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Rating depth structure for largemouth bass.
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301-acre lake in Taylor County, Wisconsin. The lake tops out around 9 ft. Depth here is modeled from the true shoreline and max depth rather than surveyed; use it to plan, not to navigate. What the data behind the map says about each species, season by season:
The outline encloses 301 acres, worked by 3.3 miles of shoreline, with a single island in the mix. The basin is a simple one (shoreline index 1.3) — close to a bowl, so the structure on the chart matters more than the bank. There is no deep basin to speak of — the entire surface is under ~15 ft, prime weed water end to end. End to end it runs roughly 1 mi, about 0.7 mi across. It sits in Taylor County. Little Rib Lake sits 1 mi west — the closest neighbouring chart.
Start shallow in spring: walleye sit in 2 to 9 ft that time of year. They don't go far with the seasons — 3 to 9 ft covers summer, 3 to 9 ft covers winter. Top water on the chart: Break off the point, a drop-off in the 4 ft range, prime in fall. Fish it in the evening and early morning and you'll meet the bite. Throw a crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 9 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (8 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 3 to 9 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (4 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 3 to 9 ft | dusk & night | Break off the point (4 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 3 to 9 ft | dusk & dawn | Deep basin (8 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
Spring puts yellow perch in skinny water — 2 to 9 ft is the zone. Summer fish stay in 3 to 9 ft, and winter fish hold in 3 to 9 ft. Shallow bay flat is the standout, a weed flat at roughly 3 ft, rated prime for spring yellow perch. Plan around early morning in the warm months. 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 | 2 to 9 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 3 to 9 ft | dawn | Deep basin (8 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 3 to 9 ft | midday | Deep basin (8 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 3 to 9 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (8 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Spring northern pike on Rib Lake hold shallow, usually 2 to 8 ft. They move out to 3 to 9 ft in summer and finish the year down in 3 to 9 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 bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage.
| 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 | 3 to 9 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 3 to 9 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 3 to 9 ft | midday | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
Spring muskellunge on Rib Lake hold shallow, usually 2 to 9 ft. Depth-wise the year is flat: 3 to 9 ft in summer, 3 to 9 ft once it turns cold. The chart's best answer is Break off the point — drop-off, 4 ft, prime for fall. Prime time lands in 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 | 2 to 9 ft | dusk | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Smaller bucktail (#8 blades), 6" glide bait |
| Summer | 3 to 9 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (8 ft) | Double-10 bucktail, Topwater (walk-the-dog / creeper) |
| Fall | 2 to 9 ft | midday & dusk | Break off the point (4 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), 10"+ glide bait |
| Winter | 3 to 9 ft | midday | Deep basin (8 ft) | Large rubber, crawled slow |
Early season largemouth bass use the shallows, holding in 2 to 9 ft. Even in summer they hold at 3 to 9 ft; winter keeps them in 3 to 9 ft. The chart's best answer is Shallow bay flat — weed flat, 3 ft, prime for spring. Best bite is 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 9 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 3 to 9 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 2 to 9 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (8 ft) | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 3 to 9 ft | midday | Break off the point (4 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
Spring crappie on Rib Lake hold shallow, usually 2 to 8 ft. They move out to 3 to 9 ft in summer and finish the year down in 3 to 9 ft. Put Deep basin first on the milk run — a deep basin near 8 ft that grades prime for winter. The feeding windows run 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 | 3 to 9 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Jig trolled/spider-rigged, Small crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 3 to 9 ft | dawn | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Jig + minnow combo, Small swimbait (1.5-2") |
| Winter | 3 to 9 ft | midday | Deep basin (8 ft) | Tungsten jig + soft plastic, Tiny jigging spoon |
Rib Lake also holds bluegill (2 to 9 ft in summer), pumpkinseed (2 to 9 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
The chart marks 6 structure features on Rib Lake; the deepest is Main-lake point at about 8 ft.
Access data: Wisconsin DNR - Boat Access Sites, Shore Fishing Sites, and DNR Parking Lots. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
| Date | Species | Count | Size |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025* | Walleye (large fingerling) | 1,591 | ~6.9" |
| 2025* | Yellow Perch (adult) | 2,200 | ~6" |
| 2024* | Yellow Perch (adult) | 1,800 | ~7" |
| 2024* | Walleye (large fingerling) | 1,500 | ~6.5" |
* Approximate date (agency reports month or season only). Source: Wisconsin DNR fish-stocking summary, retrieved 2026-08-18.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Wisconsin waters are set by the Wisconsin DNR — and special regulations can apply to Rib Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Wisconsin fishing regulations →
Rib Lake is about 9 ft (3 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 walleye, yellow perch, northern pike, muskellunge, largemouth bass, crappie, bluegill, pumpkinseed on Rib 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.
Break off the point is the top-rated area: a drop-off in about 4 ft of water that rates prime for walleye in fall. Scroll up to the map for the complete spot list by species and season.
For walleye, the summer bite is best in the evening and early morning. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.
Yes — per Wisconsin DNR fish-stocking summary records, Rib Lake was most recently stocked 2025 with 1,591 walleye (large fingerling). The full stocking history is listed above.
Fishing on Rib 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.
Little Rib Lake 1 mi · Kennedy Lake 1 mi · East Lake 3 mi · Niene Lake 3 mi · Wellington Lake 3 mi · James Lake 3 mi · Black Lake 3 mi · Kettle Lake 3 mi · South Harper Lake 3 mi · North Harper Lake 4 mi · Long Lake 4 mi · Saint Clair Lake 4 mi
See how Rib Lake stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in Wisconsin · best walleye lakes in Wisconsin · best northern pike lakes in Wisconsin · best crappie lakes in Wisconsin
More water nearby: Taylor County fishing maps (80 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.