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Rating depth structure for largemouth bass.
Shared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.
861-acre reservoir in Barron County, Wisconsin. The lake tops out around 19 ft. The contours are modeled from the water's real shoreline and maximum depth. Treat them as a rough guide, and never use them for navigation. Every species below gets its seasonal read from the same numbers driving the chart.
The drawn water covers 863 acres wrapped in 16.2 miles of bank. The 3.9 development index tells the story — a convoluted bank whose fishable edge far outruns the acreage. The shallow band under 15 ft claims about 91% of the surface on the model — that's where the groceries are. End to end it runs roughly 3.7 mi, about 1.3 mi across. Barron County claims this one. If the bite dies, Stump Lake is 2 mi to the north.
Start shallow in spring: walleye sit in 4 to 15 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 6 to 19 ft, and winter fish settle into 6 to 19 ft. The spot to know is Break off the point, a drop-off in about 9 ft of water that rates prime for walleye in fall. Warm-month bites cluster around the evening and early morning. 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 | 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (8 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 6 to 19 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (9 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 6 to 19 ft | dusk & night | Break off the point (9 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 6 to 19 ft | dusk & dawn | Deep basin (16 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
Spring puts yellow perch in skinny water — 3 to 12 ft is the zone. As the season builds they drop to 6 to 19 ft, wintering in 6 to 19 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 | 6 to 19 ft | dawn | Deep basin (16 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 6 to 19 ft | midday | Deep basin (16 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 6 to 19 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (16 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Spring northern pike on Rice Lake hold shallow, usually 2 to 8 ft. By summer they slide out to 6 to 19 ft, and by winter most fish are in 5 to 15 ft. The chart's best answer is Shallow bay flat — weed flat, 3 ft, prime for spring. Prime time lands in 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 | 6 to 19 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (9 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (9 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 |
Spring muskellunge on Rice Lake hold shallow, usually 3 to 12 ft. They move out to 6 to 19 ft in summer and finish the year down in 6 to 19 ft. Put Break off the point first on the milk run — a drop-off near 9 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 (3 ft) | Smaller bucktail (#8 blades), 6" glide bait |
| Summer | 6 to 19 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (8 ft) | Double-10 bucktail, Topwater (walk-the-dog / creeper) |
| Fall | 5 to 19 ft | midday & dusk | Break off the point (9 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), 10"+ glide bait |
| Winter | 6 to 19 ft | midday | Deep basin (16 ft) | Large rubber, crawled slow |
Early season largemouth bass use the shallows, holding in 2 to 10 ft. Expect a summer slide to 6 to 19 ft, then a winter hold in 6 to 19 ft. Put Shallow bay flat first on the milk run — a weed flat near 3 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 (3 ft) | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 6 to 19 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (9 ft) | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (8 ft) | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 6 to 19 ft | midday | Break off the point (9 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
Spring crappie on Rice Lake hold shallow, usually 2 to 8 ft. By summer they slide out to 6 to 19 ft, and by winter most fish are in 6 to 19 ft. The chart's best answer is Deep basin — deep basin, 16 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 | 6 to 19 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (9 ft) | Jig trolled/spider-rigged, Small crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 6 to 19 ft | dawn | Break off the point (9 ft) | Jig + minnow combo, Small swimbait (1.5-2") |
| Winter | 6 to 19 ft | midday | Deep basin (16 ft) | Tungsten jig + soft plastic, Tiny jigging spoon |
Rice Lake also holds bluegill (4 to 15 ft in summer), pumpkinseed (2 to 10 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
Structure-wise the chart holds 6 features, led in depth by Deep basin at roughly 16 ft.
Access data: Wisconsin DNR - Boat Access Sites, Shore Fishing Sites, and DNR Parking Lots. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Wisconsin waters are set by the Wisconsin DNR — and special regulations can apply to Rice Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Wisconsin fishing regulations →
Rice Lake is about 19 ft (6 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 Rice 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 9 ft of water that rates prime for walleye in fall. Every other rated spot, per species and season, is on the map above.
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.
Fishing on Rice 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.
Stump Lake 2 mi · Lake Montanis 2 mi · Moon Lake 3 mi · Tuscobia Lake 3 mi · Dietz Lakes 3 mi · Lake Desair 4 mi · Dietz Lakes 4 mi · Dietz Lakes 4 mi · Ginder Lake 4 mi · Dietz Lakes 5 mi · Cameron Flowage 7 mi · Goose Lake 7 mi
See how Rice 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: Barron 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.