Lake Owen Fishing
A 1,250-acre Wisconsin lake in Bayfield County, down to 95 feet.
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The basics of Lake Owen for anglers
Lake Owen is a lake of 1,250 acres lying in Bayfield County. The bottom drops to 95 feet at most, with a mean of 27 feet. For a home base, Drummond is roughly 4 miles away. It falls in the WDNR Northern Region. Its WDNR lake class is complex two story.
The state designates it an Outstanding Resource Water. Being in the ceded territory, it follows the three-walleye bag. Find a Lake shows northern pike, panfish, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass and walleye. Public launching comes through 2 public boat landings. About 15.3 feet of clarity, by the 2017 satellite estimate.
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Abundance labels for Lake Owen come straight from the WDNR lake page.
| Fish group | WDNR abundance |
|---|---|
| Northern Pike | Common |
| Panfish | Common |
| Smallmouth Bass | Common |
| Largemouth Bass | Present |
| Walleye | Present |
WDNR on lakes like Lake Owen
“Complex two story lakes are able to support coldwater species – primarily cisco, and occasionally lake trout or lake whitefish. They have the potential to produce action and quality walleye fisheries.”
WDNR Find a Lake fish list and abundance, WDNR lake classification and fisheries designation layers, checked October 2026.
Launching on Lake Owen
- Lake Owen Access1 lane, 1 to 5 trailer stalls, boarding dock, U.S. Forest Service
- Owen Lake Access1 lane, 1 to 5 trailer stalls, boarding dock, restroom, U.S. Forest Service
Other launches near Lake Owen
- Bass Lake Access near Mason (WDNR 2728)Bass Lake, 2 miles northeast
- Tahkodah Lake AccessTahkodah Lake, 3 miles south
- Drummond Lake – South AccessDrummond Lake, 4 miles northwest
- Diamond Lake Access near MasonDiamond Lake, 5 miles southeast
- Crystal Lake Access near MasonCrystal Lake, 5 miles southeast
- Drummond Lake – North AccessDrummond Lake, 5 miles north
WDNR Boat Access and Shore Fishing layers and Find a Lake landing table, checked October 2026.
Water quality and bottom at Lake Owen
Expect a bottom of 40% sand, 29% gravel, 0% rock, 31% muck on Lake Owen.
By water source, Lake Owen counts as a spring lake (groundwater fed, with an outlet stream).
Invasive species the WDNR has confirmed in Lake Owen: chinese mystery snail, phragmites (non-native) and yellow iris. Clean boats and drain live wells before leaving the landing.
On Lake Owen, local rules cover slow-no-wake areas.
WDNR Find a Lake page, WDNR Landsat lake clarity layer, checked October 2026.
Seasons and bag limits on Lake Owen
For Lake Owen, the DNR regulation search returns the rows shown here.
| Species | Season | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| Walleye, sauger and hybrids | May 2, 2026 to March 7, 2027 | The minimum length limit is 18" and the daily bag limit is 3. |
| Muskellunge and hybrids | May 2, 2026 to December 31, 2026 on open water | The minimum length limit is 40" and the daily bag limit is 1. |
| Northern pike | May 2, 2026 to March 7, 2027 | No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is 5. |
| Largemouth and smallmouth bass | June 20, 2026 to March 7, 2027 | No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is 5, of which only one smallmouth bass may be kept, and it must be over 18 inches. |
| Largemouth bass | May 2, 2026 to June 19, 2026 | No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is 5. |
| Smallmouth bass | May 2, 2026 to June 19, 2026 | Fish may not be harvested (catch and release only). |
| Panfish | Open All Year | No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is 25. |
| Catfish | Open All Year | No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is 10. |
| Lake sturgeon | Closed | No fishing allowed. |
| Shovelnose sturgeon | Closed | No fishing allowed. |
| Cisco and whitefish | Open All Year | No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is 10. |
| Rock, yellow and white bass | Open All Year | No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is unlimited. |
| Bullheads | Open All Year | No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is unlimited. |
| Rough fish | Open All Year | No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is unlimited. |
The all-species line for Lake Owen reads: Catch and release fishing for largemouth and smallmouth bass is open year round unless otherwise noted. Motor Trolling is allowed with up to 3 hooks, baits, or lures, per angler.
