Largemouth Bass


Washburn County is an excellent destination for targeting largemouth bass.  Many of the smaller lakes will have quality largemouth bass fishing available with minimal pressure.  The larger lakes get a lot more attention here and give anglers a good chance of finding some quality largemouth bass.


Balsam Lake


Balsam Lake is a 325 acre lake located in Washburn County.  It has a maximum depth of 49 feet.  Visitors have access to the lake from a public boat landing.  Fish include northern pike, walleye, largemouth bass and panfish.  According to the DNR, panfish are abundant in this lake.  Northern pike, walleye and largemouth bass are common in the lake.



Bass Lake


Bass Lake is a 187 acre lake located in Washburn County. It has a maximum depth of 35 feet. Visitors have access to the lake from a public boat landing. Fish include muskie, panfish, largemouth bass and walleye.  According to the DNR, walleye are abundant in this lake.  Muskie, panfish and largemouth bass are common in the lake.



Bear Lake


Bear Lake is a 1348 acre lake located in Washburn, Barron Counties. It has a maximum depth of 87 feet. Visitors have access to the lake from public boat landings. Fish include panfish, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, northern pike and walleye.  According to the DNR, panfish, northern pike, walleye and largemouth bass are common in the lake.



Big Bass Lake


Big Bass Lake is a 201 acre lake located in Washburn County. It has a maximum depth of 27 feet. Visitors have access to the lake from a public boat landing.  Fish include panfish, largemouth bass, northern pike and walleye.  According to the DNR, panfish, northern pike and largemouth bass are common in the lake.



Big Devil Lake


Big Devil Lake is a 166 acre lake located in Washburn County. It has a maximum depth of 74.5 feet. Visitors have access to the lake from a public boat landing.  Fish include panfish, largemouth bass, northern pike & walleye.  According to the DNR, panfish, northern pike and largemouth bass are common in the lake.



Birch Lake


Birch Lake is a 364 acre lake located in Washburn County.  It has a maximum depth of 73 feet.  Visitors have access to the lake from 2 public boat landings.  Fish include northern pike, walleye, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass and panfish.  According to the DNR, panfish, largemouth bass, northern pike and walleye are common in this lake and smallmouth bass are listed as present.



Cable Lake


Cable Lake is a 179 acre lake located in Washburn County. It has a maximum depth of 24 feet. Visitors have access to the lake from a public boat landing.  Fish include panfish, largemouth bass, northern pike & walleye.  According to the DNR, panfish and largemouth bass are common in the lake.



Casey Lake


Casey Lake is a 240 acre lake located in Washburn County. It has a maximum depth of 27 feet. Visitors have access to the lake from a public boat landing.  Fish include panfish, largemouth bass, northern pike and walleye.  According to the DNR, panfish, northern pike and largemouth bass are common in the lake.



Dunn Lake


Dunn Lake is a 181 acre lake located in Washburn County. It has a maximum depth of 39 feet. Visitors have access to the lake from a public boat landing.  Fish include panfish, largemouth bass, northern pike and walleye.  According to the DNR, panfish are abundant in this lake.  Northern pike and largemouth bass are common in the lake.



Ellsworth Lake


Ellsworth Lake is a 161 acre lake located in Washburn County. It has a maximum depth of 6 feet. Visitors have access to the lake from public boat landings.  Fish include panfish, largemouth bass and northern pike.  According to the DNR, northern pike are abundant and largemouth bass are common in this lake.



Gilmore Lake


Gilmore Lake is a 371 acre lake located in Washburn County. It has a maximum depth of 36 feet. Visitors have access to the lake from a public boat landing. Fish include panfish, largemouth bass, northern pike & walleye.  According to the DNR, northern pike, walleye and largemouth bass are common in the lake.



Gull Lake


Gull Lake is a 518 acre lake located in Washburn County. It has a maximum depth of 19 feet. Visitors have access to the lake from public boat landings. Fish include panfish, largemouth bass and northern pike.  According to the DNR, panfish are abundant in this lake.  Northern pike and largemouth bass are common in the lake.



