Looking for some recommendations in Wisconsin.

 

My son and I normally go to northern Minnesota on our annual fishing trip, but would love to check out some Wisconsin waters this year.  Will be a completely new state to us.

 

We'll be coming from central Iowa with our own boat.  Looking for a place that we could rent a cabin on the water.  Our boat is just a 16.5' Lund, so need to avoid really big water that could get overly choppy.  

 

Looking to target Large and Smallmouth mainly.

 

Would love any input or advice from people in the area.  Love visiting Wisconsin, I've just never really fished it.

 

 

google "Best smallmouth lakes in NW Wisconsin?" and there are some good suggestions from another popular bass fishing forum.  I have never been in that area though.  

 

I moved up to northeast/central WI 12 years ago from your neck of the woods.  Rarely do I go more than 2 hrs from Oshkosh (where I live) and find myself fishing the wolf river by new london the most.  Its good for both species and a smaller boat is preferred.  Its not traditional smallmouth fishing though because you are fishing around a lot of wood and heavy cover so its really more or less like fishing brushy creek, but with current if that makes sense.  The wolf is not as wide as the des moines river above the dsm metro area, but it is deeper and has a little more current.  The water is cleaner as well.

 

 

16 hours ago, dwtaylor said:

google "Best smallmouth lakes in NW Wisconsin?" and there are some good suggestions from another popular bass fishing forum.  I have never been in that area though.  

 

I moved up to northeast/central WI 12 years ago from your neck of the woods.  Rarely do I go more than 2 hrs from Oshkosh (where I live) and find myself fishing the wolf river by new london the most.  Its good for both species and a smaller boat is preferred.  Its not traditional smallmouth fishing though because you are fishing around a lot of wood and heavy cover so its really more or less like fishing brushy creek, but with current if that makes sense.  The wolf is not as wide as the des moines river above the dsm metro area, but it is deeper and has a little more current.  The water is cleaner as well.

 

 

 

Thanks for your input!  Nice to see another Iowa State fan :).  I've been looking around the Hayward, Wisconsin area. Lac Courte Oreilles looks like it might be a good fit.

 

There are lots of SB around the Hayward area. It has musky too!  

If you end up over in Vilas county I could help you out with some info. We fish a 16.5' Lund as well and it's perfect size for those lakes. I also went to ISU but for grad school.

On 3/2/2025 at 3:23 AM, Vilas15 said:

If you end up over in Vilas county I could help you out with some info. We fish a 16.5' Lund as well and it's perfect size for those lakes. I also went to ISU but for grad school.

Thanks so much!  We need to hit that area in the future for sure!

 

Fox Lake has some great fishing, for large mouth, great size average. 
Big green has both, and can be awesome, but maybe a little tricky to figure out. Lake Winnebago is big, but plenty of bays and areas to get out of the wind. I live on Winnebago, and it’s been known as “ The walleye factory “ but bass fishing has gotten really good in the last several years. 

12 minutes ago, Dan N said:

Fox Lake has some great fishing, for large mouth, great size average. 
Big green has both, and can be awesome, but maybe a little tricky to figure out. Lake Winnebago is big, but plenty of bays and areas to get out of the wind. I live on Winnebago, and it’s been known as “ The walleye factory “ but bass fishing has gotten really good in the last several years. 

The in-laws just moved to a house on the SE part of lake Winnebago can’t wait to find the bass there! 

 

 

For OP - Little Sturgeon Bay could be fun to fish too, but a little bit of a hike across the state. I’ve fished it in a kayak a lot; some of the best smallie fishing in the country and your boat should be good.

I live on south end. I believe the man made humps are the way to go, they on the mapping info available on graphs. 
also had some good luck around some docks and typical shallow water stuff. 
I believe it might be better further north around islands and humps. More smallmouth up north towards Oshkosh 

I think if I were coming from central IA, I would go to the western Chequamegon area, biggest town around there is Hayward, otherwise you'll be driving past a lot of good lakes to go fishing other good lakes. There are a lot of storied lakes in that area.

Just my 2-cents but, if you have a smaller boat anyway, I'd suggest finding some smaller lakes off the beaten path to fish. The DNR has a real obsession with putting public access on every little lake they can. Once you figure out where you're headed, research some small lakes on public land in the area that have primitive boat launches. It's nice to fish lakes known for producing good fish, but not so much when 100 other guys have already fished that spot this week, or when jet skiers are buzzing around all over. Some of the smaller more remote lakes that are hard to get to hold good fish, and probably less than 10 guys have fished any given spot that year. If nothing else, it will be quiet and beautiful.

