Bone or Deer Lake (Polk)

[Maximum12]

Greetings all, I'll be off across our border for my third Wisconsin opener this year. Wondering if anyone has any tips or intel, or even just how the fishing is in general, on either of these two lakes. We'll have one ardent bass fisherman & one pike fisherman in the boat. Any info from past seasons would be great! Thanks.

[Cooter]

I've never fished Bone before, used to fish Deer for bass years ago, now mostly muskies. Deer has always been a good bass lake, clear water, not sure about the northerns. A third lake for the list would be Wapogasset - good for bass and northern. Sorry I couldn't help more.

[AWH]

I haven't fished either lake in over 10 years. But from my experience in the early to mid 90s, both are excellent bass lakes. Pike in both lakes are very low in numbers. In fact, I would say that numbers are (were) so low that if you're targeting them (perfectly legal), most people will think that you're targeting muskies unless you're using bass tactics.

Aaron

[Quickstrike]

I would also add Balsam to your list if you are looking for pike and bass. Bounce around between those 4 lakes and you should get into some good fishing.

[Maximum12]

Thanks for the replies - good to know there are (or was) good bass fishing in both which is likely what we'll end up targeting since my buddy isn't real keen on pike & it's his boat!

Regarding Wapogasset & Balsam - we crossed both off of our list because they have walleye in them, & if Wisconsin opener is anything like the Minnesota opener, that's where the crowds will be. Is that an accurate assumption?

[AWH]

Good call on the walleye assessment. Deer and Bone both have walleyes as well, but definitely not what they're known for. Very few people target them on Bone, not sure about Deer. My guess is that you'll have more crappie fishermen on both lakes than anything else.

Aaron