Reservoir/natural lake

Shell Lake

Washburn, Wisconsin

Shell Lake is a 2,513-acre lake in Washburn County with a maximum depth of 36 feet. WDNR lists smallmouth bass and walleye as abundant, and musky and panfish as common.

Air temp in Shell Lake, WI Loading current temperature…

Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Current air temperature at Shell Lake (National Weather Service) ↗

Surface area2,513 acres

Max depth36 ft

Shoreline—

Boat motorsCheck local ordinances

Species

Fishery rating out of 5.

Walleye●●●●○

Listed as abundant by WDNR

Smallmouth Bass●●●●○

Listed as abundant by WDNR

Muskellunge●●●○○

Listed as common by WDNR

Bluegill●●●○○

Panfish listed as common

Crappie●●●○○

Panfish listed as common

Largemouth Bass●●○○○

Listed as present by WDNR

Northern Pike●●○○○

Listed as present by WDNR

Boat launches

2 launch sites. Fees and hours change, so confirm before you go.

Shell Lake public boat landingsPublic
WDNR lists 5 public landingsDirections ↗
More public accessPublic
See the WDNR lake page for all landingsDirections ↗

Size & creel limits

Special rules for this lake, confirmed from official state regulations. Minimum size and daily limit.

Species	Min size	Daily limit
Walleye Only 1 over 14 in; May 2, 2026 - Mar 7, 2027	See Wisconsin rules book ↗	3 / day
Largemouth/Smallmouth Bass May 2, 2026 - Mar 7, 2027	See Wisconsin rules book ↗	5 / day
Northern Pike May 2, 2026 - Mar 7, 2027	See Wisconsin rules book ↗	5 / day
Muskellunge May 2 - Dec 31, 2026; open water only	40 in	1 / day
Panfish Open all year	See Wisconsin rules book ↗	25 / day
Catfish Open all year	See Wisconsin rules book ↗	10 / day

Other species in this lake: look up the limits at Wisconsin DNR ↗

Verified October 2026. Rules change, so confirm current limits with the Wisconsin DNR before you fish.

Bait & tackle nearby

Closest shops to the lake and its boat launches. Call ahead for live bait and hours.

A&H Country MarketNearby
2398 County Road A, Spooner, WI 54801(715) 635-8429 Directions ↗
Long Lake Bait & TackleNearby
W2477 County Highway B, Sarona, WI 54870(715) 635-3260 Directions ↗
Seasonal Power Toys Bait-TCKLNearby
16878 W State Road 48, Birchwood, WI 54817(715) 354-3886 Directions ↗

Search more bait shops near Shell Lake ↗

Local tips

Work rocky points and drop-offs for smallmouth
Walleye fishing is best around structure at dusk and after dark
Check WDNR for current length limits

View on interactive map

Zoom and pan on a street, satellite or terrain map. Red pins are boat launches.

More Wisconsin lakes

Lake Puckaway Lake DuBay Lake Winneshiek Lake Winneconne Willow Flowage Lake Vieux Desert Lac Vieux Desert Trout Lake All Wisconsin lakes →

Always wear a life jacket and check your state's current regulations before you fish.