Patten Lake

In Florence County, Patten Lake is a mapped lake with the available record putting it at about 254 acres and a maximum depth of 52 feet, so you can decide whether to fish it slow or break the day into a few different areas.

Getting a feel for the lake

Start with a short rotation through accessible bank cover, vegetation, and nearby deeper water. Give each spot a few deliberate casts before moving on.

Fish in the current inventory

For Patten Lake, the fish list currently includes Black Crappie, Bluegill, Brook Trout, Brown Trout, Lake Trout, Largemouth Bass, Pumpkinseed, and Rainbow Trout, plus 2 more; so the first fishing plan would include weeds, wood, rock, or docks for bass and points, breaks, and wind-pushed edges for walleye, and save the extra tackle until there is a reason to use it.

A no-nonsense way to start

If I were taking a friend to Patten Lake, I would use the fish list and the lake's size as a guide, then let current conditions settle the details, and I would read the current Wisconsin rules once before the trip so there are no surprises.