Local anglers tend to keep legal bass here, so you won’t catch many over 16 inches, but you can have a blast hauling in 2-pounders all day if you time it right. Work the deep weed edges with jigs and plastics during daylight hours. There is a lot of recreational boat traffic in summer, so you’ll probably have the best shallow-water fishing after dark when bass will come up for topwater lures.

There is a public landing near the beach in Fischer Park off State Highway 11.

Contacts: Burlington Area Chamber of Commerce, (262) 763-6044, or online at www.burlingtonchamber.org; Bubba’s Bait & Tackle, (262) 767-0762.

YELLOWSTONE LAKE
Yellowstone is one of several manmade lakes in Wisconsin’s Driftless Area, which is devoid of the natural lakes that the glaciers created throughout most of the state. Located in Yellowstone Lake State Park, its 450 acres harbor many panfish, along with bass, pike, catfish, walleyes and muskies. This lake is shallow, with the old river channel providing what little deep water there is. Fallen trees and other shoreline structure afford cover for fish. A dam on the Yellowstone River regulates the lake level. The river below the dam is a good smallmouth stream.

A catch-and-release rule on all game fish in Yellowstone was in place until recently, therefore all game fish are big here now. The predators keep the carp population in check and also eat small panfish, so adult panfish reach good proportions, too. Current regulations allow anglers to keep bass between 12 and 15 inches, and walleyes, saugers and flathead catfish between 15 and 18 inches. However, there is a two-fish daily bag for these species combined.

You can camp right in Yellowstone Lake State Park or in one of two private campgrounds, both of which have bait shops. Nearby Darlington has other services.

Contacts: Darlington Main Street Program, 1-888-506-6553; Yellowstone State Park, (608) 523-4427, or at www.dnr.state.wi.us/org/land/parks/specific/yellowstone. For camping, call 1-888-WI-PARKS, or go to www.reserveamerica.com/usa/wi.

LAKE BEULAH
Lake Beulah in northeastern Walworth County has no size limit on bass, but fish between 12 and 16 inches must be released. Considered a “quality fishery,” this 834-acre lake offers room to roam. It is deep and clear, but there are numerous shallow, weedy bays loaded with largemouths. It is not managed as a trophy lake, but there are plenty of fish over 16 inches, according to the DNR’s Welch. Welch said the regulations were designed to protect spawning-aged females, improve the size structure of the bass population and increase predation on bluegills.

Try unweighted plastic worms along shorelines, under docks and anywhere you see downed trees or other cover. Weighted plastics will take bass along deep weed edges and in weed pockets. In low-light conditions, you’ll have fun tossing topwaters in the shallows.

There are public landings off County Highway J at the north end and St. Peters Road at the south end.

Contacts: East Troy Chamber of Commerce, (262) 642-5264, or www.easttroywi.org; Dockside Grog & Galley, (262) 642-5264.

There are several other small lakes with slot-size restrictions: Rockland Lake in Racine County, Eagle Spring Lake in Waukesha County, Brekke Lake in Waupaca County and Round Lake in Waushara County. Two lakes have catch-and-release regulations: Forest Lake in Fond du Lac County and Twin Valley Lake in Iowa County. Details on these lakes, plus the special regulations that apply to urban waters, can be found in the DNR regulations booklet you get when you buy your license.

Find more about Wisconsin fishing and hunting at: WisconsinSportsmanMag.com.