The dam area and the county park are among the more productive areas to fish. Three ramps serve the lake and offer good access. Lake Redstone is roughly 60 miles northwest of Madison in Sauk County. It covers 622 acres. Depths range to 36 feet in the southern tip of the lake near the boat ramp off East Redstone Drive.

For more info, contact Four Season Sports at (608) 985-8201, or the DNR at (608) 635-8122.

SHAWANO LAKE
"Shawano Lake is an up-and-coming muskie fishery and would be my main recommendation for anglers," said DNR fisheries biologist Al Niebur. "Since 1993, the DNR has actively managed the lake for muskies and has stocked just over 24,000 fingerlings. In addition, the local muskie club has contributed to this effort by stocking large fingerling muskies for several years. I don't have hard numbers on the muskie population, but anglers who avidly fish the lake say the muskie fishing has been very good."

According to Niebur, the 6,063-acre lake is large enough for muskie anglers to roam without feeling crowded. Shawano is a big lake and is producing plenty of trophy-class muskies.

"Muskies from 45 to 49 inches have been common, with a few 50-inch-plus fish just starting to show up," Niebur said.

Shawano isn't alone in the area as far as good muskie waters go. Smaller fisheries include the Cloverleaf Chain, Wolf River Pond and the Wolf River downstream from the Shawano Dam. Over the past couple of years, muskies have been stocked by the DNR into the upriver lakes and lower Wolf River.

Depths range to 40 feet and provide deep-water refuge. In the warmer months, active fish will be feeding in the cabbage patches and along the dropoffs on the east end. Weedy humps between the northern shore and Shawano County Park are also good. The westside outlet can also be a hotspot when baitfish concentrate there.

Traditional muskie weapons work here. Spinnerbaits, in-line bucktail spinners and crankbaits all do the job.

A total of 10 ramps are available to boaters. For more fishing information, contact the DNR at (715) 526-4227. Local tourism information is available from the Shawano Country Chamber of Commerce at 1-800-235-8528. Also, for trip planning assistance, contact the Reedsburg Area Chamber of Commerce at (608) 524-2850.

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Do you live in an urban area and have to budget your time? If you do, these lakes are close enough to day-trip for muskies!