Fishing West Lake in Bayfield County, Wisconsin

• Overview

  West Lake stands in Bayfield County, Wisconsin. It sits at 1,089 feet above sea level. At 6 acres it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. It is a small entry by Bayfield County standards. Lake Nebagamon lies 18 miles from the water. Beyond it, Ashland at 23 miles and Washburn at 25 miles. The nearest boundary is a fair way off.

• Where to Fish on West Lake

  Depth remains unrecorded, so treat the first session as a survey. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Reported across Bayfield County: rainbow smelt, brown trout, yellow perch, rainbow trout and white sucker. The county list is broader than any single water. At West Lake light and wind decide more than tackle does.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The year swings from about 9°F in January to roughly 67°F in July. Hard water is a season in its own right here. Ice is part of the season here, ending near mid April. Averages place the thaw at mid April and the freeze at late November. Right after break-up, and again as the nights sharpen, is when to go. It sets the rhythm of the year at West Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. Mapping shows a campsite some half a mile from the water. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Where the road in crosses private land, ask first. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. Bell Lake, 0.6 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. Rules at West Lake are worth checking on the day.