Bear Lake Fishing Map — 5 ft Deep, Spots (WI)

Target species

Species from state lake data, resolved by location. These species come from the Wisconsin DNR's own per-lake fish listing. Where the DNR reports a group rather than a species — “panfish”, “catfish”, “trout” — the specific species are resolved from Wisconsin's fish distribution by this lake's location, depth and habitat, so those are an informed estimate, not a per-species survey. The named gamefish (walleye, musky, bass, pike, sturgeon…) are the DNR's own listing. (The depth chart is a computer-generated estimate from the lake's real shoreline and the DNR's maximum depth — not measured contours.) How we estimate species →

Recommendations come from depth structure and seasonal species behavior. Treat them as a starting point, not a guarantee. Contours on this water are approximations. Never use for navigation. Always check local regulations.

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Recent catches at Bear Lake

Shared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.

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Fishing Bear Lake: what the data says

14-acre lake near Wisconsin. The lake tops out around 5 ft. The contours are modeled from the water's real shoreline and maximum depth. Treat them as a rough guide, and never use them for navigation. Below is the species-by-species picture, pulled from the same data the map uses.

Yellow Perch fishing at Bear Lake

In spring, yellow perch run shallow here, mostly 1 to 5 ft. Summer fish stay in 2 to 5 ft, and winter fish hold in 2 to 5 ft. Deep basin is the standout, a deep basin at roughly 4 ft, rated prime for fall yellow perch. Plan around early morning in the warm months. Summer baits: a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm gets it done.

Season	Depth	Best window	Go-to baits
Spring	1 to 5 ft	midday & dawn	Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank
Summer	2 to 5 ft	dawn	Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm
Fall	2 to 5 ft	midday	Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader
Winter	2 to 5 ft	midday & dawn	Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small)

Largemouth Bass fishing at Bear Lake

Start shallow in spring: largemouth bass sit in 1 to 5 ft that time of year. Summer fish stay in 2 to 5 ft, and winter fish hold in 2 to 5 ft. The spot to know is Main-lake point, a point in about 5 ft of water that rates prime for largemouth bass in fall. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. Summer baits: a texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait gets it done.

Season	Depth	Best window	Go-to baits
Spring	1 to 5 ft	dawn & dusk	Spinnerbait, Chatterbait
Summer	2 to 5 ft	dawn & dusk	Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait
Fall	1 to 5 ft	midday & dawn	Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait
Winter	2 to 5 ft	midday	Blade bait, Jigging spoon

Crappie fishing at Bear Lake

In spring, crappie run shallow here, mostly 1 to 5 ft. Summer fish stay in 2 to 5 ft, and winter fish hold in 2 to 5 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Deep basin: a deep basin around 4 ft that scores prime in winter. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Tie on a jig trolled/spider-rigged or a small crankbait (trolled) and you're in the game.

Season	Depth	Best window	Go-to baits
Spring	1 to 5 ft	midday & dawn	1/16 oz jig + tube, Curly-tail grub
Summer	2 to 5 ft	dawn & dusk	Jig trolled/spider-rigged, Small crankbait (trolled)
Fall	2 to 5 ft	dawn	Jig + minnow combo, Small swimbait (1.5-2")
Winter	2 to 5 ft	midday	Tungsten jig + soft plastic, Tiny jigging spoon

Bluegill fishing at Bear Lake

Start shallow in spring: bluegill sit in 1 to 5 ft that time of year. Summer fish stay in 1 to 5 ft, and winter fish hold in 2 to 5 ft. The spot to know is Deep basin, a deep basin in about 4 ft of water that rates prime for bluegill in winter. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Tie on a small sponge spider (fly) or a micro tube jig and you're in the game.

Season	Depth	Best window	Go-to baits
Spring	1 to 5 ft	midday & dusk	1/32 oz jig + micro plastic, Tiny popper (evenings)
Summer	1 to 5 ft	dawn & dusk	Small sponge spider (fly), Micro tube jig
Fall	2 to 5 ft	midday	Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped
Winter	2 to 5 ft	midday	Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon

Notable structure

Main-lake point: point, around 5 ft
Deep basin: deep basin, around 4 ft
Break off the point: drop-off, around 2 ft

Common questions

How deep is Bear Lake?

Bear Lake is about 5 ft at its deepest point. The contours here are modeled from the water's real shape and maximum depth, so treat them as a rough guide.

What fish are in Bear Lake?

Anglers target largemouth bass, crappie, bluegill, yellow perch on Bear Lake. These come from the Wisconsin DNR's per-lake fish listing; where the DNR lists a group (panfish, catfish, trout) the specific species are resolved from Wisconsin's fish distribution by the lake's location, depth and habitat.

Where is the best fishing spot on Bear Lake?

Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 4 ft of water that rates prime for yellow perch in fall. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.

When is the best time to fish Bear Lake?

For yellow perch, the summer bite is best in early morning. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.

Nearby waters

Pleasant Lake · Antigo Lake (Kellog Pond) · Meyer Lake · Perch Lake · Cranberry Lake · Hilger Lake

See how Bear Lake stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in Wisconsin · best crappie lakes in Wisconsin · best bluegill lakes in Wisconsin · best yellow perch lakes in Wisconsin

Browse all Wisconsin fishing maps or every water on DepthScout. How we build these maps. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.