Lake depth chart
Today's read
Rating depth structure for largemouth bass.
Shared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.
19-acre lake in Price County, Wisconsin. The lake tops out around 38 ft. The contours come from a model of the real basin shape and its known max depth. Read them as probabilities, not soundings, and keep them out of navigation decisions. Every species below gets its seasonal read from the same numbers driving the chart.
Traced from the shoreline, Dave Lake runs 19 acres with 0.8 miles of edge. A shoreline index of 1.3 says round and simple: fish relate to depth changes here, not shoreline features. 31% of the surface is littoral (under ~15 ft), per the model — cover, weeds and forage water. The basin spans about 0.4 mi end to end. The water lies in Price County. For a second option, Dog Lake lies 1 mi north.
When the water first warms, yellow perch slide up into 3 to 12 ft. By summer they slide out to 10 to 30 ft, and by winter most fish are in 15 to 35 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Shallow bay flat: a weed flat around 5 ft that scores prime in spring. 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 | Shallow bay flat (5 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Shoreline break (17 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 12 to 35 ft | midday | Deep basin (32 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (32 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Start shallow in spring: largemouth bass sit in 2 to 10 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 8 to 20 ft, and winter fish settle into 15 to 35 ft. The spot to know is Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in about 5 ft of water that rates prime for largemouth bass in spring. 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 | Shallow bay flat (5 ft) | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline break (17 ft) | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (5 ft) | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday | Shoreline break (17 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 10 to 25 ft, wintering in 15 to 35 ft. Top water on the chart: Deep basin, a deep basin in the 32 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 | Shallow bay flat (5 ft) | 1/16 oz jig + tube, Curly-tail grub |
| Summer | 10 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline break (17 ft) | Jig trolled/spider-rigged, Small crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 8 to 20 ft | dawn | Shoreline break (17 ft) | Jig + minnow combo, Small swimbait (1.5-2") |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday | Deep basin (32 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 10 to 25 ft. Spring bluegill concentrate at Shallow bay flat, a prime-rated weed flat around 5 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 | Shallow bay flat (5 ft) | 1/32 oz jig + micro plastic, Tiny popper (evenings) |
| Summer | 4 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (5 ft) | Small sponge spider (fly), Micro tube jig |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday | Shallow bay flat (5 ft) | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 10 to 25 ft | midday | Shoreline break (17 ft) | Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon |
Spring pumpkinseed on Dave Lake hold shallow, usually 1 to 8 ft. By summer they slide out to 2 to 10 ft, and by winter most fish are in 6 to 18 ft. The chart's best answer is Shallow bay flat — weed flat, 5 ft, prime for spring. Prime time lands in the evening and early morning. The summer box starts with a micro tube or a sponge spider (fly).
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 8 ft | midday & dusk | Shallow bay flat (5 ft) | Micro jig under a float, Tiny beetle-spin |
| Summer | 2 to 10 ft | dusk & dawn | Shallow bay flat (5 ft) | Micro tube, Sponge spider (fly) |
| Fall | 4 to 14 ft | dusk & dawn | Shallow bay flat (5 ft) | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 6 to 18 ft | dawn | Shallow bay flat (5 ft) | Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon |
Count 4 structure marks on this chart. The deepest, Deep basin, sits near 32 ft.
| Date | Species | Count | Size |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025* | Brook Trout (adult) | 200 | ~8" |
| 2025* | Fathead Minnow (adult) | 65,994 | ~2.3" |
| 2025* | Bluegill (fall yearling) | 398 | ~5" |
| 2025* | Rainbow Trout (adult) | 800 | ~12" |
| 2024* | Brook Trout (adult) | 200 | ~9" |
| 2024* | Fathead Minnow (adult) | 65,940 | ~2.3" |
| 2024* | Bluegill (yearling) | 400 | ~5" |
| 2024* | Rainbow Trout (adult) | 600 | ~8" |
* Approximate date (agency reports month or season only). Source: Wisconsin DNR fish-stocking summary, retrieved 2026-08-18.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Wisconsin waters are set by the Wisconsin DNR — and special regulations can apply to Dave Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Wisconsin fishing regulations →
Dave Lake is about 38 ft (12 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, largemouth bass, crappie, bluegill, pumpkinseed on Dave 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.
Shallow bay flat is the top-rated area: a weed flat in about 5 ft of water that rates prime for yellow perch in spring. The map above holds the full rated-spot list for every 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.
Yes — per Wisconsin DNR fish-stocking summary records, Dave Lake was most recently stocked 2025 with 200 brook trout (adult). The full stocking history is listed above.
Fishing on Dave 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.
Dog Lake 1 mi · Bass Lake 1 mi · Middle Price Lake 1 mi · Pot Lake 1 mi · Long Lake 1 mi · Upper Price Lake 1 mi · Constellation Lake 2 mi · Bass Lake 2 mi · Evergreen Lake 2 mi · Homestead Lake 2 mi · Le Tourneau Lake 2 mi · Mason Lake 2 mi
See how Dave 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
More water nearby: Price County fishing maps (118 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.