Spring Lake

This Langlade County water is Spring Lake, a lake and the best current size-and-depth record is about 5 acres and a maximum depth of 12 feet, which is enough information to keep the first trip grounded and realistic.

Start with the basics

I would make the first trip about learning the water, not conquering it by giving the best bank cover, any obvious weeds, and the deepest water I can reach more than a couple of throwaway casts because the water itself will tell you more than a long list of generic fishing tips.

What you can fish for

For this exact water, the recorded fish are Black Crappie, Bluegill, Largemouth Bass, Pumpkinseed, and Yellow Perch; and that is enough to put some time into 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.

Keeping the first trip simple

If a buddy asked me how to start on Spring Lake, I would rather learn one shoreline, bay, point, or break than spend the whole day running around, and I would check the current regulations because a lake page and a regulation book do two different jobs.