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Rating depth structure for crappie.
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48-acre lake in Marinette County, Wisconsin. The lake tops out around 14 ft. Contours on this water are modeled from its actual shoreline and max depth. Good for finding likely water, never for navigation. Every species below gets its seasonal read from the same numbers driving the chart.
Retcof Lake maps at 48 acres behind 1.1 miles of shoreline. At index 1.1 the outline is almost a bowl — read the depth changes, not the shoreline. All of it is shallow-zone water — under ~15 ft across the entire basin, so the food chain has the run of the place. Figure 0.4 mi of water from one end to the other, 0.3 mi at the beam. Marinette County claims this one. Its nearest charted neighbour, Simpson Lake, is 3 mi to the northwest.
Spring puts yellow perch in skinny water — 3 to 12 ft is the zone. As the season builds they drop to 4 to 14 ft, wintering in 4 to 14 ft. Spring yellow perch concentrate at Shallow bay flat, a prime-rated weed flat around 3 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning. A drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm covers the summer program.
| 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 | 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) |
Spring crappie on Retcof Lake hold shallow, usually 2 to 8 ft. By summer they slide out to 4 to 14 ft, and by winter most fish are in 4 to 14 ft. The chart's best answer is Deep basin — deep basin, 12 ft, prime for winter. 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 (3 ft) | 1/16 oz jig + tube, Curly-tail grub |
| Summer | 4 to 14 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline break (6 ft) | Jig trolled/spider-rigged, Small crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 4 to 14 ft | dawn | Shoreline break (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 |
Spring bluegill on Retcof Lake hold shallow, usually 1 to 6 ft. They move out to 4 to 14 ft in summer and finish the year down in 4 to 14 ft. Put Shallow bay flat first on the milk run — a weed flat near 3 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 (3 ft) | 1/32 oz jig + micro plastic, Tiny popper (evenings) |
| Summer | 4 to 14 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Small sponge spider (fly), Micro tube jig |
| Fall | 4 to 14 ft | midday | Shoreline break (6 ft) | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 4 to 14 ft | midday | Deep basin (12 ft) | Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon |
4 pieces of structure are mapped here — Deep basin, around 12 ft, is the deepest of them.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Wisconsin waters are set by the Wisconsin DNR — and special regulations can apply to Retcof Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Wisconsin fishing regulations →
Retcof Lake 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 yellow perch, crappie, bluegill on Retcof 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 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 Retcof 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.
Simpson Lake 3 mi · Sandstone Flowage 4 mi · Kirby Lake 5 mi · Joy Lake 5 mi · Devils Lake 6 mi · Kiss Lake 6 mi · Left Foot Lake 6 mi · Johnson Falls Flowage 647 6 mi · Perch Lake 7 mi · Newton Lake 7 mi · Little Newton Lake 7 mi · Medbrook Lake 7 mi
See how Retcof Lake stacks up: best crappie lakes in Wisconsin · best bluegill lakes in Wisconsin · best yellow perch lakes in Wisconsin
More water nearby: Marinette County fishing maps (146 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.