In over 50 years of fishing in the Northwoods, I’ve only caught a few Trout, but those were caught by accident while fishing for Walleye on Black Oak Lake in Land O Lakes and Trout Lake just northwest of Boulder Junction.

Personally, the only time I came close to fishing specifically for Trout was when I was very young. That day my dad took my sister and I to a small pond that guarantees everyone WILL CATCH FISH. This is when my farther found out this pond was a pay by the pound for the TROUT you caught. Needless to say, we left with my dad saying he already is paying hundreds of dollars a pound for the fish we have caught on the lake we were staying.

I will tell you, with all the conversations I have overheard or have been a part of about fishing, I have only heard a hand full of people talk about fishing for Trout. The good news for trout anglers is, this year alone, Wisconsin has stocked 84,820 BROOK, 69,178 BROWN and 172,066 RAINBOW TROUT.

If trout is the species, you are looking for or would like to fish for, Vilas County has close to 100 areas that are classified as trout streams, but the state of Wisconsin has over 5000 miles of CLASS I, 6000 miles of CLASS II and 1500 miles of CLASS III Trout streams or stream sections?

For those who are not familiar with the classes, a CLASS I is water with natural reproduction and no stocking is needed. A CLASS II has some form of reproduction, but stocking is required to maintain the Trout population and CLASS III has low reproduction because of marginal habitat, so stocking is needed each year.

I found out the DNR stocks Trout on some of the deeper lakes in the Northwoods. BIG ST. GERMAIN, LITTLE JOHN JR., LONG LAKE, CRYSTAL, BLACK OAK, FENCE LAKE, BIG CROOKED, CATHALINE LAKE, TROUT LAKE, and CEDAR LAKE to name a few of the waters that hold trout in VILAS COUNTY.

Then again if you want trout for dinner, you might want to head to a trout pond and pay to catch a couple of nice size fish that I believe are even cleaned for you. Oh, and you do not have to have a license or pay extra $10 for a TROUT STAMP.

PLEASE RELEASE WALLEYES OVER 24 INCHES. THESE BIG GIRLS PRODUCE MORE EGGS & LARGER WALLEYES IN THE FUTURE.