Spooner Lake Profile

Washburn County
Surface water - 1092 acres
Maximum depth - 17 ft
Water clarity - Clear

Fish species present: Black crappies, bluegill, yellow perch, pumpkinseed sunfish, rock bass, white suckers, black bullhead, brown bullhead, yellow bullhead, brook and brown trout (limited, seasonal), largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, northern pike, walleye.

Spooner Lake is a large, shallow lake with abundant weed growth that experiences partial winterkill from time to time. Given the right season and water temperature, anglers can find brookies.

According to Larry Damman, the local DNR fish manager for Washburn County, Spooner Lake has a reputation for producing big northern pike – just not in the summer. Once the first solid ice arrives in the winter, Damman said people from more than an hour’s drive away show up at Spooner Lake to look for big pike.

It is known that Spooner Lake contains a number of springs scattered throughout the lake. Damman suspects that during the warmer summer months those big pike hang pretty tight to the spring holes.

Spooner receives its water from Crystal Brook, a trout stream that enters on the east-southeast corner of the lake. It can be difficult to tell where the stream ends and the lake starts. During cool-water periods from late fall to early spring, brook trout and brown trout do move to the lower end of Crystal Brook and even into Spooner Lake.

Anglers can go upstream a good stretch by small boat or canoe before the weeds get too thick. Crystal Brook is 4-5 ft deep in most places.

That end of the lake is also a popular waterfowl-hunting area.

Water levels are maintained by a dam. The outlet of Spooner Lake over that dam is the origin of the Yellow River. The river then supplies water to the Spooner DNR hatchery.

The most popular panfish for anglers are bluegill, crappie, and pumpkinseed/bluegill hybrids.

The lake also has a strong largemouth bass fishery. In a 2008 electrofishing survey, 20% of DNR’s catch was longer than 16".

The DNR only stocks the lake after a major winterkill, but that hasn’t occurred in some time. In late winter, anglers fish closer to the Crystal Brook area.

Sure. I’m biased. After all, I live here.

But by any objective measure, my undiscovered corner of Wisconsin offers some of the Midwest’s best real estate values. Whether you’re looking for waterfront property, a getaway back in the woods, or even a place in town, I can show you some great values.

Anywhere in northwestern Wisconsin is great. But if you’ve looked at property—especially waterfront property—in the Hayward-Cable area, you know that asking prices, while softer than a year or two back, are still pretty darn high. And unfortunately, many of the lakes, trails, and roads in that area are no longer quite as quiet as they once were.

Back in 2002, when my husband and I decided to move from Saint Paul to northwestern Wisconsin, we made the same discovery. Fortunately, we also made another discovery. We found an area just a little farther northwest that’s still largely unknown. Prices here tend to be a little lower, and the lakes tend to be a little quieter.

We feel very fortunate; we found a great home on the Gordon-Saint Croix Flowage. And relatively speaking, at least, some great bargains are still to be had here on our lake, on Upper Saint Croix Lake, on the Minong Flowage, on Whitefish Lake, and on the Eau Claire chain of lakes—not to mention on dozens of other small to medium-sized lakes hidden away up in our neck of the woods.

And speaking of woods… Maybe you’re less interested in waterfront property. Maybe you’d just like to be out in the woods. If you’re looking for a country home, a cabin, or vacant land that’s not on water, then I can help you find some truly exceptional values.

One other advantage of this area is that you can get here fast. (See article below Northwestern Wisconsin: It’s Closer Than You Think!) From the Twin Cities, we’re significantly closer than Hayward, Cable, or points beyond. And with the upgrades that were made to Highway 77 a few years back, we’re suddenly closer than ever.Give me a call if you’d like to see for yourself. I’d be happy to show you around my corner of Wisconsin’s northwestern corner.

Jean

If you’re from the Twin Cities, the NW corner of Wisconsin might be closer than you think. And the fastest way to get here is to stay in Minnesota for a while.

First, head north on 35E or 35W. You could take the exit for Saint Croix Falls and Highway 8. Instead, to avoid the towns and traffic between Forest Lake and Saint Croix Falls, continue northward on I35. The freeway may not be scenic, but it sure is fast.If you’re heading for Siren, Spooner, or Stone Lake, take the Highway 70 exit for Grantsburg. Once you cross over into Wisconsin and drive through Grantsburg, just keep heading east.If you’re heading for Danbury, Minong, Hayward, or points beyond, then continue on I35 all the way to Hinckley. Head east on Highway 48; at the Wisconsin border it becomes Highway 77. Although 48 is two lanes, it’s wide, open, and straight. Parts of 77 are narrower, but most of it has been straightened and widened dramatically in the past few years. If it’s been a while since you tried this route, you’ll be amazed at the difference. Still, if you’re driving up in the evening, keep an eye out for deer.

(My husband and I live near Gordon; this is the route we take to the Cities. We can usually make it in around 2½ hours.)Would you ever want to drive all the way to Duluth, and then loop back down into Wisconsin? Only if you’re heading for the far northwestern corner of the state. If you were interested in viewing my listings near Poplar, Maple, or Iron River, I’d probably suggest the Duluth-Superior route.The bottom line? Northwestern Wisconsin just might be closer than you think.