Washburn County Trout Pond Descriptions
Powerline Lake
6.7 acres, 41' deep; 45.8863N; 91.6095W
This is newly stocked water for 2007 with good numbers of brook trout expected to carry over into 2008. It's over a mile in but the logging trail is open to motor vehicles right to the water's edge. Just as you get to the edge of the power line ROW take the uphill spur trail to the left. If you cross the ROW and can't see the lake you're on the wrong trail. Please note that you cannot use the power line ROW to access the lake instead of the logging road. Utility ROW's are only open to public use where they cross public land but not to cross private lands. Except for the unimproved boat landing the pond has a boggy edge but can be fished from shore with hip boots.
Solar Pond
4 acres, 45' deep; 45.8237N; 91.6158W
It's a little over a mile in but the logging road off Dugan Lake Road is open to motor vehicles. The trail can be a little rough in places so don't take a shiny new pick up. Fall and first ice is best time to try it. The pond has a lot fallen logs and is hard to fish from shore. A canoe or belly boat is helpful.
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Otter Pond
5 acres, 11' deep; 46.0651N; 91.7593W
Despite being fairly shallow brook trout survive most winters so fishing can be ok fall winter or spring. The bad news is that bullheads have become fairly abundant. They reduce the growth and survival rates of the stocked trout. It actually takes 2 summers for brook trout to get about 9 inches instead of one. A strong winterkill here once in a while is a good thing. The shoreline is easy to walk and fish from but it's shallow so hip boots are helpful. Motor vehicles are not allowed but it's only a few hundred foot walk through the woods off Taylor Lake Road.
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Alevim Pond
1.5 acres, 14” deep; 46.0616N; 91.7569W
Annual winterkill assures fast growth for spring planted trout fingerlings. Occasionally this dark water pond gets too warm in the summer to support trout. Come fall it's either full of 9 to11 inch brook trout or sometimes has no fish at all. Not real easy to fish from shore or to wade in. It's best fished with belly boat or during early ice. Alevin is about a ¼ mile walk down a gated logging trail that starts at Otter Pond. Motor vehicles are prohibited.
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Krill Lake
4 acres, 21' deep; 46.1214N; 91.9188W
Winterkills are infrequent so catchable trout are present most of the year. It's got a boggy shoreline so hip boots, a belly boat or canoe are necessary for open water fishing. Ice fishing is most popular. There are drivable logging trails off county I and East Flowage Road that get close but a couple hundred yard walk through the woods is necessary.
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Shadow Lake
8 acres, 13'deep; 45.7938N; 91.6158W
Despite a fairly heavy population of fathead minnows and golden shiners, trout did well when water levels were high. Winter kills were infrequent and brook trout to 18 inches were caught. It's fairly easy to fish from shore but hip boots or waders are helpful. Recent drought conditions have been hard on this pond with both winterkill and even summer kill. Shadow will be a consistent producer again as soon as water levels return to normal. The Nordic Ski Trail, which is strictly non- motorized, runs right along west bank of the lake.
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Alpine Lake
3 acres, 22' deep; 45.7938N; 92.6261W
Has not winterkilled since it was first planted in 2003 but best fishing is the fall and first ice. Alpine is fairly easy to fish from shore. There is an Adirondack shelter on the west shore off the Nordic Ski Trial (non-motorized) or there is a drivable woods trail to the east side.
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Stride and Glide Lake
9 acres, 25'deep; 45.8050N; 91.6310W
Stride and Glide is two separate basins that become one lake in high water years. The north basin has not winterkilled since it was first planted in 2003 despite a 12 foot reduction in water depth. The south basin fishery is not as consistent. They are less than a quarter mile past Alpine Lake on the Nordic Ski Trail (non-motorized). It's easy to fish them from shore.
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Priceless Pond
3 acres, 18' deep; 45.8038N; 91.5618W
It's a ways back but usually worth the trip. It's more than a mile walk in but snowmobiles and ATVs are allowed on the trail seasonally. Then it's just a short walk off the snowmobile trail. Watch for the yellow sign marking the path to the lake. A solar aerator helps assure overwinter survival. The pond is easy to fish from shore. Fall and early ice are the peak times.
