Sign inSign up free Sign inSign up free Sign inSign up freeShared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.
293-acre lake near Vilas County. The lake tops out around 26 ft. The depth chart is built from real state fisheries GPS surveys, so the humps, channels and drop-offs you see are measured, not guessed. Species by species, here's what the data says the year looks like.
On the chart, Escanaba Lake draws 302 acres inside 4.8 miles of shoreline — 2 islands included. Index 2 on the shoreline: a few honest points and pockets, nothing labyrinthine. Roughly 46% of the water is 15 ft or less, the band where the food chain lives. End to end it runs roughly 1.1 mi, about 0.9 mi across. You'll find it in Vilas County. For a second option, Pallette Lake lies 1 mi west.
Early season walleye use the shallows, holding in 4 to 15 ft. Expect a summer slide to 8 to 26 ft, then a winter hold in 8 to 26 ft. Put Break off the point first on the milk run — a drop-off near 19 ft that grades prime for fall. In summer the feeding windows fall in the evening and early morning. Tie on a crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (15 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 8 to 26 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (19 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 8 to 26 ft | dusk & night | Break off the point (19 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 8 to 26 ft | dusk & dawn | Deep basin (26 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
Spring puts northern pike in skinny water — 2 to 8 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 8 to 20 ft; cold water stacks them in 5 to 15 ft. Shallow bay flat is the standout, a weed flat at roughly 2 ft, rated prime for spring northern pike. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. A bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (19 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (19 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Back-bay flat (3 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: muskellunge in 3 to 12 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 8 to 25 ft before dropping to 8 to 26 ft for winter. The spot to know is Break off the point, a drop-off in about 19 ft of water that rates prime for muskellunge in fall. Plan around the evening and early morning in the warm months. Summer baits: a double-10 bucktail or a topwater (walk-the-dog / creeper) gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dusk | Back-bay flat (3 ft) | Smaller bucktail (#8 blades), 6" glide bait |
| Summer | 8 to 25 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (15 ft) | Double-10 bucktail, Topwater (walk-the-dog / creeper) |
| Fall | 7 to 26 ft | midday & dusk | Break off the point (19 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), 10"+ glide bait |
| Winter | 8 to 26 ft | midday | Deep basin (26 ft) | Large rubber, crawled slow |
In spring, largemouth bass run shallow here, mostly 2 to 10 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 8 to 20 ft before dropping to 8 to 26 ft for winter. Spring largemouth bass concentrate at Shallow bay flat, a prime-rated weed flat around 2 ft. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (19 ft) | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (15 ft) | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 8 to 26 ft | midday | Break off the point (19 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
Spring puts smallmouth bass in skinny water — 3 to 12 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 8 to 26 ft; cold water stacks them in 8 to 26 ft. Main-lake point is the standout, a point at roughly 15 ft, rated prime for fall smallmouth bass. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. A drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Secondary point (13 ft) | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 8 to 26 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (19 ft) | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 8 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (15 ft) | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 8 to 26 ft | midday | Break off the point (19 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: bluegill in 1 to 6 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 4 to 15 ft before dropping to 10 to 25 ft for winter. The spot to know is Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in about 2 ft of water that rates prime for bluegill in spring. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. Summer baits: a small sponge spider (fly) or a micro tube jig gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 6 ft | midday & dusk | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | 1/32 oz jig + micro plastic, Tiny popper (evenings) |
| Summer | 4 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Back-bay flat (3 ft) | Small sponge spider (fly), Micro tube jig |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday | Break off the point (19 ft) | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 10 to 25 ft | midday | Deep basin (26 ft) | Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon |
Escanaba Lake also holds crappie (10 to 25 ft in summer), yellow perch (8 to 26 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
Count 6 structure marks on this chart. The deepest, Deep basin, sits near 26 ft.
Access data: Wisconsin DNR — Boat Access Sites. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Wisconsin waters are set by the Wisconsin DNR — and special regulations can apply to Escanaba Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Wisconsin fishing regulations →
Escanaba Lake is about 26 ft (8 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart here comes from real state fisheries GPS surveys, so the contours reflect measured depths.
Anglers target walleye, northern pike, muskellunge, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch on Escanaba Lake.
Break off the point is the top-rated area: a drop-off in about 19 ft of water that rates prime for walleye in fall. The map above holds the full rated-spot list for every 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.
Fishing on Escanaba 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.
Pallette Lake 1 mi · Nebish Lake 1 mi · Lost Canoe Lake 1 mi · Mystery Lake 1 mi · Spruce Lake 1 mi · White Sand Lake 2 mi · Allequash Springs 2 mi · Nellie Lake 2 mi · Bobs Lake 3 mi · Starrett Lake 3 mi · Frank Lake 3 mi · Blueberry Lake 3 mi
See how Escanaba Lake stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in Wisconsin · best smallmouth bass lakes in Wisconsin · best walleye lakes in Wisconsin · best northern pike lakes in Wisconsin
More water nearby: Vilas County fishing maps (507 charts). Browse all Wisconsin fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: state fisheries survey programs. 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.