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Rating depth structure for crappie.
Shared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.
8-acre lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin. The lake tops out around 21 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. The season-by-season read for each species follows, from the map's own numbers.
The drawn water covers 8 acres wrapped in 0.4 miles of bank. Nearly circular (index 1.1), so the story is the bottom, not the bank. Littoral water — the productive band under ~15 ft — makes up 45% of this chart, as modeled. Vilas County claims this one. Its nearest charted neighbour, Perch Lake, is 0 mi to the northeast.
The spring pattern is a shallow one: yellow perch in 3 to 12 ft. As the season builds they drop to 6 to 21 ft, wintering in 6 to 21 ft. Top water on the chart: Deep basin, a deep basin in the 18 ft range, prime in fall. Time it for early morning. Summer baits: a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | open water | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 6 to 21 ft | dawn | Deep basin (18 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 6 to 21 ft | midday | Deep basin (18 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 6 to 21 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (18 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
When the water first warms, crappie slide up into 2 to 8 ft. By summer they slide out to 6 to 21 ft, and by winter most fish are in 6 to 21 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Deep basin: a deep basin around 18 ft that scores prime in winter. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Keep a jig trolled/spider-rigged or a small crankbait (trolled) rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | open water | 1/16 oz jig + tube, Curly-tail grub |
| Summer | 6 to 21 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (9 ft) | Jig trolled/spider-rigged, Small crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 8 to 20 ft | dawn | Break off the point (9 ft) | Jig + minnow combo, Small swimbait (1.5-2") |
| Winter | 6 to 21 ft | midday | Deep basin (18 ft) | Tungsten jig + soft plastic, Tiny jigging spoon |
Come spring, look for bluegill tight to the bank in 1 to 6 ft. They move out to 4 to 15 ft in summer and finish the year down in 6 to 21 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Deep basin: a deep basin around 18 ft that scores prime in winter. Best bite is early morning and the evening. A small sponge spider (fly) or a micro tube jig is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 6 ft | midday & dusk | open water | 1/32 oz jig + micro plastic, Tiny popper (evenings) |
| Summer | 4 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Small sponge spider (fly), Micro tube jig |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday | Break off the point (9 ft) | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 6 to 21 ft | midday | Deep basin (18 ft) | Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon |
Start shallow in spring: pumpkinseed sit in 1 to 8 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 2 to 10 ft; cold water stacks them in 6 to 18 ft. Top water on the chart: Deep basin, a deep basin in the 18 ft range, prime in winter. Fish it in the evening and early morning and you'll meet the bite. Throw a micro tube or a sponge spider (fly) until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 8 ft | midday & dusk | open water | Micro jig under a float, Tiny beetle-spin |
| Summer | 2 to 10 ft | dusk & dawn | open water | Micro tube, Sponge spider (fly) |
| Fall | 4 to 14 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (9 ft) | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 6 to 18 ft | dawn | Deep basin (18 ft) | Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon |
3 pieces of structure are mapped here — Deep basin, around 18 ft, is the deepest of them.
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 O' Pines specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Wisconsin fishing regulations →
Lake O' Pines is about 21 ft (6 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 yellow perch, crappie, bluegill, pumpkinseed on Lake O' Pines. 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.
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 18 ft of water that rates prime for yellow perch in fall. Every other rated spot, per species and season, is on the map above.
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 O' Pines 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.
Perch Lake 0 mi · Little Portage Lake 1 mi · Pinkeye Lake 1 mi · Landing Lake 2 mi · Mill Lake 2 mi · Big Portage Lake 2 mi · Curve Lake 2 mi · Lac des Fleurs 2 mi · George Lake 3 mi · Little Bateau Lake 3 mi · Ethel Lake 3 mi · Kenu Lake 3 mi
See how Lake O' Pines stacks up: best crappie lakes in Wisconsin · best bluegill lakes in Wisconsin · best yellow perch lakes in Wisconsin · best pumpkinseed lakes in Wisconsin
More water nearby: Vilas County fishing maps (507 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.