The Bayfield County entry says: Bayfield County is in the ceded territory (see page 13 for additional ceded territory information). Motor trolling is permitted countywide (three hooks, baits or lures per person). With the exceptions below, Northern Bass Zone rules apply (see base regulation on page 12).
Pike rules here follow the zone north of Hwy 10; bass follow the Northern Bass Zone.
WDNR Lake Regulation search and the 2026-2027 Guide to Wisconsin Hook and Line Fishing Regulations, checked October 2026.
Fish stocked in Lake Owen
WDNR crews stocked Lake Owen 1 times from 2025 to 2025, 12,489 fish counted.
| Year | Species | Size | Avg length | Number |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Walleye | large fingerling | 6.9 in | 12,489 |
WDNR Fish Stocking Summary, stocking years 2023 to 2025. Wisconsin stocking.
Lake Owen against nearby lakes
| Lake | Distance | Acres | Max depth ft | Landings | WDNR class |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Owen | 1,250 | 95 | 2 | complex two story | |
| Crane Lake, Bayfield County | under a mile northwest | 21 | 10 | 0 | simple harsh has fishery |
| Northeast Lake | 1 mile southeast | 88 | 50 | 0 | simple cool clear |
| Bass Lake near Drummond, Bayfield County, 63 acres | 2 miles east | 63 | 32 | 1 | simple cool clear |
| Roger Lake near Drummond, Bayfield County | 2 miles north | 26 | 30 | 0 | simple warm dark |
| Lake Tahkodah | 3 miles south | 148 | 18 | 1 | simple cool clear |
WDNR Find a Lake, lake classification and boat access layers.
Close to Lake Owen
More water to try near Lake Owen
- Crane Lake, Bayfield Countyunder a mile northwest
- Northeast Lake1 mile southeast
- Bass Lake near Drummond, Bayfield County, 63 acres2 miles east
- Roger Lake near Drummond, Bayfield County2 miles north
- Lake Tahkodah3 miles south
Shops that serve Lake Owen anglers
- Cable Triple Gbait and tackle shop, Cable, 4 miles
- Jims Bait LLCbait and tackle shop, Barnes, 14 miles
- Happy Hooker Bait And Tacklebait and tackle shop, Hayward, 14 miles
- Hayward Power Sportssporting goods store, Hayward, 16 miles
- Bobber Down Bait & Tacklebait and tackle shop, Hayward, 17 miles
- Deb's Y-Go-Bybait and tackle shop, Clam Lake, 18 miles
Communities around Lake Owen
- Drummond4 miles
- Cable6 miles
- Grand View8 miles
Counties holding Lake Owen
- Bayfield Countyseat: Washburn
Piscifun reels sized for Lake Owen
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Water close to Lake Owen in photographs
Photo: R218M, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: TimothyMN, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Joshua Mayer, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Joshua Mayer, CC BY-SA 2.0
Common questions about fishing Lake Owen
Where in Wisconsin is Lake Owen?
Bayfield County holds it, WDNR Northern Region, about 4 miles from Drummond.
How deep does Lake Owen get?
Roughly 1,250 acres and 95 feet at the deepest.
Which public landing serves anglers on Lake Owen?
There are 2 mapped landings; Lake Owen Access has the most lanes.
Is Lake Owen good for panfish?
WDNR lists northern pike (common), panfish (common), smallmouth bass (common), largemouth bass (present) and walleye (present).
Which WDNR rules cover Lake Owen?
For Walleye, sauger and hybrids, The minimum length limit is 18" and the daily bag limit is 3.
Which Wisconsin license covers fishing Lake Owen?
Anglers 16 and older need a Wisconsin fishing license: $20 a year for residents and $55 for nonresidents, with a $5 first-time buyer rate for residents.
What is the water like in Lake Owen?
Satellite clarity about 15.3 feet (2017). Bottom: 40% sand, 29% gravel, 0% rock, 31% muck. WDNR class: complex two story. Type: spring-fed.
Where are minnows sold on the drive to Lake Owen?
Drive 4 miles to reach Cable Triple G.
Which fish are stocked in Lake Owen?
Latest on file (2025): 12,489 walleye.
Trailer up for Lake Owen
Check the posted rules before keeping fish.