Teal Lake or Lost Land Lake, Wisconsin

[Jason D.]

I'm planning on a Wisconsin or Minnesota trip in a few weeks and heard these lakes were good. Any word on how they've been or predictions on how they will be in a few weeks? Thanks!

[Mehabeeb]

Jason,

I have not been up to these lakes this year, but used to hit them in late August for the previous 10 or so years. They are not trophy lakes by any means but you should be able to see many fish in the low to mid 30" range, with a 40" possible. Largest I have boated is 40" but have had others on or up that would go upper 40's.

It always seemed to me if I was not having luck on one of the lakes the other would be producing. They are very different in terms of structure and water clearity with Teal being a little darker and you can fish more rock or mid lake structure.

On Teal check out the area around Teal River, the Big Rock outside of teal river and don't forget the bay as you come in from LLL into teal.

As for LLL check out Duncan point, Steamboat bay and the nothern bay (can't think of the name).

I have had good luck at this time of year on Perch Jerkbaits (two years ago landed 3 ranging from 30-40 inches and lost one over 40 on a Perch Jerko within 1 hour) and Silver/Black buctails.

Hope this helps. Post how you do as I will be up there over Labor day weekend.

Also, there is a 10 MPH speed limit on these lakes. I have never seen anyone monitoring but have heard of people getting busted.

Where are you staying??

[Jason D.]

Thanks!!! We'll get a motel in the area. I'll let you know how we do. Are there any other lakes close by you'd recommend for some larger fish?

[Mehabeeb]

Jason,

Teal and LLL are just a hop skip and a jump from the Chip. If you take RT A (Dow's Corner) south to B and Turn left you will run into a public launch or your could launch at Dun Rovin or the Timberland resorts.

good luck.

Dave

[ToddM]

I second much of what Dave has said. Other areas to look at are shoreline stretches in between bays. Muskies will use them as a highway. If the water has bloomed badly, you may have to fish rock instead of weeds. This summer has not been really hot temperature wise so it may not be a problem. A bad bloom will have the visibility less than a foot.

[Jason D.]

You guys have been a ton of help. It's hard to plan a weekend vacation in an unfamiliar area. Where would be a good place to stay (motel, etc..) in the area. I was thinking Hayward, even though it looks to be 15-20 miles away. Thanks!

[ToddM]

Spider lake motel is right near lost land and teal on the corner of 77 and A. I think there is a motel in clam lake too. Easiest way to find out places to stay is goto yahoo and search motels in the yellow pages for hayward.

For a place to stay on those lakes, I recommend back o beyond resort on teal. Nice and quiet, good for kids and nice people. Has a good beach.

[Mouskie]

I fished Teal Lake 52 years ago, staying for three weeks at Ross's Teal Lake Lodge while a Hollywood camera crew (complete with a real live director!) filmed a promotional movie ("Husky The Musky") for Martin Motors, using my dad's family as cast. And cast we did! In desperation we enlisted what seemed like half the people living on the lake to help catch fish, trying to scare up some muskies that could be rejuvinated, then transferred to the fishing lines of the principals who would then fight and land them-- hey! -- time is money! Even Cal Johnson, who lived on the lake, got out of his hammock one afternoon and helped spank the water. As I recall, the eventual star of the show (Husky) was a fish close to 30 pounds, tho I can't now recollect who caught it. I know I didn't. Work started at sunup and went on til sunset, with a shore lunch break, day after day. I was never so sick of fishing and "water taxiing" in all my 16 years.

In an amusing aside: this film was later distributed and shown as a "short" in movie theatres all over the U.S. A friend of the family and his wife were sitting in a theater in Fort Lauderdale that winter when Husky The Musky came on the screen (right after the Movietone News of The World). At the sudden appearance of my father's mug looming large before him, Jack leaped to his feet and shouted out: "JUMPING JESUS! -- I KNOW THAT SONUFA*****!" Jack's wife, who later related the story to my mother, said she slunk so low in her seat that her knees came even with the head of the person sitting in front of her.

The Martin 60 that appeared in the movie was donated years later by my father to the Fishing Hall of Fame in Hayward, where it resides today. Dad told me he rubbed a tube of bright red lipstick on the starter cord, to identify and set it apart, but I've never had the nerve to yank on the cords of the couple dozen or so preserved Martins on display to find it. Maybe someday, after a few tall ones at the Moccasin Bar...after all, I last drove it on a July day in 1951, all the way through the narrows into Lost Land Lake with my "Hollywood buddies."

And finally, George Martin, the motor's namesake and creator, is still alive and living with his wife and daughter in Michigan. George celebrated his 97th birthday in August. And today there's more than a couple hundred vintage Martins-- still fartin', still startin'-- and still running around America's waterways thanks to the TLC of their owners.

[Muskie dog]

GO TO LOST LAND I GOT A 47 and a 52 1/2 in abo 4 hours of fishing saw alot of fish also great muskie fishery.

[louie spray]

52 on lost land eh? a 47 incher to boot in 4 hours fishing? Is this Robert Malo? Did you get them on pink twisters?