing.

• Where to Fish on Upper Wapato Lake

  No depth figure appears in our records, so the bank has to tell you. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Fish documented in Oconto County include brown trout, largemouth bass, bluegill and yellow perch. The list covers the county rather than this water alone, so treat it as a guide. Upper Wapato Lake repays a walk before the first cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July to average close to 67°F, with January the cold end at about 12°F. Winter closes the water for a while, and the reopening is worth catching. Winter locks it down, and mid April brings it back. Ice clears near mid April and comes back about late November in a typical year. Fish feed hardest at the start and the close of the open season. That shapes the year on Upper Wapato Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. 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. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Where access is informal, keep it that way by behaving. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. For a change of water, Lower Wapato Lake is 0.5 miles distant. Where Upper Wapato Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.