Welcome!
Visitors have access to the lake from Oughton Park, a public boat landing on the south side of Pickerel Lake, which is owned and maintained by the Town of Townsend.
Boating
All boats entering the lake are subject to inspection by a trained CBCW inspector. Please be sure that your boat and trailer are free of weeds and you are not carrying aquatic animals from other lakes. Bait and fish should not be carried in from — or to — other lakes, due to the risk of contamination.
Little Pickerel Lake is a no-wake lake. Smoke and Pickerel Lake have no-wake hours from 5pm to 10 am. The channels between lakes are very shallow, so watch your propellor!
Fishing
Fishing regulations follow typical inland regulation for the northern, bass, muskellunge and pike zone. Stocking, primarily of panfish, started in 2013 with black crappie, bluegill, largemouth bass and northern pike to help the fishery recover from the winter kill events. Brown and yellow bullheads, tolerant of low oxygen conditions, surged in abundance after the fish kills. We are working to help re-establish the lake ecosystem through selective fish stocking monitored through regular lake surveys.
Wildlife
Our lakes are home to numerous species of water birds, including bald eagles, loons, green herons, geese, swans, and sand hill cranes. We are also on the Mississippi Flyway. About 40% of all North American migrating waterfowl and shorebirds use this route. There are many actions we can take to help maintain bird habitats, including shoreline restoration, use of phosphorus-free products, and watching and recreating at least 200 feet away from wildlife.
Our lake is also home to a family of otters - first spotted in 2023! Thanks to Jody Hanson for the pictures.
Aerators
The Pickerel Chain Lake waterways have installed aerators to ensure adequate oxygenation of the water when the lakes are iced over. Please see our Aerator page for more information about their location and how to avoid them while boating and snowmobiling.