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Hogsback Pond
This one, south of Priceless on same snowmobile trail, is no longer being managed for trout.
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Sticks Pond
3 acres, 12' deep; 45.7818N; 91.5940W
Pond is subject to frequent winterkill so try it in the fall or early ice. Not easy to fish from shore. A belly boat would be nice. Pond is not quite visible from the logging. Look for the sign and path down the hill to the pond.
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Big Sticks Pond
6.5 acres, 17' deep; 45.7851N; 91.5896W
Presently trout population is somewhat limited by a heavy minnow and sucker population. Winterkill is infrequent, but best fishing is still in the fall and winter. Best shore fishing and deepest water is on the north end. Easy quarter mile walk-in.
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Ham Lake
6 acres, 18' deep; 45.7794N; 91.5431W
It's not usually the best for numbers but if you fish it in the fall or early ice you might find some exceptional size brook trout. Ham is easy enough to fish from shore but hip boots are helpful. This one is in the boon docks requiring a 2.2 mile hike down a logging trail system. Give yourself plenty of time to find this one and a GPS is a good idea. You'll pass several small lakes along the way that have bass and panfish. Strictly a non-motorized area but a mountain bike would handle the trail.
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Sawmill Lake
10 acres, 26' deep; 45.7543N; 91.5559W
Sawmill has been a managed as a two story trout lake with bass and panfish for many years. Surplus 14 to 22 inch brood rainbows are stocked in the fall after the hatchery takes the eggs. A two bag, 12 inch minimum special regulation applies here but the season runs from first Saturday in May to through first weekend in March. Has an unimproved boat landing and a 25 site primitive (no electricity) campground run by Washburn County on the east side.
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Camp Lake
10 acres, 35' deep; 45.7543N; 91.5618W
Camp is one of the easiest trout ponds to get to and fish from shore. It is stocked in the spring with both catchable size rainbows and fingerling brook trout that don't reach catchable size until fall. Also some sizeable brown trout are present from stockings several years back. As a result there are trout to catch here most any time. Brook trout tend to be found near shore in fallen trees but the rainbows tend to suspend 5 to 10 foot down in middle of pond. A solar powered aerator, purchased by the county and operated by DNR runs year round to improve the lake environment for trout. There is an unimproved boat landing off the Birchwood Firelane.
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Fontinalis Lake
4 acres, 17' deep; 45.7548N; 91.5585W
Winterkill is rare but fall and early ice generally best fishing. Access is an easy walk from the Sawmill Lake boat landing. At one time this was one of the best of all the ponds. Growth and survival of the trout decreased after minnows got established. This was likely the result of escaped bait minnows. Besides brook trout you might run into some larger brown trout stocked a few years back in an unsuccessful effort to control the minnow population.
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Little Telstar Lake
6 acres, 12' deep; 45.7403N; 91.5483W
Little Telstar is better than a mile walk-in but has been a good fall producer despite being quite shallow. It only freezes out about half the time. The drought conditions were too much for the trout in 2007 but if we get adequate rain this summer there could fast action for pan size trout by fall 2008. The trip can be extra fun if you come by canoe along the Sawmill Chain Canoe Trail. In case the trout aren't biting, the lakes along this portage trail contain bass and panfish. The bass run small but are exempt from any minimum size limit (see fishing regulations). Non-motorized area.
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Aurora Lake
4 acres, 22' deep; 45.7452N; 91.5564W
Best fishing is in the fall and through the ice. Winter kill is infrequent so spring is usually ok too. Aurora is fairly easy to fish from shore. One of the better ponds and is only a ten minute walk into this non-motorized area.
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Dagger Pond
3 acres, 10'deep; 45.7249N; 91.6398W
Annual winterkill assures no competition for spring stocked fingerlings so they grow fast. In hot dry years they might not make it through the summer in this shallow pond. Come October this one is either pretty darn good or fishless. Try it in the fall or early ice or not at all. It's a long way in but the snowmobile trail and the side spur trail that goes to north end of pond is open to ATV's at least on a seasonal basis. The deepest water and best ice fishing is on the north end.
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