Northern Wisconsin Late Summer Bass Fishing

[Badgers034]

Hey guys, I will be going on a week long family vacation to Wild Rice Lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin. I have been fishing this lake since I was a child, but never really targeted bass. I know there are largemouth and smallmouth in here, but with any northern wisconsin lake, they compete with Northerns, Muskies, and Walleye. 

 

The lake has a few different components which I think would hold bass: Lake Map

1. The point on the eastern corner of the lake has always been a good fishing area. It has a rocky bottom and various weed cover, which I plan on throwing square bills and lipless cranks, and maybe dropshotting.

2. The weedline on the southeast corner of the lake is hit or miss. Sometimes it is extremely weedy, other times sparse. I plan on frogging, and maybe using spinnerbaits and chatterbaits in this area.

3. The southern portion of the lake typically has laydowns and other cover to fish. Along here (and around docks) is where I plan to use soft plastics - wacky rigged senkos, texas rigs, etc.

4. The creek leading to Alder lake at the northwest corner of the lake holds ALOT of panfish. Shallow water (2 - 4'), with dense weeds / pads and typically a few laydowns. What time of day should I target this area? Mid-day, or morning / evening? When do the bass typically move to shallower water (keep in mind this area has a slight current), since it connects two lakes.

 

My main question is, if you were going to fish this lake, how would you spend your time most effectively? Keep in mind, I will have access to a boat with a fish finder, jon boat without fish finder, and maybe a fishing kayak (Haven't decided if I should buy one yet).

[Further North]

Looks like you've also got two mid lake humps to try. 

Fish those, I'd work outside in.

[Scott F]

Since the lake is not very big and you will be there for a week, you should be able to cover all of it several times. If it were me, I'd look for any deep weed edges you can find and fish them as much as possible. You'll not only catch bass, but everything else in the lake as well.

[Badgers034]

Thanks for the input fellas. Any tips on fishing a silty bottom? Pretty much the whole bottom of the lake is soft, silty, and covered in weeds / dead weeds. 

[Further North]

Look for breaks, edges, holes...start out running your bait just over the tops of the weeds, occasionally hitting them...