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Spin, Cast & Bait

Lac Courte Oreilles Fishing Guide

Wisconsin

A 5,139-acre Sawyer County lake near Hayward, up to 90 feet deep, with abundant northern pike and common musky, smallmouth, and walleye.

Trip at a Glance

Anglers come to Lac Courte Oreilles for largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, walleye, northern pike and muskellunge. In October, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, walleye, northern pike and muskellunge are in season, and Soft Stick Bait, Ned Rig and Bass Jig are a good place to start. There are 11 shops within 25 miles; the closest is Stone Lake Bait & Tackle in Stone Lake, about 8 mi away. Chippewa Flowage is about 9 mi away if you want to make a trip of it.

Season at a Glance

Largemouth Bass
Smallmouth Bass
Walleye
Northern Pike
Muskellunge
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What You'll Catch

Lac Courte Oreilles Species

Largemouth Bass

Largemouth Bass

Prime Now
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Best: Mar to Jun, Sep to Oct

Smallmouth Bass

Smallmouth Bass

Prime Now
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Best: Apr to Oct

Walleye

Walleye

Prime Now
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M
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Best: Apr to Jun, Sep to Nov

Northern Pike

Northern Pike

Prime Now
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Best: Apr to Jun, Sep to Oct

Muskellunge

Muskellunge

Prime Now
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Best: Jun to Nov

Images: USFWS; Duane Raver, USFWS; Timothy Knepp, USFWS. Public domain.

Plan by Month

What to Use

Month
Fish

14 picks for October. marks species in season in October.

  • Suspending Jerkbait 4 to 5 in

    Lure

    Hard Bait · Muskellunge, Northern Pike, Walleye, Smallmouth Bass · Big glide or jerkbaits in fall.

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  • Spinnerbait 3/8 to 3/4 oz

    Lure

    Moving Bait · Northern Pike, Largemouth Bass

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  • Soft Stick Bait 4 to 5 in

    Lure

    Soft Plastic · Largemouth Bass

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  • Ned Rig 2.5 to 3 in

    Lure

    Finesse · Smallmouth Bass

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  • Bass Jig 3/8 to 1 oz

    Lure

    Jig · Largemouth Bass

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  • Bladed Jig 3/8 to 1/2 oz

    Lure

    Moving Bait · Largemouth Bass · Around grass.

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  • Squarebill Crankbait 1.5 to 2.5 in

    Lure

    Crankbait · Largemouth Bass

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  • Lipless Crankbait 1/2 to 3/4 oz

    Lure

    Crankbait · Largemouth Bass

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  • Walking Topwater 4 to 5 in

    Lure

    Topwater · Largemouth Bass · Low light.

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  • Paddle-Tail Swimbait 3 to 5 in

    Lure

    Soft Plastic · Walleye

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  • Tube Jig 3 to 4 in

    Lure

    Soft Plastic · Smallmouth Bass

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  • Casting Spoon 1/4 to 1 oz

    Lure

    Spoon · Northern Pike

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  • Jig and Minnow 1/8 to 3/8 oz

    Lure

    Jig · Walleye

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  • Live Minnows 1 to 3 in

    Bait

    Live Bait · Walleye, Largemouth Bass

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Rod & Reel

Recommended Setups

Largemouth Bass

Fly 9 ft 7 or 8 wt rod, bass-taper floating line, 12 to 16 lb leader for poppers and divers.

Spin / Cast 7 ft medium-heavy baitcasting rod, 7:1 reel, 15 lb fluorocarbon or 50 lb braid around heavy cover.

Smallmouth Bass

Fly 9 ft 6 or 7 wt rod, floating line, 10 to 12 lb leader. Crayfish patterns, Clousers, and poppers.

Spin / Cast 7 ft medium spinning rod, 2500 reel, 8 lb braid to a 6 to 8 lb fluorocarbon leader.

Walleye

Spin / Cast 6.5 ft medium-light spinning rod, 2500 reel, 10 lb braid with a 6 to 8 lb fluorocarbon leader.

Northern Pike

Fly 9 ft 8 or 9 wt rod, floating or intermediate line, wire or 40 lb bite tippet.

Spin / Cast 7 ft medium-heavy casting rod, 30 to 50 lb braid, steel or titanium leader.

Matched to These Species

Gear for Lac Courte Oreilles

Reels

Abu Garcia Revo SX Baitcasting Reel

A reliable baitcaster for jigs, Texas rigs, and moving baits.

Check Price

Soft Plastics

Yamamoto Senko 5 in

The original salted stick bait. Fish it weightless or wacky rigged.

Check Price

Crankbaits

Rapala Shad Rap

A tight-wobbling crankbait that walleye anglers troll and cast.

Check Price

Rods

St. Croix Musky Casting Rod

A heavy, long casting rod for big bucktails, jerkbaits, and figure-eights.

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Line

PowerPro Spectra Braided Line

Thin, strong braid for long casts, sensitivity, and pulling fish from cover.

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Rods

St. Croix Triumph Spinning Rod

A sensitive, lightweight rod for finesse plastics and jigs.

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Hard Baits

Rapala X-Rap Jerkbait

A suspending jerkbait that shines in cold, clear water.

Check Price

Rod & Reel Combos

Ugly Stik GX2 Spinning Combo

Nearly unbreakable and sensitive enough for most freshwater fishing. A safe first combo.

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Within 25 Miles

Shops Near Lac Courte Oreilles

Within 25 Miles

Guides and Charters Near Lac Courte Oreilles

Make It a Trip

Nearby Water

Lakes & Reservoirs · Wisconsin · About 9 mi

Chippewa Flowage

A 14,593-acre Sawyer County flowage east of Hayward with abundant walleye and common musky, bass, and northern pike, reached from six public landings.

Walleye · Muskellunge · Largemouth Bass

Rivers & Streams · Wisconsin

Bois Brule River

A historic Lake Superior tributary with steelhead and brown trout runs.

Steelhead · Brown Trout

Rivers & Streams · Minnesota

St. Louis River Estuary

The river mouth and bays between Duluth and Superior, about 10,000 acres where DNR surveys find walleye, northern pike, perch, crappie, and smallmouth.

Walleye · Northern Pike · Yellow Perch

Lakes & Reservoirs · Minnesota · About 69 mi

Lake Superior (Duluth)

Lake Superior along the shore from Duluth toward Two Harbors, with lake trout, coho, and Chinook in summer and shore casting for steelhead and browns in the cold months.

Lake Trout · Coho Salmon · Chinook Salmon