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Rating depth structure for largemouth bass.
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140-acre lake in Douglas County, Wisconsin. The lake tops out around 13 ft. These contours are modeled — built from the real shoreline and the water's maximum depth — so read them as a guide, never as navigation. Here is how the season plays out for each species, straight from the data behind the map.
On the chart, Dowling Lake draws 140 acres inside 1.8 miles of shoreline. Its 1.1 shoreline index means few bank features; the contours below do the pattern work. Nothing on this chart breaks 15 ft, which makes the whole surface littoral: weeds, bait and ambush cover everywhere. Call it 0.6 mi long by 0.5 mi wide at the broadest reach. You'll find it in Douglas County. For a second option, Amnicon Lake lies 1 mi west.
Come spring, look for walleye tight to the bank in 3 to 13 ft. Through summer count on 4 to 13 ft; the winter hold is 4 to 13 ft. Start at Shoreline break. It's a drop-off holding about 6 ft of water and rates prime come fall. Prime time lands in the evening and early morning. A crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 13 ft | dusk & dawn | Shoreline break (6 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 4 to 13 ft | dusk & dawn | Shoreline break (6 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 4 to 13 ft | dusk & night | Shoreline break (6 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 4 to 13 ft | dusk & dawn | Deep basin (11 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
Come spring, look for yellow perch tight to the bank in 3 to 12 ft. They move out to 4 to 13 ft in summer and finish the year down in 4 to 13 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Shallow bay flat: a weed flat around 3 ft that scores prime in spring. Best bite is early morning. A drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 4 to 13 ft | dawn | Deep basin (11 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 4 to 13 ft | midday | Deep basin (11 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 4 to 13 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (11 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Start shallow in spring: northern pike sit in 2 to 8 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 4 to 13 ft; cold water stacks them in 4 to 13 ft. Top water on the chart: Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in the 3 ft range, prime in spring. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. Throw a bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 4 to 13 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline break (6 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 4 to 13 ft | midday & dawn | Shoreline break (6 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 4 to 13 ft | midday | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
In spring, muskellunge run shallow here, mostly 3 to 12 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 4 to 13 ft before dropping to 4 to 13 ft for winter. Fall muskellunge concentrate at Shoreline break, a prime-rated drop-off around 6 ft. Fish it in the evening and early morning and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a double-10 bucktail or a topwater (walk-the-dog / creeper) most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dusk | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Smaller bucktail (#8 blades), 6" glide bait |
| Summer | 4 to 13 ft | dusk & dawn | Shoreline break (6 ft) | Double-10 bucktail, Topwater (walk-the-dog / creeper) |
| Fall | 3 to 13 ft | midday & dusk | Shoreline break (6 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), 10"+ glide bait |
| Winter | 4 to 13 ft | midday | Deep basin (11 ft) | Large rubber, crawled slow |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: largemouth bass in 2 to 10 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 4 to 13 ft before dropping to 4 to 13 ft for winter. The spot to know is Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in about 3 ft of water that rates prime for largemouth bass in spring. 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 | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 4 to 13 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline break (6 ft) | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 3 to 13 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 4 to 13 ft | midday | Shoreline break (6 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
Start shallow in spring: crappie sit in 2 to 8 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 4 to 13 ft; cold water stacks them in 4 to 13 ft. Top water on the chart: Deep basin, a deep basin in the 11 ft range, prime in winter. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. Throw a jig trolled/spider-rigged or a small crankbait (trolled) until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | 1/16 oz jig + tube, Curly-tail grub |
| Summer | 4 to 13 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline break (6 ft) | Jig trolled/spider-rigged, Small crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 4 to 13 ft | dawn | Shoreline break (6 ft) | Jig + minnow combo, Small swimbait (1.5-2") |
| Winter | 4 to 13 ft | midday | Deep basin (11 ft) | Tungsten jig + soft plastic, Tiny jigging spoon |
Dowling Lake also holds bluegill (3 to 13 ft in summer), pumpkinseed (2 to 10 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
Dowling Lake carries 4 mapped structure features, topping out (or rather bottoming out) at Deep basin, about 11 ft down.
Access data: Wisconsin DNR - Boat Access Sites, Shore Fishing Sites, and DNR Parking Lots. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
| Date | Species | Count | Size |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025* | Walleye (large fingerling) | 739 | ~6.9" |
| 2024* | Muskellunge (large fingerling) | 70 | ~11.5" |
* 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 Dowling Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Wisconsin fishing regulations →
Dowling Lake is about 13 ft (4 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 walleye, yellow perch, northern pike, muskellunge, largemouth bass, crappie, bluegill, pumpkinseed on Dowling 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.
Shoreline break is the top-rated area: a drop-off in about 6 ft of water that rates prime for walleye in fall. Scroll up to the map for the complete spot list by species and season.
For walleye, the summer bite is best in the evening and 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, Dowling Lake was most recently stocked 2025 with 739 walleye (large fingerling). The full stocking history is listed above.
Fishing on Dowling 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.
Amnicon Lake 1 mi · Lake Newman 1 mi · Lyman Lake 3 mi · Long Lake 3 mi · Round Lake 3 mi · Tozer Lake 6 mi · Moose Lake 7 mi · Breitzman Lake 8 mi · Black Lake 13 mi, WI/MN · Park Creek Pond 14 mi · Steele Lake 14 mi · Twin Lakes 14 mi
See how Dowling Lake stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in Wisconsin · best walleye lakes in Wisconsin · best northern pike lakes in Wisconsin · best crappie lakes in Wisconsin
More water nearby: Douglas County fishing maps (103 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.