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Rating depth structure for crappie.
Shared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.
561-acre lake in Green Lake County, Wisconsin. The lake tops out around 6 ft. The depth chart comes from published agency bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled. What follows comes from the same scoring engine that paints the spots above.
Traced from the shoreline, Lake Maria runs 561 acres with 3.8 miles of edge. Its 1.1 shoreline index means few bank features; the contours below do the pattern work. The whole water is littoral — nothing here runs deeper than ~15 ft, so it's all weed-and-bait territory. The basin spans about 1.4 mi end to end and 1 mi across at its widest. The water lies in Green Lake County. For a second option, Lake Emily lies 2 mi southeast.
Early season yellow perch use the shallows, holding in 2 to 6 ft. Even in summer they hold at 2 to 6 ft; winter keeps them in 2 to 6 ft. Put Shallow bay flat first on the milk run — a weed flat near 2 ft that grades prime for spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning. Tie on a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 6 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 2 to 6 ft | dawn | Deep basin (6 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 2 to 6 ft | midday | Deep basin (6 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 2 to 6 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (6 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
In spring, crappie run shallow here, mostly 2 to 6 ft. Summer keeps them at 2 to 6 ft, and they winter in 2 to 6 ft. Deep basin is the standout, a deep basin at roughly 6 ft, rated prime for winter crappie. Time it for early morning and the evening. You won't need more than a jig trolled/spider-rigged or a small crankbait (trolled) most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 6 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | 1/16 oz jig + tube, Curly-tail grub |
| Summer | 2 to 6 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | Jig trolled/spider-rigged, Small crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 2 to 6 ft | dawn | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | Jig + minnow combo, Small swimbait (1.5-2") |
| Winter | 2 to 6 ft | midday | Deep basin (6 ft) | Tungsten jig + soft plastic, Tiny jigging spoon |
Start shallow in spring: bluegill sit in 1 to 6 ft that time of year. They don't go far with the seasons — 2 to 6 ft covers summer, 2 to 6 ft covers 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. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. Throw a small sponge spider (fly) or a micro tube jig until the fish tell you otherwise.
| 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 | 2 to 6 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | Small sponge spider (fly), Micro tube jig |
| Fall | 2 to 6 ft | midday | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 2 to 6 ft | midday | Deep basin (6 ft) | Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon |
The chart marks 6 structure features on Lake Maria; the deepest is Deep basin at about 6 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 Lake Maria specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Wisconsin fishing regulations →
Lake Maria is about 6 ft (2 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 yellow perch, crappie, bluegill on Lake Maria. 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.
Shallow bay flat is the top-rated area: a weed flat in about 2 ft of water that rates prime for yellow perch in spring. Scroll up to the map for the complete spot list by species and season.
For yellow perch, the summer bite is best in 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 Lake Maria 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.
Lake Emily 2 mi · Fox Lake 6 mi · Little Green Lake 6 mi · Grand Lake (Millpond) 7 mi · Spring Lake 9 mi · Tarrant Lake 9 mi · Fairwater Pond 9 mi · Spring Lake 10 mi · Twin Lakes 10 mi · Little Twin Lake 10 mi · Big Green Lake 11 mi · Lake Puckaway 11 mi
See how Lake Maria stacks up: best crappie lakes in Wisconsin · best bluegill lakes in Wisconsin · best yellow perch lakes in Wisconsin
More water nearby: Green Lake County fishing maps (11 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.