Walleye fishing at James Lake

Spring walleye on James Lake hold shallow, usually 4 to 15 ft. By summer they slide out to 15 to 35 ft, and by winter most fish are in 20 to 40 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Shoreline break: a drop-off around 22 ft that scores prime in fall. Best bite is the evening and early morning. Summer baits: a crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) gets it done.

Yellow Perch fishing at James Lake

In spring, yellow perch run shallow here, mostly 3 to 12 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 10 to 30 ft, and winter fish settle into 15 to 35 ft. Shallow bay flat is the standout, a weed flat at roughly 6 ft, rated prime for spring yellow perch. Best bite is early morning. Tie on a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm and you're in the game.

Muskellunge fishing at James Lake

In spring, muskellunge run shallow here, mostly 3 to 12 ft. By summer they slide out to 8 to 25 ft, and by winter most fish are in 15 to 35 ft. Shoreline break is the standout, a drop-off at roughly 22 ft, rated prime for fall muskellunge. In summer the feeding windows fall in the evening and early morning. Tie on a double-10 bucktail or a topwater (walk-the-dog / creeper) and you're in the game.

Smallmouth Bass fishing at James Lake

In spring, smallmouth bass run shallow here, mostly 3 to 12 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 10 to 30 ft, and winter fish settle into 20 to 45 ft. Shoreline break is the standout, a drop-off at roughly 22 ft, rated prime for winter smallmouth bass. Best bite is early morning and the evening. Tie on a drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig and you're in the game.

Largemouth Bass fishing at James Lake

Start shallow in spring: largemouth bass sit in 2 to 10 ft that time of year. By summer they slide out to 8 to 20 ft, and by winter most fish are in 15 to 35 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Shallow bay flat: a weed flat around 6 ft that scores prime in spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. A texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait covers the summer program.

Crappie fishing at James Lake

Start shallow in spring: crappie sit in 2 to 8 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 10 to 25 ft, and winter fish settle into 15 to 35 ft. Shallow bay flat is the standout, a weed flat at roughly 6 ft, rated prime for spring crappie. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. A jig trolled/spider-rigged or a small crankbait (trolled) covers the summer program.

How deep is James Lake?

James Lake is about 48 ft at its deepest point. The contours here are modeled from the water's real shape and maximum depth, so treat them as a rough guide.

What fish are in James Lake?

Anglers target largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, walleye, crappie, bluegill, muskellunge, yellow perch, pumpkinseed on James Lake. These come from the Wisconsin DNR's per-lake fish listing; where the DNR lists a group (panfish, catfish, trout) the specific species are resolved from Wisconsin's fish distribution by the lake's location, depth and habitat.

Where is the best fishing spot on James Lake?

Shoreline break is the top-rated area: a drop-off in about 22 ft of water that rates prime for walleye in fall. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.

When is the best time to fish James Lake?

For walleye, the summer bite is best in the evening and early morning. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.