Fishing Westphall Lake in Oconto County, Wisconsin

• Overview

  In Wisconsin, Westphall Lake falls inside Oconto County. It stands 876 feet above sea level. About 23 acres of surface, which puts the far bank inside easy sight. Nearest place of any size is Gillett, 19 miles away. Further out sit Legend Lake (20 miles) and Keshena (22 miles). No boundary runs near, so the county rules hold throughout.

• Where to Fish on Westphall Lake

  Depth went unrecorded, which puts the reading back on you. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Records held for Oconto County cover brown trout, largemouth bass, bluegill, yellow perch and northern pike. County records show what lives in the area; the local agency holds the water-by-water list. Westphall Lake fishes better once you know its edges.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages move between 13°F in January and 68°F in July. The freeze arrives properly here and holds. The lid arrives early and lasts until roughly mid April. Break-up near mid April, freeze-up near early December: that is the shape of an average year. Fishing peaks soon after break-up and again before the cold returns. Anyone fishing Westphall Lake regularly works to that calendar.

• Tackle & Baits

  No public source sets out the position on this bank. Nothing in the way of made access shows up nearby: no ramp, no car park, no path. 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. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. Should this one be busy, Farr Lake is 1.3 miles off. Ask locally about Westphall Lake if anything is unclear.