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Rating depth structure for crappie.
Shared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.
14-acre lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin. The lake tops out around 18 ft. Contours on this water are modeled from its actual shoreline and max depth. Good for finding likely water, never for navigation. Species by species, here's what the data says the year looks like.
The outline encloses 14 acres, worked by 0.7 miles of shoreline. The basin is a simple one (shoreline index 1.3) — close to a bowl, so the structure on the chart matters more than the bank. The shallow band under 15 ft claims about 60% of the surface on the model — that's where the groceries are. It sits in Vilas County. If the bite dies, Lake O' Pines is 0 mi to the southwest.
The spring pattern is a shallow one: yellow perch in 3 to 12 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 5 to 18 ft before dropping to 5 to 18 ft for winter. The spot to know is Deep basin, a deep basin in about 15 ft of water that rates prime for yellow perch in fall. Plan around early morning in the warm months. 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 | 5 to 18 ft | dawn | Deep basin (15 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 5 to 18 ft | midday | Deep basin (15 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 5 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (15 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
When the water first warms, crappie slide up into 2 to 8 ft. Summer is a 5 to 18 ft game here, winter a 5 to 18 ft one. Start at Deep basin. It's a deep basin holding about 15 ft of water and rates prime come winter. The feeding windows run 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 | 5 to 18 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (8 ft) | Jig trolled/spider-rigged, Small crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 5 to 18 ft | dawn | Break off the point (8 ft) | Jig + minnow combo, Small swimbait (1.5-2") |
| Winter | 5 to 18 ft | midday | Deep basin (15 ft) | Tungsten jig + soft plastic, Tiny jigging spoon |
Come spring, look for bluegill tight to the bank in 1 to 6 ft. Expect a summer slide to 4 to 15 ft, then a winter hold in 5 to 18 ft. Start at Deep basin. It's a deep basin holding about 15 ft of water and rates prime come winter. Prime time lands in 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 (8 ft) | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 5 to 18 ft | midday | Deep basin (15 ft) | Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon |
Start shallow in spring: pumpkinseed sit in 1 to 8 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 2 to 10 ft, and winter fish settle into 6 to 18 ft. The spot to know is Deep basin, a deep basin in about 15 ft of water that rates prime for pumpkinseed in winter. Warm-month bites cluster around the evening and early morning. 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 (8 ft) | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 6 to 18 ft | dawn | Deep basin (15 ft) | Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon |
The chart marks 3 structure features on Perch Lake; the deepest is Deep basin at about 15 ft.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Wisconsin waters are set by the Wisconsin DNR — and special regulations can apply to Perch Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Wisconsin fishing regulations →
Perch Lake is about 18 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 yellow perch, crappie, bluegill, pumpkinseed on Perch 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 15 ft of water that rates prime for yellow perch in fall. 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 Perch 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 O' Pines 0 mi · Little Portage Lake 1 mi · Mill Lake 1 mi · Pinkeye Lake 1 mi · Landing Lake 1 mi · Curve Lake 2 mi · Lac des Fleurs 2 mi · Big Portage Lake 2 mi · Little Bateau Lake 3 mi · George Lake 3 mi · Ethel Lake 3 mi · Big Bateau Lake 3 mi, MI
See how Perch 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: 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.