We've booked a little cabin on Lac Courte Oreilles.  Plan on hitting a bunch of lakes around Hayward!  Hoping to hit Grindstone, Lac Courte Oreilles, and Round Lake for sure!

 

On 2/25/2025 at 9:08 AM, cyfan964 said:

 

Thanks for your input!  Nice to see another Iowa State fan :).  I've been looking around the Hayward, Wisconsin area. Lac Courte Oreilles looks like it might be a good fit.

 

My favorite place in the world to fish! I absolutely love the Chippewa Flowage (East side for smallies and west side for largies, anywhere for walleye). Our family had a cabin on the lake for around 15 yrs. 

On 3/2/2025 at 3:23 AM, Vilas15 said:

Vilas county

This is where I'd go too.  Near Eagle River.

Have some videos if you want to find some lakes and spots where I am catching them. Good wintertime viewing while we still thaw around here. Other good options besides Vilas county

 

 

 

 

 

I lived in Wisconsin for thirty years and preferred big water: the Mississippi, Chequamegon Bay, and Green Bay. I fished from a 14' Lund with a 10 HP motor. 

We are going to be staying with some friends at their place in Herbster along Superior shoreline. We are going to haul our kayaks up for fishing and wondering where you guys would suggest?  We're usually looking for LM/SM or Walleye. Figure anything within an hour or so drive is fair game.  Appreciate it!!

On 3/11/2025 at 7:47 PM, Dan N said:

Fox Lake has some great fishing, for large mouth, great size average. 
Big green has both, and can be awesome, but maybe a little tricky to figure out. Lake Winnebago is big, but plenty of bays and areas to get out of the wind. I live on Winnebago, and it’s been known as “ The walleye factory “ but bass fishing has gotten really good in the last several years. 

I'm heading to Fox Lake this Friday.  Have you heard any reports on how the bass fishing has been?  I know the air temps have been consistently warm and we just had a full moon.  I would think they are close to spawning.

Follow big sacks bass club on facebook as they usually have wednesday nighter tournaments there.  Last wednesday winning weight (2 fish, 18" min) went 7.76lbs.  Prespawners.

 

Otherwise, check out lake link, but typically bass guys here don't post fishing reports.

 

I would guess that this warm weather this week is getting the first wave of spawners done. 

 

Saturday I was on bago and little lake butte des morts and they were not spawning, but we had a cold front come through and even got frost friday morning.  WT on main lake was 57, but channels were in the mid 60s so they were close to going.  I would imagine Fox Lake was a little warmer with the depth and water clarity there being a little worse than bago so I would expect them to be spawning right now.  

 

The cold front coming in Friday night might make the weekend interesting, but I always like a cold front when they pull up to spawn because then they don't lock down on beds and get back to feeding to maintain their egg production.   They don't go far and power fishing techniques usually do well, even though its a cold front.  I would guess you have a good shot at a 5+lb female.

I will be fishing around Sturgeon Bay next week.  I hope Sturgeon Bay live up to the hype.  I will have one more added to my bucket list next week.

On 5/14/2025 at 8:17 AM, Hawkeye21 said:

I'm heading to Fox Lake this Friday.  Have you heard any reports on how the bass fishing has been?  I know the air temps have been consistently warm and we just had a full moon.  I would think they are close to spawning.

Sorry Hawkeye, just saw this! Let us know how you do. Yes bass are starting to spawn by me, and I’m only 30 minutes from Fox Lake, but as I’m sure you know, all the lakes differ. Good luck!

On 5/16/2025 at 3:30 PM, Dan N said:

Sorry Hawkeye, just saw this! Let us know how you do. Yes bass are starting to spawn by me, and I’m only 30 minutes from Fox Lake, but as I’m sure you know, all the lakes differ. Good luck!

I fished some on Fox and on Puckaway.  A cold front came in and the winds picked up so the fishing was slow for me.  Caught some up shallow and the quality was great, just not the quantity.

 

Next week I'm heading to Door County for the first time to find some trophy smallmouth.

On 5/14/2025 at 1:15 PM, BassinBrett said:

I will be fishing around Sturgeon Bay next week.  I hope Sturgeon Bay live up to the hype.  I will have one more added to my bucket list next week.

How was Sturgeon Bay?

Awful was the best part.  I think the weather had the best in some weird funk.  They were not biting for anyone I talk to.  Saturday I caught 3 ands that was more than anyone else I talked to.  I think the bass were just moving shallow to start spawning.  Well it was nice to get out and try somewhere else.  I would like to fish door county when it is “ normal”