Birch Lake

Birch Lake

Size
365ac
Boat Launch
Yes
Carry-in Launch
No
Toilet
No
Boat Dock
No
Species in Birch Lake
Bluegill
Bluegill
Crappie
Crappie
Largemouth bass
Largemouth bass
Northern pike
Northern pike
Perch
Perch
Pumpkinseed
Pumpkinseed
Rock bass
Rock bass
Smallmouth bass
Smallmouth bass
Walleye
Walleye

Birch Lake Overview

Perch fishing is good all year. Decent populations of walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, crappie and bluegill.

Fishing Regulations

Special Fishing regulations: This lake has special fishing regulations that differ from statewide or border water regulations for those species identified below and take precedence. Regulations listed below are currently in place. Visit the fishing regulations page for links to upcoming regulations for specific lakes.

Special Waterbody Regulations

  • This lake may be in more than 1 county. Follow the trolling regulations for the county in which you are fishing. A list of counties and waters that allow motor trolling with 3 hooks, baits, or lures per angler can be found at http://dnr.wi.gov/topic/fishing/questions/troll.html. All other waters allow motor trolling with 1 hook, bait or lure per angler, and no more than 2 hooks, baits, or lures per boat.

Special Species Regulations

  • Largemouth bass and smallmouth bass: May 4, 2024 to March 2, 2025: No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is 5.
  • Paddlefish: Closed: No fishing allowed.
  • Lake sturgeon: Closed: No fishing allowed.
  • Cisco and whitefish: Open All Year: No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is 10.
  • Bullheads: Open All Year: No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is unlimited.
  • Muskellunge and hybrids: May 25, 2024 to December 31, 2024: The minimum length limit is 40” and the daily bag limit is 1.
  • Walleye, sauger, and hybrids: May 4, 2024 to March 2, 2025: The minimum length limit is 18” and the daily bag limit is 3.
  • Trout: See specific regulations: https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/fishing/trout/.
  • Northern pike: May 4, 2024 to March 2, 2025: No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is 5.
  • White perch: Open All Year: The daily bag limit is 0, one may be killed and possessed for transport to a wdnr office.
  • Shovelnose sturgeon: Closed: No fishing allowed.
  • Round goby: Open All Year: The daily bag limit is 0, one may be killed and possessed for transport to a wdnr office.
  • Rough fish: Open All Year: No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is unlimited.
  • Rock, yellow, and white bass: Open All Year: No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is unlimited.
  • Ruffe: Open All Year: The daily bag limit is 0, one may be killed and possessed for transport to a wdnr office.
  • Bluegill: Open All Year: The daily bag limit is 10.
  • Catfish: Open All Year: No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is 10.
  • Panfish: Open All Year: No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is 25.

Features

Sawyer County’s Chetac and Birch Lakes offer anglers a wide variety of fishing opportunities. With numerous lodges along the shoreline of Chetac, this lake is a great destination for people seeking a fishing retreat. Anglers looking for a nice, quiet lake to fish should be aware of the heavy fishing pressure that this lake receives. Motor trolling on Chetac Lake is both legal and popular for walleye and northern pike. A number of bass tournaments are held on the lake during summer. Fishing pressure aside, anglers looking for a trophy sized northern or stringer of large bluegill should give this lake a try.

Forage

In Chetac Lake there is a huge juvenile yellow perch population that provides a large forage base for a wide variety of fish. Golden Shiners, White Sucker and Brook Silversides (a rarity in Wisconsin waters) make up much of the forage base. Crayfish, mayflies and midges also provide supplemental forage.

Seasonal Movements

Walleye will make spawning runs into the spring tributary creeks each year. During the middle of summer northern pike will move around the lake to find colder water.
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Fish Species

Bluegill
fish
No survey data
Abundance (CPUE)
No survey data
Understanding Abundance

Abundance ratings are based on Catch Per Unit Effort (CPUE) measurements conducted by the MN DNR, and represent a snapshot of a species population at a given point in time.

Source: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Survey cadence may vary by state and water body.
Species Lengths
2018
May
Crappie
fish
No survey data
Abundance (CPUE)
No survey data
Understanding Abundance

Abundance ratings are based on Catch Per Unit Effort (CPUE) measurements conducted by the MN DNR, and represent a snapshot of a species population at a given point in time.

Source: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Survey cadence may vary by state and water body.
Species Lengths
2018
May
Largemouth bass
fish
No survey data
Abundance (CPUE)
No survey data
Understanding Abundance

Abundance ratings are based on Catch Per Unit Effort (CPUE) measurements conducted by the MN DNR, and represent a snapshot of a species population at a given point in time.

Source: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Survey cadence may vary by state and water body.
Species Lengths
2018
May
Northern pike
fish
No survey data
Abundance (CPUE)
No survey data
Understanding Abundance

Abundance ratings are based on Catch Per Unit Effort (CPUE) measurements conducted by the MN DNR, and represent a snapshot of a species population at a given point in time.

Source: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Survey cadence may vary by state and water body.
Species Lengths
2018
May
Perch
fish
No survey data
Abundance (CPUE)
No survey data
Understanding Abundance

Abundance ratings are based on Catch Per Unit Effort (CPUE) measurements conducted by the MN DNR, and represent a snapshot of a species population at a given point in time.

Source: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Survey cadence may vary by state and water body.
Species Lengths
2018
May
Pumpkinseed
fish
No survey data
Abundance (CPUE)
No survey data
Understanding Abundance

Abundance ratings are based on Catch Per Unit Effort (CPUE) measurements conducted by the MN DNR, and represent a snapshot of a species population at a given point in time.

Source: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Survey cadence may vary by state and water body.
Species Lengths
2018
May
Rock bass
fish
No survey data
Abundance (CPUE)
No survey data
Understanding Abundance

Abundance ratings are based on Catch Per Unit Effort (CPUE) measurements conducted by the MN DNR, and represent a snapshot of a species population at a given point in time.

Source: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Survey cadence may vary by state and water body.
Species Lengths
2018
May
Smallmouth bass
fish
No survey data
Abundance (CPUE)
No survey data
Understanding Abundance

Abundance ratings are based on Catch Per Unit Effort (CPUE) measurements conducted by the MN DNR, and represent a snapshot of a species population at a given point in time.

Source: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Survey cadence may vary by state and water body.
Species Lengths
2018
May
Walleye
fish
12-28 in
Length Range
19 in
Length Range
2019
Surveyed
Abundance (CPUE)
Unknown
2019
Surveyed
Trapnet
Catch Method
Understanding Abundance

Abundance ratings are based on Catch Per Unit Effort (CPUE) measurements conducted by the MN DNR, and represent a snapshot of a species population at a given point in time.

Source: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Survey cadence may vary by state and water body.
Species Lengths
2018
May
2019
Apr