Perch Lake Depth Map & Fishing Spots (Jefferson County, WI)

Lake depth chart

Perch Lake, WI

Max 7 ft

Today's read

Where to start

Fall shiner run window is on — see the hatch outlook

Target species

Species from state lake data, resolved by location. These species come from the Wisconsin DNR's own per-lake fish listing. Where the DNR reports a group rather than a species — “panfish”, “catfish”, “trout” — the specific species are resolved from Wisconsin's fish distribution by this lake's location, depth and habitat, so those are an informed estimate, not a per-species survey. The named gamefish (walleye, musky, bass, pike, sturgeon…) are the DNR's own listing. (The depth chart is a computer-generated estimate from the lake's real shoreline and the DNR's maximum depth — not measured contours.) How we estimate species →

Hatch outlook

Fall shiner runActive window

Typical here: Sep 1 – Oct 31 · colder nights and shortening days start the push in early September — shiners slide out of open water toward warmer shallows and run up the rivers; the Rainy River run off Lake of the Woods is the marquee version

adultdaylight for the jig bite; after dark the shiners stack under dock lights with walleyes and pike mixed right in — follow the bait, not the spot — millions of shiners move together and the predators ride with them; silver profile and flash matter

Concentrates hard but travels — the school (and the walleyes under it) can be off a river mouth one week and miles upriver the next.

Jig-and-minnow is the event's signature — a frozen emerald shiner on a 1/4 oz jig drifted along the run; silver jerkbaits and trolled crankbaits take the roaming fish; blade baits under the schools.

The event happens over river mouths and the first miles upriver, warming shallow shorelines, and rocky points where the displaced bait stacks

Next on this water

Fall frog migration · forageSep 25 – Nov 10 · in ~3 weeks

Hex (giant mayfly) · mayflyJun 15 – Aug 15 · in ~10 months

Recommendations come from depth structure and seasonal species behavior. Treat them as a starting point, not a guarantee. Contours on this water are approximations. Never use for navigation. Always check local regulations.

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Recent catches at Perch Lake

Shared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.

No shared catches here yet — be the first.Log a catch from the map above and share it to put Perch Lake on the board.

Fishing Perch Lake: what the data says

5-acre lake in Jefferson County, Wisconsin. The lake tops out around 7 ft. The contours come from a model of the real basin shape and its known max depth. Read them as probabilities, not soundings, and keep them out of navigation decisions. What follows comes from the same scoring engine that paints the spots above.

Drawn out, this is 5 acres of water rimmed by 0.4 miles of bank. 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 whole water is littoral — nothing here runs deeper than ~15 ft, so it's all weed-and-bait territory. The water lies in Jefferson County. Closest neighbour on DepthScout: Mud Lake, 1 mi east of here.

Yellow Perch fishing at Perch Lake

Come spring, look for yellow perch tight to the bank in 2 to 7 ft. Through summer count on 2 to 7 ft; the winter hold is 2 to 7 ft. Start at Deep basin. It's a deep basin holding about 6 ft of water and rates prime come fall. Prime time lands in early morning. A drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm is the honest summer answer here.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	2 to 7 ft	midday & dawn	open water	Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank
Summer	2 to 7 ft	dawn	Deep basin (6 ft)	Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm
Fall	2 to 7 ft	midday	Deep basin (6 ft)	Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader
Winter	2 to 7 ft	midday & dawn	Deep basin (6 ft)	Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small)

Northern Pike fishing at Perch Lake

Start shallow in spring: northern pike sit in 2 to 7 ft that time of year. They don't go far with the seasons — 2 to 7 ft covers summer, 2 to 7 ft covers winter. The spot to know is Break off the point, a drop-off in about 3 ft of water that rates prime for northern pike in fall. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. Throw a bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage until the fish tell you otherwise.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	2 to 7 ft	midday & dawn	open water	#5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white)
Summer	2 to 7 ft	dawn & dusk	Break off the point (3 ft)	Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage
Fall	2 to 7 ft	midday & dawn	Break off the point (3 ft)	Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait
Winter	2 to 7 ft	midday	Main-lake point (7 ft)	Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon

Crappie fishing at Perch Lake

Start shallow in spring: crappie sit in 2 to 7 ft that time of year. They don't go far with the seasons — 2 to 7 ft covers summer, 2 to 7 ft covers winter. The spot to know is Deep basin, a deep basin in about 6 ft of water that rates prime for crappie in winter. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. Throw a jig trolled/spider-rigged or a small crankbait (trolled) until the fish tell you otherwise.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	2 to 7 ft	midday & dawn	open water	1/16 oz jig + tube, Curly-tail grub
Summer	2 to 7 ft	dawn & dusk	Break off the point (3 ft)	Jig trolled/spider-rigged, Small crankbait (trolled)
Fall	2 to 7 ft	dawn	Break off the point (3 ft)	Jig + minnow combo, Small swimbait (1.5-2")
Winter	2 to 7 ft	midday	Deep basin (6 ft)	Tungsten jig + soft plastic, Tiny jigging spoon

Bluegill fishing at Perch Lake

In spring, bluegill run shallow here, mostly 1 to 6 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 2 to 7 ft, and winter fish settle into 2 to 7 ft. Deep basin is the standout, a deep basin at roughly 6 ft, rated prime for winter bluegill. Time it for early morning and the evening. You won't need more than a small sponge spider (fly) or a micro tube jig most summer days.

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	2 to 7 ft	dawn & dusk	open water	Small sponge spider (fly), Micro tube jig
Fall	2 to 7 ft	midday	Break off the point (3 ft)	Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped
Winter	2 to 7 ft	midday	Deep basin (6 ft)	Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon

Notable structure

The chart marks 3 structure features on Perch Lake; the deepest is Main-lake point at about 7 ft.

Main-lake point: point, around 7 ft
Deep basin: deep basin, around 6 ft
Break off the point: drop-off, around 3 ft

Perch Lake fishing regulations

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 →

Common questions

How deep is Perch Lake?

Perch Lake is about 7 ft (2 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.

What fish are in Perch Lake?

Anglers target yellow perch, northern pike, crappie, bluegill 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.

Where is the best fishing spot on Perch Lake?

Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 6 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.

When is the best time to fish Perch Lake?

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.

What are the fishing regulations for Perch Lake?

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.

Nearby waters

Mud Lake 1 mi · Bean Lake 1 mi · Rock Lake 2 mi · Hope Lake 3 mi · Lake Ripley 4 mi · Red Cedar Lake 6 mi · Maunesha Flowage 10 mi · Hahns Lake 10 mi · Firemen Park Pond 10 mi · Marshall Millpond 11 mi · Rice Lake 12 mi · Chub Lake 12 mi

See how Perch Lake stacks up: best northern pike lakes in Wisconsin · best crappie lakes in Wisconsin · best bluegill lakes in Wisconsin · best yellow perch lakes in Wisconsin

More water nearby: Jefferson County fishing maps (14 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.

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