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Rating depth structure for largemouth bass.
Shared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.
86-acre lake in Iron County, Wisconsin. The lake tops out around 16 ft. The depth chart comes from published agency bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled. Every species below gets its seasonal read from the same numbers driving the chart.
The outline encloses 86 acres, worked by 2.7 miles of shoreline. A middling shoreline index (2.1) gives it some bays to work without being a maze. About 86% of the surface sits shallower than 15 ft — that's the weed-and-bait zone. End to end it runs roughly 0.9 mi, about 0.3 mi across. Iron County claims this one. If the bite dies, Boot Lake is 1 mi to the northeast.
The spring pattern is a shallow one: walleye in 4 to 15 ft. As the season builds they drop to 5 to 16 ft, wintering in 5 to 16 ft. Top water on the chart: Break off the point, a drop-off in the 7 ft range, prime in fall. Time it for the evening and early morning. Summer baits: a crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (4 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 5 to 16 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (7 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 5 to 16 ft | dusk & night | Break off the point (7 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 5 to 16 ft | dusk & dawn | Deep basin (16 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
In spring, yellow perch run shallow here, mostly 3 to 12 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 5 to 16 ft, and winter fish settle into 5 to 16 ft. Shallow bay flat is the standout, a weed flat at roughly 5 ft, rated prime for spring yellow perch. Time it for early morning. You won't need more than a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm most summer days.
| 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 | 5 to 16 ft | dawn | Deep basin (16 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 5 to 16 ft | midday | Deep basin (16 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 5 to 16 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (16 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Early season muskellunge use the shallows, holding in 3 to 12 ft. Summer is a 5 to 16 ft game here, winter a 5 to 16 ft one. The chart's best answer is Break off the point — drop-off, 7 ft, prime for fall. Best bite is the evening and early morning. Tie on a double-10 bucktail or a topwater (walk-the-dog / creeper) and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dusk | Shallow bay flat (5 ft) | Smaller bucktail (#8 blades), 6" glide bait |
| Summer | 5 to 16 ft | dusk & dawn | Secondary point (9 ft) | Double-10 bucktail, Topwater (walk-the-dog / creeper) |
| Fall | 4 to 16 ft | midday & dusk | Break off the point (7 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), 10"+ glide bait |
| Winter | 5 to 16 ft | midday | Deep basin (16 ft) | Large rubber, crawled slow |
Spring largemouth bass on French Lake hold shallow, usually 2 to 10 ft. By summer they slide out to 5 to 16 ft, and by winter most fish are in 5 to 16 ft. The chart's best answer is Shallow bay flat — weed flat, 5 ft, prime for spring. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (5 ft) | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 5 to 16 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (5 ft) | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (4 ft) | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 5 to 16 ft | midday | Break off the point (7 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
Early season crappie use the shallows, holding in 2 to 8 ft. Expect a summer slide to 5 to 16 ft, then a winter hold in 5 to 16 ft. Put Deep basin first on the milk run — a deep basin near 16 ft that grades prime for 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 | 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 | 5 to 16 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (5 ft) | Jig trolled/spider-rigged, Small crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 5 to 16 ft | dawn | Shallow bay flat (5 ft) | Jig + minnow combo, Small swimbait (1.5-2") |
| Winter | 5 to 16 ft | midday | Deep basin (16 ft) | Tungsten jig + soft plastic, Tiny jigging spoon |
Early season bluegill use the shallows, holding in 1 to 6 ft. Summer is a 4 to 15 ft game here, winter a 5 to 16 ft one. The chart's best answer is Shallow bay flat — weed flat, 5 ft, prime for spring. Best bite is 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 | 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 | 5 to 16 ft | midday | Shallow bay flat (5 ft) | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 5 to 16 ft | midday | Deep basin (16 ft) | Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon |
French Lake also holds pumpkinseed (2 to 10 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
French Lake carries 6 mapped structure features, topping out (or rather bottoming out) at Deep basin, about 16 ft down.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Wisconsin waters are set by the Wisconsin DNR — and special regulations can apply to French Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Wisconsin fishing regulations →
French Lake is about 16 ft (5 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart comes from published agency bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled.
Anglers target walleye, yellow perch, muskellunge, largemouth bass, crappie, bluegill, pumpkinseed on French 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.
Break off the point is the top-rated area: a drop-off in about 7 ft of water that rates prime for walleye in fall. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each 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 French 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.
Boot Lake 1 mi · Ess Lake 1 mi · Charnley Lake 1 mi · Norma Lake 1 mi · Sister Lakes 1 mi · Island Lake 1 mi · Fawn Lake 2 mi · Upper Springstead Lake 2 mi · Stone Lake 2 mi · Lower Springstead Lake 2 mi · Teal Lake 2 mi · Little Muskie Lake 2 mi
See how French Lake stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in Wisconsin · best walleye lakes in Wisconsin · best crappie lakes in Wisconsin · best bluegill lakes in Wisconsin
More water nearby: Iron County fishing maps (158 charts). Browse all Wisconsin fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry: published agency survey data. 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.