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Rating depth structure for rainbow trout.
Recent public catches load as you reach this section.
135-acre USACE flowage near Spring Valley, covered by the July 9, 2014 Lake George depth survey. The lake tops out around 29 ft. The depth chart comes from U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Paul District bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled. Here's the year, species by species, as the scoring engine sees it.
George Lake*(Spring Valley) maps at 107 acres behind 5 miles of shoreline, with 2305 islands in the mix. A development index of 3.4 means a maze of bays and points: far more casting targets than a round bowl of the same size. 73% of the surface is littoral (under ~15 ft) — cover, weeds and forage water. Tip to tip the water measures near 0.6 mi with a 0.5-mi widest point. St. Croix County claims this one. Nugget Lake sits 13 mi south — the closest neighbouring chart.
When the water first warms, rainbow trout slide up into 5 to 20 ft. Summer is an 8 to 29 ft game here, winter a 6 to 29 ft one. Start at USACE surveyed 10 ft depth band. It's a drop-off holding about 10 ft of water and rates good come winter. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. Keep a dodger + spoon (deep troll) or a flutter spoon rigged through the warm months.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | USACE surveyed 10 ft depth band (10 ft) | Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon |
| Summer | 8 to 29 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | USACE surveyed 10 ft depth band (10 ft) | Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon |
| Fall | 8 to 29 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | USACE surveyed 10 ft depth band (10 ft) | Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals |
| Winter | 6 to 29 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 40 ft | dawn | USACE surveyed 10 ft depth band (10 ft) | Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white) |
In spring, yellow perch run shallow here, mostly 3 to 12 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 9 to 29 ft, and winter fish settle into 9 to 29 ft. USACE surveyed deepest basin is the standout, a deep basin at roughly 26 ft, rated prime for fall 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.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | USACE surveyed 2 ft depth band (2 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 9 to 29 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 30 ft | dawn | USACE surveyed 10 ft depth band (10 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 9 to 29 ft chart-limited; documented 12 to 35 ft | midday | USACE surveyed deepest basin (26 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 9 to 29 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | USACE surveyed deepest basin (26 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Spring largemouth bass on George Lake*(Spring Valley) hold shallow, usually 2 to 10 ft. By summer they slide out to 8 to 20 ft, and by winter most fish are in 9 to 29 ft. The chart's best answer is USACE surveyed 10 ft depth band — drop-off, 10 ft, prime for winter. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | USACE surveyed 2 ft depth band (2 ft) | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | USACE surveyed 10 ft depth band (10 ft) | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | open water | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 9 to 29 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 35 ft | midday | USACE surveyed 10 ft depth band (10 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
Early season crappie use the shallows, holding in 2 to 8 ft. Expect a summer slide to 10 to 25 ft, then a winter hold in 9 to 29 ft. Put USACE surveyed deepest basin first on the milk run — a deep basin near 26 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.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | USACE surveyed 2 ft depth band (2 ft) | 1/16 oz jig + tube, Curly-tail grub |
| Summer | 10 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | USACE surveyed 10 ft depth band (10 ft) | Jig trolled/spider-rigged, Small crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 8 to 20 ft | dawn | USACE surveyed 10 ft depth band (10 ft) | Jig + minnow combo, Small swimbait (1.5-2") |
| Winter | 9 to 29 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 35 ft | midday | USACE surveyed deepest basin (26 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 10 to 25 ft one. The chart's best answer is USACE surveyed deepest basin — deep basin, 26 ft, good for winter. 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 | USACE surveyed 2 ft depth band (2 ft) | 1/32 oz jig + micro plastic, Tiny popper (evenings) |
| Summer | 4 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | USACE surveyed 2 ft depth band (2 ft) | Small sponge spider (fly), Micro tube jig |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday | USACE surveyed 10 ft depth band (10 ft) | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 10 to 25 ft | midday | USACE surveyed deepest basin (26 ft) | Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon |
The chart marks 4 structure features on George Lake*(Spring Valley); the deepest is USACE surveyed deepest basin at about 26 ft.
Access data: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) — community-mapped launches. 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 George Lake*(Spring Valley) specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Wisconsin fishing regulations →
George Lake*(Spring Valley) is about 29 ft (9 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart comes from U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Paul District bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled.
Anglers target rainbow trout, yellow perch, largemouth bass, crappie, bluegill on George Lake*(Spring Valley). 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.
USACE surveyed deepest basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 26 ft of water that rates prime for yellow perch in fall. The interactive chart above rates every spot for each species and season.
For rainbow trout, the summer bite is best in early morning and the evening. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.
Fishing on George Lake*(Spring Valley) 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.
Nugget Lake 13 mi · Pine Lake 13 mi · Lake Eau Galle 15 mi · Lake Menomin 17 mi · Kinnickinnic River 18 mi · Kinnickinnic Pond, Upper 19 mi · Schlosser Lake 19 mi · Tainter Lake 20 mi · Thompson Lake 20 mi · Silver Birch Lake 21 mi · Dry Dam Lake 22 mi · Dead Lake 22 mi
See how George Lake*(Spring Valley) stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in Wisconsin · best crappie lakes in Wisconsin · best bluegill lakes in Wisconsin · best rainbow trout lakes in Wisconsin
More water nearby: St. Croix County fishing maps (11 charts). Browse all Wisconsin fishing maps. See every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Paul District Eau Galle Master Plan USACE Surveyed Bathymetry (undefined; 100% measured, 0% source-interpolated). 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.