Lake Onalaska, La Crosse County, Wisconsin — fishing destination

La Crosse County • Western Wisconsin

Fishing Lake Onalaska, Wisconsin

A large, shallow Mississippi River backwater lake near La Crosse. Lake Onalaska's expansive weed flats and sloughs are a panfish and largemouth bass factory, with northern pike and walleye mixed in. Country Cave Baits injection-pours premium soft plastic baits built for the bass, panfish and walleye that call Lake Onalaska home.

5,500 acres Max depth 8 ft La Crosse County

About Lake Onalaska

A large, shallow Mississippi River backwater lake near La Crosse. Lake Onalaska's expansive weed flats and sloughs are a panfish and largemouth bass factory, with northern pike and walleye mixed in.

Lake Onalaska is located in La Crosse County in Western Wisconsin and is one of the state's premier fishing destinations. Anglers visiting Lake Onalaska target Largemouth Bass, Bluegill, Crappie, Northern Pike and Walleye throughout the open-water season. Whether you're fishing from a boat or the shore, Lake Onalaska offers diverse structure and productive water that responds well to injection-poured soft plastic baits from Country Cave Baits — made right here in Fall River, WI.

Fish Species in Lake Onalaska

Largemouth Bass Bluegill Crappie Northern Pike Walleye

Landmarks & Points of Interest

Boat Launches & Access

Best Baits for Lake Onalaska

Our top-recommended Country Cave Baits for fishing Lake Onalaska in La Crosse County, Wisconsin. Each is injection-poured in Fall River, WI and shipped fresh to your door.

5 Inch Stick Worm for fishing Lake Onalaska, La Crosse County, Wisconsin

$5.95

The versatile workhorse

5 Inch Stick Worm

Our 5-inch stick worm is injection-poured with a soft plastic that shimmies on the fall and drives bass wild. Perfect for wacky rigging, Texas rigging, or a weightless presentation in shallow cover.

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4 Inch Craw for fishing Lake Onalaska, La Crosse County, Wisconsin

$6.25

Flip, pitch & punch

4 Inch Craw

A full-bodied 4-inch craw with aggressive kicking claws that thump on the retrieve. Built thick to hold up through dozens of fish, this bait excels flipped into heavy cover or dragged on a jig head.

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Crappie Bug for fishing Lake Onalaska, La Crosse County, Wisconsin

$5.25

Panfish creature bait

Crappie Bug

The Crappie Bug is a tiny creature bait with wiggling legs and a soft, buoyant body that hovers naturally on a light jig. Crappie, bluegill, and perch all fall for its subtle, buggy action under docks and around brush piles. It's a go-to ice fishing bait too — jig it through the ice around brush and cribs for slab panfish all winter.

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1.2 Inch Crappie Slayer for fishing Lake Onalaska, La Crosse County, Wisconsin

$6.50

Slab crappie magnet

1.2 Inch Crappie Slayer

Our 1.2-inch Crappie Slayer is a micro tube designed specifically for slab crappie. The tiny ribbed body and flowing tail seduce panfish into biting when the bite is tough. Rig it on a small jig head under a float or tight-line it vertically. It's also a deadly ice fishing bait — drop it through the ice to suspended crappie and bluegill all winter long.

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