Sign inSign up free Sign inSign up free Sign inSign up freeLake depth chart
Today's read
Rating depth structure for crappie.
Shared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.
9-acre lake in Oconto County, Wisconsin. The lake tops out around 56 ft. This chart interpolates between a real shoreline and a known maximum depth. It will point you at likely water, but it is not a navigation product. Here is how the season plays out for each species, straight from the data behind the map.
Peterson Lake maps at 9 acres behind 0.7 miles of shoreline. A middling shoreline index (1.6) gives it some bays to work without being a maze. Littoral water — the productive band under ~15 ft — makes up 20% of this chart, as modeled. Oconto County claims this one. If the bite dies, Hoerth Lake is 0 mi to the east.
In spring, yellow perch run shallow here, mostly 3 to 12 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 10 to 30 ft, and winter fish settle into 15 to 35 ft. Shoreline break is the standout, a drop-off at roughly 25 ft, rated prime for summer yellow perch. Time it for early morning. You won't need more than a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Shoreline break (25 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 12 to 35 ft | midday | Shoreline break (25 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Shoreline break (25 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Early season crappie use the shallows, holding in 2 to 8 ft. Expect a summer slide to 10 to 25 ft, then a winter hold in 15 to 35 ft. Put Shallow bay flat first on the milk run — a feeding flat near 6 ft that grades prime for spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Tie on a jig trolled/spider-rigged or a small crankbait (trolled) and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | 1/16 oz jig + tube, Curly-tail grub |
| Summer | 10 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline break (25 ft) | Jig trolled/spider-rigged, Small crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 8 to 20 ft | dawn | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Jig + minnow combo, Small swimbait (1.5-2") |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday | Shoreline break (25 ft) | Tungsten jig + soft plastic, Tiny jigging spoon |
Early season bluegill use the shallows, holding in 1 to 6 ft. Summer is a 4 to 15 ft game here, winter a 10 to 25 ft one. The chart's best answer is Shallow bay flat — feeding flat, 6 ft, prime for spring. Best bite is early morning and the evening. Tie on a small sponge spider (fly) or a micro tube jig and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 6 ft | midday & dusk | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | 1/32 oz jig + micro plastic, Tiny popper (evenings) |
| Summer | 4 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Small sponge spider (fly), Micro tube jig |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 10 to 25 ft | midday | Shoreline break (25 ft) | Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon |
Structure-wise the chart holds 4 features, led in depth by Deep basin at roughly 48 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 Peterson Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Wisconsin fishing regulations →
Peterson Lake is about 56 ft (17 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 on Peterson 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.
Shoreline break is the top-rated area: a drop-off in about 25 ft of water that rates prime for yellow perch in summer. The map above holds the full rated-spot list for every 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 Peterson 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.
Hoerth Lake 0 mi · Makholm Lake 1 mi · Cooley Lake 2 mi · Impassable Lake 2 mi · Deer Lake 3 mi · White Lake 3 mi · Funk Lake 3 mi · Pecor Lake 3 mi · Marl Lake 3 mi · Wescott Lake 4 mi · Underwood Lake 4 mi · Long Lake 4 mi
See how Peterson Lake stacks up: best crappie lakes in Wisconsin · best bluegill lakes in Wisconsin · best yellow perch lakes in Wisconsin
More water nearby: Oconto County fishing maps (135 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.