Wilson Lake in Shawano County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Wilson Lake sits within Shawano County in Wisconsin. Elevation runs to 1,201 feet. At roughly 20 acres, the whole thing is within casting reach of a single walk. Wittenberg is the closest town at 2.5 miles. Green Bay is the closest city, 63 miles away. Alternatives close at hand: Lilly Lake 2.9 miles away, Homme Pond within 3.4 miles, Norrie Lake 5.2 miles away, Bass Lake within 5.5 miles and Muddy Lake 5.5 miles away. The boundary is close enough to be worth checking before you fish.

• Where to Fish on Wilson Lake

  The records we hold are silent on depth, so plan to find it yourself. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Species logged across Shawano County include brown trout, northern pike and largemouth bass. County data is a starting point rather than a guarantee. On Wilson Lake the first feature you find is usually worth a session.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-run averages give July about 68°F and January about 12°F. Expect a real winter and a strong spring after it. The lid usually goes in mid April, which opens the strongest weeks of the year. Average temperatures cross freezing around mid April in spring and again near late November in autumn. From the thaw to midsummer the fishing improves week by week. The season on Wilson Lake rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access status is simply unknown for this water. Mapping puts a reserve boundary across this water; check what it allows. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Check locally before you travel, because a wasted drive is a long one. Night access is frequently treated as a separate matter. Lilly Lake sits 2.9 miles off and takes the overflow. None of that is settled for Wilson Lake in what we hold.