Horseshoe Lake


Horseshoe Lake is a 177 acre lake located in Washburn County. It has a maximum depth of 21 feet. Visitors have access to the lake from a public boat landing.  Fish include panfish, largemouth bass, northern pike and walleye.  According to the DNR, panfish are abundant in this lake.  Northern pike and largemouth bass are common as well.



Island Lake


Island Lake is a 252 acre lake located in Washburn County. It has a maximum depth of 44 feet. Visitors have access to the lake from a public boat landing.  Fish include panfish, largemouth bass, northern pike and walleye.  According to the DNR, panfish, largemouth bass and northern pike are common in the lake.



Lake Nancy


Lake Nancy is a 757 acre lake located in Washburn County. It has a maximum depth of 39 feet. Visitors have access to the lake from public boat landings. Fish include muskie, panfish, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, northern pike and walleye.  According to the DNR, panfish are abundant in this lake.  Northern pike, walleye and largemouth bass are common in the lake.



Long Lake


Long Lake is a 3478 acre lake located in Washburn County.  It has a maximum depth of 74 feet.  Visitors have access to the lake from 4 public boat landings.  Fish include northern pike, walleye, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass and panfish.  According to the DNR, northern pike are abundant in this lake.  Walleye, largemouth bass and panfish are common and smallmouth bass are listed as present.  The lake’s water clarity is low.



Lower McKenzie Lake


Lower McKenzie Lake is a 206 acre lake located in Washburn, Burnett Counties. It has a maximum depth of 17 feet. Visitors have access to the lake from a public boat landing.  Fish include muskie, panfish, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, northern pike and walleye.  According to the DNR, panfish, northern pike and largemouth bass are common in the lake.



Matthews Lake


Matthews Lake is a 267 acre lake located in Washburn County. It has a maximum depth of 26 feet. Visitors have access to the lake from a public boat landing.  Fish include muskie, panfish, largemouth bass, northern pike and walleye.  According to the DNR, panfish and largemouth bass are abundant in this lake.  Muskie, northern pike and walleye are common in the lake.



McKenzie Lake


McKenzie Lake is a 1129 acre lake located in Washburn, Burnett Counties. It has a maximum depth of 71 feet. Visitors have access to the lake from a public boat landing. Fish include muskie, panfish, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, northern pike, walleye and sturgeon.  According to the DNR, muskie, northern pike and walleye are abundant in this lake.  Panfish and largemouth bass are common in the lake.



Middle McKenzie Lake


Middle McKenzie Lake is a 527 acre lake located in Burnett, Washburn Counties. It has a maximum depth of 45 feet. Visitors have access to the lake from a public boat landing. Fish include muskie, panfish, largemouth bass, northern pike and walleye.  According to the DNR, muskie, panfish, largemouth bass, northern pike and walleye are common in the lake.



Minong Flowage


Minong Flowage is a 1587 acre lake located in Douglas, Washburn Counties. It has a maximum depth of 21 feet. Visitors have access to the lake from public boat landings.  Fish include panfish, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, northern pike and walleye.  According to the DNR, walleye are abundant in this lake.  Panfish and northern pike are considered common in the lake.



Pokegama Lake


Pokegama Lake is a 465 acre lake located in Washburn County. It has a maximum depth of 23 feet. Visitors have access to the lake from a public boat landing.  Fish include panfish, largemouth bass and northern pike.  According to the DNR, northern pike and largemouth bass are common in the lake.



Potato Lake


Potato Lake is a 224 acre lake located in Washburn County. It has a maximum depth of 20 feet. Visitors have access to the lake from a public boat landing.  Fish include panfish, largemouth bass and northern pike.  According to the DNR, northern pike are abundant in this lake.  Largemouth bass are common in the lake.



Ripley Lake


Ripley Lake is a 184 acre lake located in Washburn County. It has a maximum depth of 27 feet. Visitors have access to the lake from public boat landings. Fish include panfish, largemouth bass, northern pike and walleye.  According to the DNR, panfish and largemouth bass are common in the lake.



Sand Lake


Sand Lake is a 210 acre lake located in Washburn County. It has a maximum depth of 9 feet. Visitors have access to the lake from a public boat landing.  Fish include panfish, largemouth bass and northern pike.  According to the DNR, panfish, northern pike and largemouth bass are common in the lake.



