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Rating depth structure for largemouth bass.
Shared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.
13-acre lake in Taylor County, Wisconsin. The lake tops out around 19 ft. The depth picture is modeled, anchored to the true shoreline and the water's published max depth — a scouting aid, never a chart to run a boat by. Every species below gets its seasonal read from the same numbers driving the chart.
On the chart, Clarke Lake draws 13 acres inside 0.7 miles of shoreline. A shoreline index of 1.4 says round and simple: fish relate to depth changes here, not shoreline features. The shallow band under 15 ft claims about 78% of the surface on the model — that's where the groceries are. The basin spans about 0.3 mi end to end and 0.2 mi across at its widest. The water lies in Taylor County. Closest neighbour on DepthScout: Horseshoe Lake, 0 mi west of here.
When the water first warms, yellow perch slide up into 3 to 12 ft. By summer they slide out to 6 to 19 ft, and by winter most fish are in 6 to 19 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Deep basin: a deep basin around 16 ft that scores prime in fall. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning. Keep a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | open water | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 6 to 19 ft | dawn | Deep basin (16 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 6 to 19 ft | midday | Deep basin (16 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 6 to 19 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (16 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: northern pike in 2 to 8 ft. As the season builds they drop to 6 to 19 ft, wintering in 5 to 15 ft. Top water on the chart: Break off the point, a drop-off in the 9 ft range, prime in fall. Time it for early morning and the evening. Summer baits: a bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | open water | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 6 to 19 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (9 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (9 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Main-lake point (8 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
Start shallow in spring: largemouth bass sit in 2 to 10 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 6 to 19 ft, and winter fish settle into 6 to 19 ft. The spot to know is Main-lake point, a point in about 8 ft of water that rates prime for largemouth bass in fall. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. Throw a texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (8 ft) | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 6 to 19 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (9 ft) | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (8 ft) | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 6 to 19 ft | midday | Break off the point (9 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: crappie in 2 to 8 ft. As the season builds they drop to 6 to 19 ft, wintering in 6 to 19 ft. Top water on the chart: Deep basin, a deep basin in the 16 ft range, prime in winter. Time it for early morning and the evening. Summer baits: a jig trolled/spider-rigged or a small crankbait (trolled) gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | open water | 1/16 oz jig + tube, Curly-tail grub |
| Summer | 6 to 19 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (9 ft) | Jig trolled/spider-rigged, Small crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 6 to 19 ft | dawn | Break off the point (9 ft) | Jig + minnow combo, Small swimbait (1.5-2") |
| Winter | 6 to 19 ft | midday | Deep basin (16 ft) | Tungsten jig + soft plastic, Tiny jigging spoon |
Spring puts bluegill in skinny water — 1 to 6 ft is the zone. As the season builds they drop to 4 to 15 ft, wintering in 6 to 19 ft. Winter bluegill concentrate at Deep basin, a prime-rated deep basin around 16 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. A small sponge spider (fly) or a micro tube jig covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 6 ft | midday & dusk | open water | 1/32 oz jig + micro plastic, Tiny popper (evenings) |
| Summer | 4 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Small sponge spider (fly), Micro tube jig |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday | Break off the point (9 ft) | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 6 to 19 ft | midday | Deep basin (16 ft) | Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon |
Structure-wise the chart holds 3 features, led in depth by Deep basin at roughly 16 ft.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Wisconsin waters are set by the Wisconsin DNR — and special regulations can apply to Clarke Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Wisconsin fishing regulations →
Clarke Lake is about 19 ft (6 m) deep 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.
Anglers target yellow perch, northern pike, largemouth bass, crappie, bluegill on Clarke 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.
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 16 ft of water that rates prime for yellow perch in fall. The interactive chart above rates every spot for each species and season.
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.
Fishing on Clarke Lake is regulated by the Wisconsin DNR. Check the official Wisconsin regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Horseshoe Lake 0 mi · McNamar Lake 0 mi · Cronin Lake 1 mi · Mud Lake 2 mi · Bullhead Lake 3 mi · Bullhead Lake T32n R01e S07 3 mi · Bullhead Lake 3 mi · Anderson Lake 3 mi · Long Lake 3 mi · Gibbs Lake 4 mi · Grassy Knoll Lake 4 mi · South Twin Lake 4 mi
See how Clarke Lake stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in Wisconsin · best northern pike lakes in Wisconsin · best crappie lakes in Wisconsin · best bluegill lakes in Wisconsin
More water nearby: Taylor County fishing maps (80 charts). Browse all Wisconsin fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. How we build these maps. Fish here with a sonar unit that logs? Send us your depth data and we'll improve this chart, credited to you. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.