By all accounts, Blockhouse Lake has been a favorite angling destination for many decades. The old-timers recall when small float planes used to bring people into the resort at the north end of the lake to try their luck on the muskies that lurked in the shallow water. Walleyes were present in large numbers as well, since early stocking records show that over 500,000 fry were planted between 1937 and 1941. During the 1940s muskies and largemouth bass were stocked, a practice that continued during the 1950s. The last walleye stocking occurred in 1986, when almost 250,000 were planted. More recently largemouth bass have been the focus, and several thousand have been stocked each year since the early 1990s.
The Department of Natural Resources conducts regular shocking surveys each spring to determine the state of the Blockhouse Lake fishery. The most recent study, conducted in May of 2003, collected samples of northern pike, largemouth bass, white sucker, bluegills, pumpkinseed, black crappie, and bullhead. The largest northern pike was almost 38 inches in length, while the largest bass was just over 19 inches. While bluegills were the most plentiful, they tended to be small, with a modal size of only 5 inches. The largest crappie was almost 12 inches long. Walleyes and muskies were not present, nor have any been reported since the late 1990s. An occasional walleye or musky will come up the creek from the south fork of the Flambeau River during the spring, but finding one on the end of a fishing line is rare.
Anglers have good luck fishing Blockhouse Lake both winter and summer. In the winter, tip-ups are set to catch northern pike while jigging for bluegills and crappies. In the summer, largemouth bass provide ample action for serious fishing enthusiasts, and the plentiful panfish are fun for young and old. Because of the plant growth and relatively small size, jet skiiers and other thrill seekers generally look elsewhere for their enjoyment, resulting in the peace and quiet that is so prized by lake residents as well as other users.
Because the lake is
shallow and contains an abundant plant population, oxygen levels get
very low during the late winter months before ice out. This used
to result in devastating fish kills in early spring, when thousands of
dead carcasses would appear along the shoreline. The installation
and maintenance of the aerator by the Eisenstein Sportsmen's Club
eliminated that problem, and our association is committed to supporting
this project for the foreseeable future.