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Rating depth structure for smallmouth bass.
Shared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.
345-acre lake in Iron County, Wisconsin. The lake tops out around 17 ft. The contours are modeled from the water's real shoreline and maximum depth. Treat them as a rough guide, and never use them for navigation. Species by species, here's what the data says the year looks like.
Island Lake maps at 346 acres behind 6.4 miles of shoreline — one island included. An index of 2.5 puts the bank firmly in maze territory: point after pocket after cove, every one a casting target. The shallow band under 15 ft claims about 94% of the surface on the model — that's where the groceries are. Tip to tip the water measures near 1.7 mi with a 0.8-mi widest point. It sits in Iron County. Ruby Lake sits 1 mi east — the closest neighbouring chart.
Spring puts walleye in skinny water — 4 to 15 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 5 to 17 ft; cold water stacks them in 5 to 17 ft. Break off the point is the standout, a drop-off at roughly 8 ft, rated prime for fall walleye. Plan around the evening and early morning in the warm months. A crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (8 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 5 to 17 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (8 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 5 to 17 ft | dusk & night | Break off the point (8 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 5 to 17 ft | dusk & dawn | Deep basin (14 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
Start shallow in spring: yellow perch sit in 3 to 12 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 5 to 17 ft; cold water stacks them in 5 to 17 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 you'll meet the bite. Throw a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm until the fish tell you otherwise.
| 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 | 5 to 17 ft | dawn | Deep basin (14 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 5 to 17 ft | midday | Deep basin (14 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 5 to 17 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (14 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Come spring, look for northern pike tight to the bank in 2 to 8 ft. They move out to 5 to 17 ft in summer and finish the year down in 5 to 15 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 and the evening. A bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage is the honest summer answer here.
| 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 | 5 to 17 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (8 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 5 to 17 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (8 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
When the water first warms, muskellunge slide up into 3 to 12 ft. By summer they slide out to 5 to 17 ft, and by winter most fish are in 5 to 17 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Break off the point: a drop-off around 8 ft that scores prime in fall. In summer the feeding windows fall in the evening and early morning. Keep a double-10 bucktail or a topwater (walk-the-dog / creeper) rigged through the warm months.
| 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 | 5 to 17 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (8 ft) | Double-10 bucktail, Topwater (walk-the-dog / creeper) |
| Fall | 5 to 17 ft | midday & dusk | Break off the point (8 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), 10"+ glide bait |
| Winter | 5 to 17 ft | midday | Deep basin (14 ft) | Large rubber, crawled slow |
Come spring, look for smallmouth bass tight to the bank in 3 to 12 ft. They move out to 5 to 17 ft in summer and finish the year down in 5 to 17 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Main-lake point: a point around 8 ft that scores prime in fall. Best bite is early morning and the evening. A drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (8 ft) | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 5 to 17 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (8 ft) | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 5 to 17 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (8 ft) | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 5 to 17 ft | midday | Break off the point (8 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
Come spring, look for crappie tight to the bank in 2 to 8 ft. They move out to 5 to 17 ft in summer and finish the year down in 5 to 17 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Deep basin: a deep basin around 14 ft that scores prime in winter. Best bite is early morning and the evening. A jig trolled/spider-rigged or a small crankbait (trolled) is the honest summer answer here.
| 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 | 5 to 17 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (8 ft) | Jig trolled/spider-rigged, Small crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 5 to 17 ft | dawn | Break off the point (8 ft) | Jig + minnow combo, Small swimbait (1.5-2") |
| Winter | 5 to 17 ft | midday | Deep basin (14 ft) | Tungsten jig + soft plastic, Tiny jigging spoon |
Island Lake also holds bluegill (4 to 15 ft in summer), pumpkinseed (2 to 10 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
The chart marks 6 structure features on Island Lake; the deepest is Deep basin at about 14 ft.
Access data: Wisconsin DNR - Boat Access Sites, Shore Fishing Sites, and DNR Parking Lots. 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 Island Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Wisconsin fishing regulations →
Island Lake is about 17 ft (5 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, smallmouth bass, crappie, bluegill, pumpkinseed on Island 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 8 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.
Fishing on Island 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.
Ruby Lake 1 mi · Sack Lake 1 mi · Pleasant Lake 2 mi · Lake Six 2 mi · Horseshoe Lake 2 mi · Fifteen Lake 3 mi · Mud Lake 3 mi · Moose Lake 5 mi · Lake One 5 mi · Twin Lakes 5 mi · Obadash Lake 5 mi · O'Brien Lake 5 mi
See how Island Lake stacks up: best smallmouth bass lakes in Wisconsin · best walleye lakes in Wisconsin · best northern pike lakes in Wisconsin · best crappie lakes in Wisconsin
More water nearby: Iron County fishing maps (158 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.