Elsie Lake

If you are looking at Elsie Lake, you are looking at a Vilas County lake with the water profile currently listing about 47 acres and a maximum depth of 22 feet, and that gives you a simple feel for the lake before tackle choices even matter.

Size, depth, and the lay of the lake

The first trip does not need a giant tackle plan and the first places I would give a fair shot are shoreline cover, weed edges, and the first clean drop away from the bank because the water itself will tell you more than a long list of generic fishing tips.

The fishery on paper

Recorded species at Elsie Lake include Black Crappie, Bluegill, Largemouth Bass, Pumpkinseed, and Yellow Perch; which makes it reasonable to try weeds, wood, rock, or docks for bass and weeds and easy cover for panfish, and remember that a species list does not tell you exactly where the fish are.

My game plan

If I had a few hours to figure out Elsie Lake, I would bring a couple of dependable baits, fish the best-looking water I can reach, and pay attention to what the first few bites have in common, and I would check the current regulations because a lake page and a regulation book do two different jobs.