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151-acre lake in Winnebago County, Illinois. The lake tops out around 36 ft. Contours on this water are modeled from its actual shoreline and max depth. Good for finding likely water, never for navigation. Here's the year, species by species, as the scoring engine sees it.
The drawn water covers 158 acres wrapped in 3.9 miles of bank. The 2.2 development index tells the story — a convoluted bank whose fishable edge far outruns the acreage. About 66% of the surface sits shallower than 15 ft on the modeled chart — that's the weed-and-bait zone. Figure 1.2 mi of water from one end to the other, 0.5 mi at the beam. Winnebago County claims this one. Its nearest charted neighbour, Olson Lake, is 1 mi to the northeast.
Spring bluegill on Pierce Lake hold shallow, usually 1 to 6 ft. They move out to 4 to 15 ft in summer and finish the year down in 10 to 25 ft. Put Shallow bay flat first on the milk run — a weed flat near 4 ft that grades prime for spring. 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 | Shallow bay flat (4 ft) | 1/32 oz jig + micro plastic, Tiny popper (evenings) |
| Summer | 4 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (4 ft) | Small sponge spider (fly), Micro tube jig |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday | Break off the point (16 ft) | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 10 to 25 ft | midday | Break off the point (16 ft) | Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon |
Early season channel catfish use the shallows, holding in 3 to 12 ft. Expect a summer slide to 8 to 25 ft, then a winter hold in 11 to 36 ft. Put Willow Creek inflow first on the milk run — an inflow / creek mouth near 4 ft that grades prime for spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in after dark and the evening.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dusk | Willow Creek inflow (4 ft) | |
| Summer | 8 to 25 ft | night & dusk | Old creek channel (18 ft) | |
| Fall | 10 to 30 ft | dusk | Old creek channel (18 ft) | |
| Winter | 11 to 36 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 40 ft | midday | Deep basin (31 ft) |
Spring crappie on Pierce Lake hold shallow, usually 2 to 8 ft. By summer they slide out to 10 to 25 ft, and by winter most fish are in 15 to 35 ft. The chart's best answer is Old creek channel — creek channel, 18 ft, prime for fall. 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 | Shallow bay flat (4 ft) | 1/16 oz jig + tube, Curly-tail grub |
| Summer | 10 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Old creek channel (18 ft) | Jig trolled/spider-rigged, Small crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 8 to 20 ft | dawn | Old creek channel (18 ft) | Jig + minnow combo, Small swimbait (1.5-2") |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday | Deep basin (31 ft) | Tungsten jig + soft plastic, Tiny jigging spoon |
Early season largemouth bass use the shallows, holding in 2 to 10 ft. Expect a summer slide to 8 to 20 ft, then a winter hold in 15 to 35 ft. Put Shallow bay flat first on the milk run — a weed flat near 4 ft that grades prime for spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Tie on a texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (4 ft) | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (16 ft) | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (9 ft) | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday | Break off the point (16 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
Spring muskellunge on Pierce Lake hold shallow, usually 3 to 12 ft. They move out to 8 to 25 ft in summer and finish the year down in 15 to 35 ft. Put Break off the point first on the milk run — a drop-off near 16 ft that grades prime for fall. The feeding windows run the evening and early morning. The summer box starts with a double-10 bucktail or a topwater (walk-the-dog / creeper).
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dusk | Shallow bay flat (4 ft) | Smaller bucktail (#8 blades), 6" glide bait |
| Summer | 8 to 25 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (9 ft) | Double-10 bucktail, Topwater (walk-the-dog / creeper) |
| Fall | 8 to 30 ft | midday & dusk | Break off the point (16 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), 10"+ glide bait |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday | Deep basin (31 ft) | Large rubber, crawled slow |
Start shallow in spring: sauger sit in 4 to 18 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 10 to 30 ft; cold water stacks them in 11 to 36 ft. Top water on the chart: Willow Creek inflow, an inflow / creek mouth in the 4 ft range, prime in spring. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. Throw a bottom bouncer + crawler or a 3-way rig with stickbait until the fish tell you otherwise.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 18 ft | dawn & dusk | Willow Creek inflow (4 ft) | 3/8 oz jig + ringworm, Hair jig + minnow |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Old creek channel (18 ft) | Bottom bouncer + crawler, 3-way rig with stickbait |
| Fall | 12 to 35 ft | dusk & dawn | Old creek channel (18 ft) | Jig + big minnow, Blade bait |
| Winter | 11 to 36 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 45 ft | dusk | Deep basin (31 ft) | Heavy jigging spoon, Jig + minnow (vertical) |
Pierce Lake also holds smallmouth bass (10 to 30 ft in summer), walleye (15 to 35 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
9 pieces of structure are mapped here — Deep basin, around 31 ft, is the deepest of them.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Illinois waters are set by the Illinois DNR — and special regulations can apply to Pierce Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Illinois fishing regulations →
Pierce Lake is about 36 ft (11 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 bluegill, channel catfish, crappie, largemouth bass, muskellunge, sauger, smallmouth bass, walleye on Pierce Lake.
Shallow bay flat is the top-rated area: a weed flat in about 4 ft of water that rates prime for bluegill in spring. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.
For bluegill, the summer bite is best in early morning and the evening. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.
Fishing on Pierce Lake is regulated by the Illinois DNR. Check the official Illinois regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Olson Lake 1 mi · Rock River (WI) 22 mi, WI · Lions Park Pond 22 mi, WI · Kiwanis Pond 23 mi, WI · Delavan Lake 26 mi, WI · Comus Lake 27 mi, WI · Spauldings Pond 27 mi, WI · Geneva Lake 29 mi, WI · Lake Lorraine 29 mi, WI · Storrs Lake 30 mi, WI · Willies Pond 30 mi, WI · Turtle Lake 30 mi, WI
See how Pierce Lake stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in Illinois · best smallmouth bass lakes in Illinois · best walleye lakes in Illinois · best sauger lakes in Illinois
Browse all Illinois fishing maps. 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.