Cranberry Lakes Monroe County, WI. Paradise?

As the neighbor was driving us to his hot spot the scenery out the window started to take change. The roads started to narrow and the forest grew thicker. With the surroundings a person would have believed they were in the far reaches of Northern Wisconsin or Northern Minnesota but these offerings are in the back yard of the ever growing population in South/Mid West Wisconsin. Once arriving to a small landing off the beaten path, stepping out of the truck was just like stepping out of a floatplane onto a small hidden Canadian Lake. Could it be? Have we just landed in paradise within a half hour of home?

Many call them cranberry bogs or marshes, truth be told these are actually small lakes that dot Monroe and Jackson County tucked away in the back forty. They hold tons of wood, sport healthy weed growth, have water depths of 2-15 feet and talk about an untapped resource…..we had this lake all to ourselves!!

Anyone that wants to take the time to do a little homework can land on such an adventure. Keep in mind some of these Lakes might require a special permit and many of these little lakes are row or electric motor only (no gas allowed). With a good area map and a little leg work you will find many opportunities providing awesome fishing too the public.

I’m telling you, Some of these lakes bring Canada into our own back yards

With the electric motor scootin’ buddy Mark’s boat along and battling into a stiff 17mph East wind we both started riggin’ our fishing poles, Mark for gills and myself for Bass. Looking over the Lake it appeared that no matter were you placed a bait it was going to be a spot holding fish.

Enthusiasm set course through the mind while making a stealthy stalk to the spot Mark had planned to fish. The ride was like stepping back in time, cruising along with two characters that could only be painted by Norman Rockwell in the vintage Crestliner with a backdrop that could only be captured in a picture by Ansel Adams.

Lost in the new world that surrounded me the words rang out from the front of the boat…this is it! The anchor was placed and the baits were tossed. In no time Mark, the master giller, had a battle on his hands.

First step was to get the taker of his bait through some lily’s then the next step was to hang on to the big blue ear while it made large circles in the heat of the battle hoping for an escape. Master giller played the game perfectly and the first 9inch gill was aboard the Commodore, shortly after another and then another committed suicide while inhaling a little jig head dangling a piece of crawler 3 feet under a slip bobber

Enough was enough and my Bass tackle was quickly placed to the side and the Ultra Light was charged up with a small jig presenting a 1inch Gulp Alive minnow. BINGO, I was now in the game also.

The average gill taking our offerings were hitting the 8inch mark with a good number of 9-9.5inch fish finding a place in the cooler. The only trick was getting the baits placed tight to the lily’s or a piece of wood, and a trick it was with a steady blow and gust up to 25mph. Anyone who has fished in these condition knows we spent some time untangling tackle

Never letting frustration set in and keeping the outing fun while laughing off the down time, there were 12 beasty gills kept from the tea colored water in short order along with a number of fish released before night started to absorb the last bits of day light.

On the retreat to the truck we watched a Doe with her fawn graze water side only yards away. Mom just looked up at us as if to say thanks for stoppin’ bye.

Had we just landed in Paradise?

As Zack Brown Band would say….”I think I might’ve found my own kind of Paradise

I’m sure many of you would also find this to be a Paradise.

Thanks Mark for a great trip

Good luck fishing people