Iron ore mines, tamarack swamps, hilly terrain and dark brown cola colored lakes and streams define the landscape of Iron County. With dairy farms to the west, and wooded forests and lakes along the eastern border with Vilas, Iron County is a real beauty that doesn’t get hit nearly as hard with the angling pressure and summer tourists as other regions too.

The epicenter of our Iron County focus is in the town of Mercer, WI. Quality smallmouth bass fishing experiences aren’t in much abundance here, other than the pristine Gile Flowage located further north in Hurley, the Turtle-Flambeau Flowage, and lakes formed by the Turtle River system. However, wilderness opportunities and action fisheries abound on most Iron County bass waters, and many of the smaller lakes dotting the eastern landscape of Iron County. Due to 1+ hour distance from Minocqua, I will only fish Iron County waters on dates you have booked full day trips. Add a $100 time and fuel surcharge to rate if requesting a guided bass trip on the Gile Flowage. 

Due to the shallow dark water environments of most Iron County waters, these lakes warm quicker than most other areas in comparison. With the exception for the TFF as it's also a great mid-summer and early fall bass fishery for numbers, we fish these places mostly in spring and early summer.

The TFF was once regarded as a trophy smallmouth fishery in the mid-2000's, and no longer is what it once was. However, in the last decade, its smallmouth population has exploded. This, with high angling pressure and bass overharvest, has changed the lake drastically where harvest of smaller fish is now encouraged and a protected 14-18-inch slot has been enacted. Despite the changing fishery, a quality adventure remains if natural shorelines, a wilderness setting, and high-action fishing are each desired.

Today, the TFF still remains a favorite destination for early spring / ice-out smallmouth trips. While most lakes won't yet be ready, this flowage will be.