Shell Lake


Shell Lake is a 2513 acre lake located in Washburn County. It has a maximum depth of 36 feet. Visitors have access to the lake from public boat landings.  Fish include muskie, panfish, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, northern pike and walleye.  According to the DNR, smallmouth bass and walleye are abundant in this lake.  Muskie and panfish are common in the lake.



Silver Lake


Silver Lake is a 188 acre lake located in Washburn County. It has a maximum depth of 28 feet. Visitors have access to the lake from a public boat landing. Fish include panfish, largemouth bass, northern pike and walleye.  According to the DNR, panfish and largemouth bass are abundant in this lake.  Northern pike are common in the lake.



Slim Lake


Slim Lake is a 210 acre lake located in Washburn County. It has a maximum depth of 42 feet. Visitors have access to the lake from a public boat landing. Fish include panfish, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, northern pike and walleye.  According to the DNR, panfish are abundant in this lake.  Largemouth bass are common in the lake.



Spider Lake


Spider Lake is a 181 acre lake located in Washburn County. It has a maximum depth of 49 feet. Visitors have access to the lake from a public boat landing.  Fish include panfish, largemouth bass, northern pike and walleye.



Spooner Lake


Spooner Lake is a 1132 acre lake located in Washburn County. It has a maximum depth of 17 feet. Visitors have access to the lake from public boat landings. Fish include panfish, largemouth bass, northern pike and walleye.  According to the DNR, panfish and northern pike are abundant in this lake.  Largemouth bass are common in the lake.



Spring Lake


Spring Lake is a 204 acre lake located in Washburn County. It has a maximum depth of 24 feet. Visitors have access to the lake from a public boat landing. Fish include panfish, largemouth bass, northern pike and walleye.  According to the DNR, panfish, northern pike and largemouth bass are common in the lake.



Stone Lake


Stone Lake is a 490 acre lake located in Washburn County. It has a maximum depth of 49 feet. Visitors have access to the lake from a public boat landing.  Fish include panfish, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, northern pike and walleye.  According to the DNR, smallmouth bass and walleye are abundant in this lake.  Panfish and largemouth bass are common in the lake.



Totagatic Flowage


Totagatic Flowage is a 453 acre lake located in Sawyer, Washburn Counties. It has a maximum depth of 12 feet. Visitors have access to the lake from public boat landings.  Fish include panfish, largemouth bass, northern pike and walleye.  According to the DNR, northern pike and largemouth bass are common in the lake.

WI DNR Lake Information Page



Best Baits for Largemouth Bass


Largemouth bass will eat so many different baits and there are so many different lures that are made for catching these fish.  Anglers have more options than they really need, but since we have all these options, it’s nice to know about the different baits that are available.

Minnowsnightcrawlers and leeches are definitely the best live baits for largemouth bass.  When it comes to artificial lures, you have so many options.  Soft plastic worms, lizards, crayfish baits and minnows work great.  Hard baits such as crankbaits, topwater lures, spinnerbaits, jigs and jerkbaits are also all awesome choices for largemouth bass.

To learn more, take a look at our pages below.

Best Live Baits for Largemouth Bass

Best Lures for Largemouth Bass


Best Rigs for Largemouth Bass


There are so many different rigs for largemouth bass.  While you definitely don’t need to use all of them to consistently catch bass, it is important to learn how some of the rigs will help you fish certain areas or certain baits in a way to catch more fish.  Most good bass anglers will use several different rigs in a variety of situations to consistently catch quality largemouth bass.

The standup jighead, Texas rig, drop shot rig, wacky rig and Carolina rig are definitely some of the best rigs for largemouth bass page.


Best Techniques for Largemouth Bass


There are many different techniques that are used for largemouth bass fishing.  Casting a variety of baits to cover water is most popular, however, flipping & pitching is one of the best ways to catch bass around shallow water cover.

To learn more, take a look at our best techniques for largemouth bass page.


Learn More About Largemouth Bass


Our largemouth bass fishing section has tons of tips on the best lures, live baits, where to catch them and how to catch them.

Visit our largemouth bass fishing website to learn more.