Musky Shop Lake of the Month: Katherine Lake

We’re going to take some time here once again to shine a light on the lakes of the Northwoods.  This month’s lake is a nice, quiet, and low pressured water, just west of the Rainbow Flowage: Katherine Lake.  Katherine Lake is a clear water gem in the Northwoods, perfect for fishing a number of species, specifically trophy class musky.  Located near the Musky Shop in Oneida County, this lake boasts 524 acres of surface with a very nice mix of bottom featuring sand, gravel, and rock. 

This lake, unlike many of the previous mentions, has some of the best bottom for targeting walleye, bass, and muskies.  Many of the lakes of the Northwoods have a distinctly mucky bottom that leaves too much to the imagination as the seasons change.  Katherine Lake has some of the best rocky features, leading to piles of your favorite target fish.  It has plenty of steep shoreline drops that are packed with predators. 

If you’re able to find a nice contour map of Katherine Lake, the spots give themselves away.  There are plenty of rocky points, drop-offs, and wood to keep you casting all day and into the evening.  Trolling is also a great option with deeper basins backed right up to mid-depth casting lanes.  This lake really does have it all when it comes to musky holding areas.  All you have to do is put in the time and effort. 

Because Katherine Lake is clear water, it might be a good option to start your hunt by fishing natural colors.  This lake holds a lot of forage fish along with smallmouth and walleye.  It’s been said that you can almost catch a fish with every cast, just not muskies of course.  Take your time around the rocks and take some hard-nosed cranks and dive and rise lures to bash along for drama and you’ll definitely luck in to a monstrous musky.

Katherine Lake has a great boat launch and park area right off the Western side of the lake.  It’s truly off the main pass through the Town of Hazelhurst, so you won’t have a problem finding lodgings, shops, or restaurants.  Hazelhurst hosts some excellent local grub at places like Church Street Social, or The Hazelhurst Pub, so you can support the local businesses and enjoy the experiences.  There are plenty of rentals and places to stay if you want to park-it near the lake.  Many resorts are nearby or there are several cabin rentals directly on the lake.

Lake Katherine is definitely a great spot for locals to visit or as a destination for those coming from out of town.  It is a great area to get away from any hustle and bustle and it’s got some great opportunities to hook up with a trophy fish.