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Rating depth structure for northern pike.
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19-acre lake in Oconto County, Wisconsin. The lake tops out around 17 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. Below is the species-by-species picture, pulled from the same data the map uses.
Drawn out, this is 19 acres of water rimmed by 0.7 miles of bank. Its 1.1 shoreline index means few bank features; the contours below do the pattern work. 68% of the surface is littoral (under ~15 ft), per the model — cover, weeds and forage water. Figure 0.3 mi of water from one end to the other, 0.2 mi at the beam. You'll find it in Oconto County. For a second option, Pickerel Lake lies 1 mi northwest.
Early season yellow perch use the shallows, holding in 3 to 12 ft. Summer is a 5 to 17 ft game here, winter a 5 to 17 ft one. The chart's best answer is Shallow bay flat — weed flat, 3 ft, prime for spring. Best bite is early morning. Tie on a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 5 to 17 ft | dawn | Deep basin (14 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 5 to 17 ft | midday | Deep basin (14 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 5 to 17 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (14 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
In spring, northern pike run shallow here, mostly 2 to 8 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 5 to 17 ft before dropping to 5 to 15 ft for winter. Spring northern pike concentrate at Shallow bay flat, a prime-rated weed flat around 3 ft. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 5 to 17 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline break (8 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 5 to 17 ft | midday & dawn | Shoreline break (8 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
In spring, crappie run shallow here, mostly 2 to 8 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 5 to 17 ft before dropping to 5 to 17 ft for winter. Winter crappie concentrate at Deep basin, a prime-rated deep basin around 14 ft. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a jig trolled/spider-rigged or a small crankbait (trolled) most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | 1/16 oz jig + tube, Curly-tail grub |
| Summer | 5 to 17 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline break (8 ft) | Jig trolled/spider-rigged, Small crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 5 to 17 ft | dawn | Shoreline break (8 ft) | Jig + minnow combo, Small swimbait (1.5-2") |
| Winter | 5 to 17 ft | midday | Deep basin (14 ft) | Tungsten jig + soft plastic, Tiny jigging spoon |
Start shallow in spring: bluegill sit in 1 to 6 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 4 to 15 ft; cold water stacks them in 5 to 17 ft. Top water on the chart: Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in the 3 ft range, prime in spring. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. Throw a small sponge spider (fly) or a micro tube jig until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 6 ft | midday & dusk | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | 1/32 oz jig + micro plastic, Tiny popper (evenings) |
| Summer | 4 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Small sponge spider (fly), Micro tube jig |
| Fall | 5 to 17 ft | midday | Shoreline break (8 ft) | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 5 to 17 ft | midday | Deep basin (14 ft) | Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon |
Come spring, look for pumpkinseed tight to the bank in 1 to 8 ft. They move out to 2 to 10 ft in summer and finish the year down in 5 to 17 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Shallow bay flat: a weed flat around 3 ft that scores prime in spring. Best bite is the evening and early morning. A micro tube or a sponge spider (fly) is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 8 ft | midday & dusk | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Micro jig under a float, Tiny beetle-spin |
| Summer | 2 to 10 ft | dusk & dawn | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Micro tube, Sponge spider (fly) |
| Fall | 4 to 14 ft | dusk & dawn | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 5 to 17 ft | dawn | Deep basin (14 ft) | Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon |
Plantation Lake carries 4 mapped structure features, topping out (or rather bottoming out) at Deep basin, about 14 ft down.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Wisconsin waters are set by the Wisconsin DNR — and special regulations can apply to Plantation Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Wisconsin fishing regulations →
Plantation Lake is about 17 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, northern pike, crappie, bluegill, pumpkinseed on Plantation 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 3 ft of water that rates prime for yellow perch in spring. The interactive chart above rates every spot for each 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 Plantation 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.
Pickerel Lake 1 mi · Smoke Lake 1 mi · Lincoln Lake 1 mi · Little Pickerel Lake 1 mi · Spring Lake 2 mi · Townsend Flowage 2 mi · Surprise Lake 2 mi · Hidden Lake 2 mi · Binder Lake 2 mi · Bluegill Lake 2 mi · Sellin Lake 2 mi · Crab Lake 2 mi
See how Plantation 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: 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.