Fishing Puckaway Lake

AKA: Lake Puckaway

Popular Fish Species
Puckaway Lake Fishing Video
Available Fish Species
Amenities
Today's Weather & Forecast
Boat Launch Ramps
Local Fishing Guides
Fishing License
Campgrounds & RV Parks
Map
Contact Info

Puckaway Lake, WI

Popular Fish Species Puckaway Lake, WI

Puckaway Lake Popular Fish - Northern Pike

Northern Pike Fishing

Big northern pike are thriving in the cool waters of Puckaway Lake. This year they are being caught in good numbers with an occasional giant. April and May are the best months of the year for northern pike fishing here. They are extremely active when feeding and they can catch and eat pretty much any food source in the lake. Northerns are very agile and powerful, plus they have big mouths with very sharp teeth. Summer can be spotty but pike are caught all through the summer. Fall can also be good sometimes stretching into October. Large, flashy lures that mimic the bait they prey upon are great lures for northerns. Trolling along weed edges can often entice strikes. When the lake has safe ice in winter, ice fishing for northern pike can be quite thrilling. Use GPS to locate spots you normally find northern pike holding during summer. Portable fish finders can also be a big help. Throughout the season, effective lures include spoons, spinners, and crankbaits, particularly those with bright colors or metallic finishes to attract the pike's attention. Additionally, big flies, soft plastic swimbaits and jerkbaits can be successful, especially when retrieved erratically to mimic wounded prey.

Puckaway Lake Popular Fish - Yellow Perch

Yellow Perch Fishing

Yellow perch tend to spawn in the April to May timeframe, and the spawn has been strong for years at Puckaway Lake. As a result, the lake continues to maintain a very healthy population of yellow perch, which have been a mainstay in the fishery for decades. They are fun to catch in winter when ice fishing as well. Yellow perch are great table fare, and are a food source for many predator fish in the lake. Fishing for yellow perch is simple, their primary diet consists of minnows and other small fish, insects and worms. Yellow perch tend to gather in small groups and hang out on relatively deep structure, near cover and/or drop-offs. Use a small hook and sinker. Bait a small hook with minnows, worms or small jigs using 6 to 10 pound line.

Puckaway Lake Popular Fish - Largemouth Bass

Largemouth Bass Fishing

Puckaway Lake is considered a good bass fishing lake by local anglers. While fishing success can vary day to day, overall it's a good bass lake. Fishing for bass can be quite rewarding, with an occasional bass over 4 pounds being caught. In winter, when the ice is safe, bass can also be caught while fishing through the ice. Bass often move shallow and become aggressive when they are in a feeding mood. Use shallow crankbaits around rip rap. Around grass, use worms, jigs, topwater and spinnerbaits. In deeper water, drop shot rigs, big worms, jigs and spoons are good options. In winter, spend your time fishing deeper structure where the bass spend much of their time. A history of careful fisheries management by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources has helped to maintain a good bass fishery for anglers.

Puckaway Lake Fishing Video

Fish species to fish for...

Guide to fishing for largemouth bass, channel catfish, black crappie, white crappie, walleye, bluegill, green sunfish, pumpkinseed sunfish, rock bass, white bass, yellow perch and northern pike at Puckaway Lake in Wisconsin.

Plenty of lodging and campgrounds around Lake Puckaway make this 5,000-acre lake, in the south-central part of the state, a desirable vacation or fishing trip destination. Anglers will appreciate over 25 miles of shoreline where bass, perch, sunfish, pike and crappie tend to hang out during the fishing season.

Primary fish species residing in Puckaway Lake

Click images for fishing tips and details about each species.

Puckaway Lake Amenities

Marina: NO
Boat Rental: NO
Boat Launch Ramp: YES
Campgrounds: YES
RV Hookups: YES
Lodging: YES
Convenience Store: NEARBY
Bait & Tackle: YES
Restaurant: YES

Today's Weather & Forecast

Public Boat Launch Ramps & Landings

Marquette County Public Boat Launch Ramp
Located in the northwest section of the lake, north side, off Toepper Drive, this is a one-lane, concrete ramp with a dock and paved parking.