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The Wisconsin reach below Indianford Dam through Janesville and Beloit to the Illinois line. One of southern Wisconsin's most popular walleye and sauger fisheries, with smallmouth bass, catfish, white bass and panfish. The river tops out around 14 ft. The depth picture is modeled, anchored to the true shoreline and the water's published max depth — a scouting aid, never a chart to run a boat by. What the data behind the map says about each species, season by season:
On the chart, Rock River (WI) draws 1,378 acres inside 68.8 miles of shoreline. The 13.2 development index tells the story — a convoluted bank whose fishable edge far outruns the acreage. All of it is shallow-zone water — under ~15 ft across the entire basin, so the food chain has the run of the place. The basin spans about 22.9 mi end to end and 4.9 mi across at its widest. The water lies in Rock County. Closest neighbour on DepthScout: Lions Park Pond, 3 mi east of here.
Early season walleye use the shallows, holding in 4 to 14 ft. Even in summer they hold at 4 to 14 ft; winter keeps them in 4 to 14 ft. The chart's best answer is Riffle & run (mile 8.7) — rock pile, 5 ft, prime for spring. Best bite is the evening and early morning. Tie on a crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 14 ft | dusk & dawn | Riffle & run (mile 8.7) (5 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 4 to 14 ft | dusk & dawn | Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6) (11 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 4 to 14 ft | dusk & night | Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6) (11 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 4 to 14 ft | dusk & dawn | Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6) (11 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
Spring puts smallmouth bass 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 smallmouth bass concentrate at Riffle & run (mile 8.7), a prime-rated rock pile around 5 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. A drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Riffle & run (mile 8.7) (5 ft) | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 4 to 14 ft | dawn & dusk | Riffle & run (mile 8.7) (5 ft) | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 4 to 14 ft | midday & dawn | Current seam (mile 5.0) (8 ft) | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 4 to 14 ft | midday | Current seam (mile 5.0) (8 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
In spring, largemouth bass run shallow here, mostly 2 to 10 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 4 to 14 ft, and winter fish settle into 4 to 14 ft. Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6) is the standout, a creek channel at roughly 11 ft, rated prime for fall largemouth bass. Time it for early morning and the evening. You won't need more than a texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 4 to 14 ft | dawn & dusk | Current seam (mile 5.0) (8 ft) | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 4 to 14 ft | midday & dawn | Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6) (11 ft) | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 4 to 14 ft | midday | Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6) (11 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
Spring puts northern pike in skinny water — 2 to 8 ft is the zone. As the season builds they drop to 4 to 14 ft, wintering in 4 to 14 ft. Fall northern pike concentrate at Current seam (mile 5.0), a prime-rated current seam around 8 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. A bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | open water | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 4 to 14 ft | dawn & dusk | Current seam (mile 5.0) (8 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 4 to 14 ft | midday & dawn | Current seam (mile 5.0) (8 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 4 to 14 ft | midday | Current seam (mile 5.0) (8 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
In spring, channel catfish 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. Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6) is the standout, a creek channel at roughly 11 ft, rated prime for summer channel catfish. Time it for after dark and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dusk | Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6) (11 ft) | |
| Summer | 4 to 14 ft | night & dusk | Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6) (11 ft) | |
| Fall | 4 to 14 ft | dusk | Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6) (11 ft) | |
| Winter | 4 to 14 ft | midday | Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6) (11 ft) |
Start shallow in spring: flathead catfish sit in 4 to 14 ft that time of year. They don't go far with the seasons — 4 to 14 ft covers summer, 4 to 14 ft covers winter. The spot to know is Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6), a creek channel in about 11 ft of water that rates prime for flathead catfish in summer. Warm-month bites cluster around after dark and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 14 ft | night & dusk | Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6) (11 ft) | |
| Summer | 4 to 14 ft | night & dusk | Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6) (11 ft) | |
| Fall | 4 to 14 ft | night & dusk | Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6) (11 ft) | |
| Winter | 4 to 14 ft | midday | Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6) (11 ft) |
Rock River (WI) also holds white bass (4 to 14 ft in summer), crappie (4 to 14 ft in summer), bluegill (4 to 14 ft in summer), freshwater drum (4 to 14 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
The chart marks 16 structure features on Rock River (WI); the deepest is Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6) at about 11 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 Rock River (WI) specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Wisconsin fishing regulations →
Rock River (WI) 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 walleye, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, northern pike, channel catfish, flathead catfish, white bass, crappie, bluegill, freshwater drum on Rock River (WI).
Riffle & run (mile 8.7) is the top-rated area: a rock pile in about 5 ft of water that rates prime for smallmouth bass in spring. 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 Rock River (WI) 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.
Lions Park Pond 3 mi · Kiwanis Pond 4 mi · Willies Pond 8 mi · Spauldings Pond 8 mi · Little Gibbs Lake 10 mi · Gibbs Lake 10 mi · Clear Lake 11 mi · Storrs Lake 11 mi · Bowers Lake 12 mi · Grass Lake 13 mi · Leota Lake 15 mi · Lake Koshkonong 15 mi
See how Rock River (WI) stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in Wisconsin · best smallmouth bass lakes in Wisconsin · best walleye lakes in Wisconsin · best white bass lakes in Wisconsin
More water nearby: Rock County fishing maps (12 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.