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Rating depth structure for crappie.
Shared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.
5-acre lake in Iron County, Wisconsin. The lake tops out around 14 ft. Depth here is modeled from the true shoreline and max depth rather than surveyed; use it to plan, not to navigate. Below is the species-by-species picture, pulled from the same data the map uses.
The drawn water covers 5 acres wrapped in 0.4 miles of bank. Nearly circular (index 1.1), so the story is the bottom, not the bank. There is no deep basin to speak of — the entire surface is under ~15 ft, prime weed water end to end. Iron County claims this one. Its nearest charted neighbour, Lake Nine, is 3 mi to the south.
Spring puts yellow perch in skinny water — 3 to 12 ft is the zone. As the season builds they drop to 4 to 14 ft, wintering in 4 to 14 ft. Fall yellow perch concentrate at Deep basin, a prime-rated deep basin around 12 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning. A drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm covers the summer program.
| 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 | 4 to 14 ft | dawn | Deep basin (12 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 4 to 14 ft | midday | Deep basin (12 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 4 to 14 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (12 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Spring crappie on Minnow Lake hold shallow, usually 2 to 8 ft. By summer they slide out to 4 to 14 ft, and by winter most fish are in 4 to 14 ft. The chart's best answer is Deep basin — deep basin, 12 ft, prime for winter. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a jig trolled/spider-rigged or a small crankbait (trolled).
| 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 | 4 to 14 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (6 ft) | Jig trolled/spider-rigged, Small crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 4 to 14 ft | dawn | Break off the point (6 ft) | Jig + minnow combo, Small swimbait (1.5-2") |
| Winter | 4 to 14 ft | midday | Deep basin (12 ft) | Tungsten jig + soft plastic, Tiny jigging spoon |
Spring bluegill on Minnow Lake hold shallow, usually 1 to 6 ft. They move out to 4 to 14 ft in summer and finish the year down in 4 to 14 ft. Put Deep basin first on the milk run — a deep basin near 12 ft that grades prime for winter. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a small sponge spider (fly) or a micro tube jig.
| 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 14 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Small sponge spider (fly), Micro tube jig |
| Fall | 4 to 14 ft | midday | Break off the point (6 ft) | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 4 to 14 ft | midday | Deep basin (12 ft) | Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon |
Spring puts pumpkinseed in skinny water — 1 to 8 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 2 to 10 ft; cold water stacks them in 4 to 14 ft. Deep basin is the standout, a deep basin at roughly 12 ft, rated prime for winter pumpkinseed. Plan around the evening and early morning in the warm months. A micro tube or a sponge spider (fly) covers the summer program.
| 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 (6 ft) | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 4 to 14 ft | dawn | Deep basin (12 ft) | Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon |
Minnow Lake carries 3 mapped structure features, topping out (or rather bottoming out) at Deep basin, about 12 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 Minnow Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Wisconsin fishing regulations →
Minnow Lake is about 14 ft (4 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 Minnow 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.
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 12 ft of water that rates prime for yellow perch in fall. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each 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 Minnow 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.
Lake Nine 3 mi · Sand Lake 5 mi · Fox Lake 5 mi · Hay Creek Flowage 5 mi · Nokomis Lake 5 mi · Island Lake 5 mi · Dead Horse Lake 5 mi · Turtle-Flambeau Flowage 5 mi · Sister Lakes 6 mi · Fawn Lake 6 mi · Trude Lake 6 mi · Third Black Lake 6 mi
See how Minnow Lake 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: 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.