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.
8-acre pond in Douglas County, Wisconsin. The lake tops out around 14 ft. Depth here is modeled from the true shoreline and max depth rather than surveyed; use it to plan, not to navigate. Below is the species-by-species picture, pulled from the same data the map uses.
The outline encloses 8 acres, worked by 0.8 miles of shoreline. A middling shoreline index (2) gives it some bays to work without being a maze. Every acre of it sits shallower than ~15 ft: one big littoral zone, cover and forage throughout. End to end it runs roughly 0.3 mi. Douglas County claims this one. If the bite dies, Steele Lake is 5 mi to the south.
Come spring, look for brook trout tight to the bank in 2 to 14 ft. Through summer count on 4 to 14 ft; the winter hold is 2 to 14 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Deep basin: a deep basin around 12 ft that scores prime in summer. Best bite is early morning and the evening. A small spoon fished deep or a trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 14 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (8 ft) | Small inline spinner (gold), Tiny spoon |
| Summer | 4 to 14 ft | dawn & dusk | Deep basin (12 ft) | Small spoon fished deep, Trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm |
| Fall | 2 to 14 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (8 ft) | Small spoon (orange), Spinner |
| Winter | 2 to 14 ft | dawn | Deep basin (12 ft) | Small jigging spoon, Tungsten jig + plastic |
In spring, yellow perch run shallow here, mostly 3 to 12 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 4 to 14 ft, and winter fish settle into 4 to 14 ft. Deep basin is the standout, a deep basin at roughly 12 ft, rated prime for fall 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 | open water | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 4 to 14 ft | dawn | Deep basin (12 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 4 to 14 ft | midday | Deep basin (12 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 4 to 14 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (12 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Early season crappie use the shallows, holding in 2 to 8 ft. Expect a summer slide to 4 to 14 ft, then a winter hold in 4 to 14 ft. Put Deep basin first on the milk run — a deep basin near 12 ft that grades prime for winter. 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 | open water | 1/16 oz jig + tube, Curly-tail grub |
| Summer | 4 to 14 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (6 ft) | Jig trolled/spider-rigged, Small crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 4 to 14 ft | dawn | Break off the point (6 ft) | Jig + minnow combo, Small swimbait (1.5-2") |
| Winter | 4 to 14 ft | midday | Deep basin (12 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 14 ft game here, winter a 4 to 14 ft one. The chart's best answer is Deep basin — deep basin, 12 ft, prime for winter. 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 | open water | 1/32 oz jig + micro plastic, Tiny popper (evenings) |
| Summer | 4 to 14 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Small sponge spider (fly), Micro tube jig |
| Fall | 4 to 14 ft | midday | Break off the point (6 ft) | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 4 to 14 ft | midday | Deep basin (12 ft) | Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon |
In spring, pumpkinseed run shallow here, mostly 1 to 8 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 2 to 10 ft before dropping to 4 to 14 ft for winter. Winter pumpkinseed concentrate at Deep basin, a prime-rated deep basin around 12 ft. Fish it in the evening and early morning and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a micro tube or a sponge spider (fly) most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 8 ft | midday & dusk | open water | Micro jig under a float, Tiny beetle-spin |
| Summer | 2 to 10 ft | dusk & dawn | open water | Micro tube, Sponge spider (fly) |
| Fall | 4 to 14 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (6 ft) | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 4 to 14 ft | dawn | Deep basin (12 ft) | Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon |
Structure-wise the chart holds 3 features, led in depth by Deep basin at roughly 12 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 Poplar River Pond specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Wisconsin fishing regulations →
Poplar River Pond is about 14 ft (4 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 brook trout, yellow perch, crappie, bluegill, pumpkinseed on Poplar River Pond. 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.
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 12 ft of water that rates prime for yellow perch in fall. The interactive chart above rates every spot for each species and season.
For brook trout, 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 Poplar River Pond 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.
Steele Lake 5 mi · Little Steele Lake 5 mi · Twin Lakes 6 mi · Twin Lakes, South 6 mi · Minnow Lake 6 mi · Lydon Lake 6 mi · Lake Nebagamon 7 mi · Lake Minnesuing 8 mi · Bois Brule River 9 mi · Coffee Lake 9 mi · Gander Lake 9 mi · Sunfish Lake 9 mi
See how Poplar River Pond stacks up: best crappie lakes in Wisconsin · best bluegill lakes in Wisconsin · best yellow perch lakes in Wisconsin · best brook trout lakes in Wisconsin
More water nearby: Douglas County fishing maps (103 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.