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Rating depth structure for largemouth bass.
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26-acre lake in Chippewa County, Wisconsin. The lake tops out around 62 ft. The depth chart comes from published agency bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled. Species by species, here's what the data says the year looks like.
Traced from the shoreline, Picnic Lake runs 26 acres with 0.9 miles of edge. A shoreline index of 1.3 says round and simple: fish relate to depth changes here, not shoreline features. The shallow band under 15 ft claims about 35% of the surface — that's where the groceries are. The basin spans about 0.3 mi end to end and 0.2 mi across at its widest. You'll find it in Chippewa County. The nearest mapped water is Pauls Lake, 0 mi to the southwest.
Spring yellow perch on Picnic Lake hold shallow, usually 3 to 12 ft. They move out to 10 to 30 ft in summer and finish the year down in 15 to 35 ft. Put Shallow bay flat first on the milk run — a weed flat near 6 ft that grades prime for spring. The feeding windows run early morning. The summer box starts with a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm.
| 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 | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 12 to 35 ft | midday | Shoreline break (44 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (58 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
In spring, largemouth bass run shallow here, mostly 2 to 10 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 8 to 20 ft before dropping to 15 to 35 ft for winter. Spring largemouth bass concentrate at Shallow bay flat, a prime-rated weed flat around 6 ft. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday | Shoreline break (44 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
Spring puts crappie in skinny water — 2 to 8 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 10 to 25 ft; cold water stacks them in 15 to 35 ft. Shallow bay flat is the standout, a weed flat at roughly 6 ft, rated prime for spring crappie. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. A jig trolled/spider-rigged or a small crankbait (trolled) covers the summer program.
| 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 | Shallow bay flat (6 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 | Deep basin (58 ft) | Tungsten jig + soft plastic, Tiny jigging spoon |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: bluegill in 1 to 6 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 4 to 15 ft before dropping to 10 to 25 ft for winter. The spot to know is Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in about 6 ft of water that rates prime for bluegill in spring. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. Summer baits: a small sponge spider (fly) or a micro tube jig gets it done.
| 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 | Deep basin (58 ft) | Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon |
Structure-wise the chart holds 4 features, led in depth by Deep basin at roughly 58 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 Picnic Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Wisconsin fishing regulations →
Picnic Lake is about 62 ft (19 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart comes from published agency bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled.
Anglers target yellow perch, largemouth bass, crappie, bluegill on Picnic 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.
Shallow bay flat is the top-rated area: a weed flat in about 6 ft of water that rates prime for yellow perch in spring. 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 Picnic 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.
Pauls Lake 0 mi · Long Lake 1 mi · Bass Lake 1 mi · Deer Lake 1 mi · Planning Lake 1 mi · Spring Creek Flowage No. 1 1 mi · Bass Lakes 2 mi · Pickerel Lake 2 mi · Dorothy Lake 2 mi · Meadows Lake 2 mi · Bass Lakes 2 mi · Big Twin Lake 2 mi
See how Picnic Lake stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in Wisconsin · best crappie lakes in Wisconsin · best bluegill lakes in Wisconsin · best yellow perch lakes in Wisconsin
More water nearby: Chippewa County fishing maps (142 charts). Browse all Wisconsin fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry: published agency survey data. 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.