Fishing Report
Butternut Lake Fishing Report
Three Lakes, WI
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Modeled from live National Weather Service data as of Oct 20, 2026 at 3:15 PM CDT, plus solunar and sun/moon times computed in-house. This is a computed report, not an eyewitness catch report.
45.911697, -88.988806
Est. water temp
61.7°F
v1 estimate from air temperature — not a sensor reading
South-southwest wind at 6 mph — the north-northeast shore is windward.
Wind tends to push food, then baitfish, toward the bank it blows into — a rule of thumb, not a guarantee of where fish are. It says nothing about whether that shore is public or reachable.
Max depth
42 ft
Deepest measurement on record
Max depth: Stachelek et al. (2021), LAGOS-US DEPTH v1.0, Environmental Data Initiative (CC BY 4.0)
Notes from anglers
Imported from GNIS. Nearest town: Three Lakes (Forest County, WI).
Today’s bite
Northern Pike fishing report
Best window today: 6 PM (Excellent · 96/100)
See the full forecast →Species on record
- Black Crappie — listed for this lake by category, not by name · Common
- Bluegill — listed for this lake by category, not by name · Common
- Pumpkinseed — listed for this lake by category, not by name · Common
- Rock Bass — listed for this lake by category, not by name · Common
- Yellow Perch — listed for this lake by category, not by name · Common
Species tagged “Group” were listed by the state under a category (e.g. “Panfish”) for this lake, not an individual-species survey.
More Wisconsin fishing by species
Every species with enough Wisconsin waters on fish-agency record to have its own page here.
Species detail
How to catch them at Butternut Lake
Black Crappie feed most actively at Dawn and Dusk, when activity runs about 16% above the daily average across all four light windows.
Typical Fall depth: 0-10 ft
Black Crappie fishing report →Bluegill feed most actively at Dawn and Dusk, when activity runs about 33% above the daily average across all four light windows.
Typical Fall depth: 6-18 ft
Bluegill fishing report →Northern Pike feed most actively at Dawn and Dusk, when activity runs about 27% above the daily average across all four light windows.
Typical Fall depth: 8-18 ft
Northern Pike fishing report →Pumpkinseed feed most actively at Daytime, when activity runs about 33% above the daily average across all four light windows.
Typical Fall depth: 3-10 ft
Pumpkinseed fishing report →Rock Bass feed most actively at Dusk, when activity runs about 22% above the daily average across all four light windows.
Typical Fall depth: 5-15 ft
Rock Bass fishing report →Smallmouth Bass feed most actively at Dawn and Dusk, when activity runs about 21% above the daily average across all four light windows.
Typical Fall depth: 20-40 ft
Smallmouth Bass fishing report →Walleye feed most actively at Dawn and Dusk, when activity runs about 19% above the daily average across all four light windows.
Typical Fall depth: 20-55 ft
Walleye fishing report →Yellow Perch feed most actively at Dawn and Dusk, when activity runs about 30% above the daily average across all four light windows.
Typical Fall depth: 15-30 ft
Yellow Perch fishing report →
Location
Butternut Lake · 45.9117, -88.9888
Map data © OpenFreeMap, OpenMapTiles, OpenStreetMap contributors
Lake outline: WI DNR 24K Hydrography Lakes and Open Water
Nearby
Other lakes nearby
Read next
Guides & reports for these species
- GuideUnderstanding Solunar Feeding PeriodsSolunar tables show up in almost every fishing almanac, but most anglers have never seen the actual definition behind "major" and "minor" periods — or read the peer-reviewed testing that went looking for the effect in catch data and did not find it. Here is the theory, the astronomy Bitespan runs on real moon-transit data, the grade our own bite score gives it, and how to use a solunar period without building a trip around one.
- ArticleDoes Barometric Pressure Really Affect the Bite?"Fish bite best right before a storm" is the most repeated line in fishing folklore. We went back to the primary literature behind Bitespan's own bite-scoring model — lab feeding trials, a field movement study, and a controlled whole-lake angling experiment — to see what's actually been measured. It's messier, and more interesting, than the folklore.
- ArticleFishing a Cold Front: Why the Bite Dies and How to Beat It"The bite dies after a cold front" is angling gospel. We went back to the same primary studies behind Bitespan's own pressure model to separate what a falling-then-rising barometer actually does to fish from everything else a cold front drags in with it — the temperature drop, the wind shift, the bluebird sky.
- ArticleDoes the Full Moon Affect Fishing? What Solunar Data Actually Says"Fish the full moon" is repeated as confidently as any pressure-front folklore, but it's actually two different claims tangled together — moon PHASE and solunar PERIOD timing. We separated them, checked what Bitespan's own solunar math and bite-scoring model actually support, and were honest about where the evidence runs thin.
FAQ
Common questions
What fish are in Butternut Lake?
State surveys have confirmed Northern Pike, Smallmouth Bass, and Walleye in Butternut Lake.
When's the best time to fish Butternut Lake?
Black Crappie feed most actively at Dawn and Dusk, when activity runs about 16% above the daily average across all four light windows. Check today's bite forecast for Butternut Lake to see the best window for current conditions.
Where is Butternut Lake?
Butternut Lake is near Three Lakes, WI, at 45.9117, -88.9888.
Plan your trip to Butternut Lake
Get the hour-by-hour bite forecast and the best times to fish Butternut Lake, scored against live National Weather Service weather for this exact spot — showing what every input contributed and how well the evidence supports it.