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65-acre lake near Lake County. The lake tops out around 36 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. Species by species, here's what the data says the year looks like.
Drawn out, this is 66 acres of water rimmed by 2.4 miles of bank. Index 2.1 on the shoreline: a few honest points and pockets, nothing labyrinthine. About 52% of the surface sits shallower than 15 ft on the modeled chart — that's the weed-and-bait zone. Call it 1 mi long by 0.2 mi wide at the broadest reach. The water lies in Lake County. Closest neighbour on DepthScout: North Wilder, 1 mi northwest of here.
Spring walleye on South Wilder hold shallow, usually 4 to 15 ft. They move out to 15 to 35 ft in summer and finish the year down in 11 to 36 ft. Put Break off the point first on the milk run — a drop-off near 16 ft that grades prime for fall. The feeding windows run the evening and early morning. The summer box starts with a crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled).
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (9 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 15 to 35 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (16 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 11 to 36 ft chart-limited; documented 12 to 40 ft | dusk & night | Break off the point (16 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 11 to 36 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 40 ft | dusk & dawn | Deep basin (31 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
In spring, northern pike run shallow here, mostly 2 to 8 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 8 to 20 ft, and winter fish settle into 5 to 15 ft. Shallow bay flat is the standout, a weed flat at roughly 4 ft, rated prime for spring northern pike. Time it for early morning and the evening. You won't need more than a bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (4 ft) | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (16 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (16 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Shallow bay flat (4 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
Come spring, look for rock bass tight to the bank in 2 to 10 ft. Expect a summer slide to 5 to 20 ft, then a winter hold in 12 to 30 ft. Start at Main-lake point. It's a point holding about 9 ft of water and rates prime come summer. Prime time lands in the evening. A ned rig (small) or a marabou jig is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (9 ft) | 1/16 oz jig + grub, Small inline spinner |
| Summer | 5 to 20 ft | dusk | Main-lake point (9 ft) | Ned rig (small), Marabou jig |
| Fall | 8 to 22 ft | midday | Break off the point (16 ft) | Small tube jig, Inline spinner |
| Winter | 12 to 30 ft | midday | Deep basin (31 ft) | Tungsten jig + plastic, Small spoon + spike |
Start shallow in spring: bluegill sit in 1 to 6 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 4 to 15 ft, and winter fish settle into 10 to 25 ft. The spot to know is Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in about 4 ft of water that rates prime for bluegill in spring. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. Throw a small sponge spider (fly) or a micro tube jig until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 6 ft | midday & dusk | Shallow bay flat (4 ft) | 1/32 oz jig + micro plastic, Tiny popper (evenings) |
| Summer | 4 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (4 ft) | Small sponge spider (fly), Micro tube jig |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday | Break off the point (16 ft) | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 10 to 25 ft | midday | Break off the point (16 ft) | Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon |
South Wilder carries 6 mapped structure features, topping out (or rather bottoming out) at Deep basin, about 31 ft down.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Minnesota waters are set by the Minnesota DNR — and special regulations can apply to South Wilder specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Minnesota fishing regulations →
South Wilder is about 36 ft (11 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, northern pike, rock bass, bluegill on South Wilder.
Break off the point is the top-rated area: a drop-off in about 16 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.
Fishing on South Wilder is regulated by the Minnesota DNR. Check the official Minnesota regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
North Wilder 1 mi · Diana 2 mi · Pose 2 mi · Four 3 mi · Three 4 mi · Quadga 4 mi · Tornado 4 mi · Two 5 mi · Isabella 5 mi · Bog 5 mi · Insula 6 mi · Becoosin 6 mi
See how South Wilder stacks up: best walleye lakes in Minnesota · best northern pike lakes in Minnesota · best bluegill lakes in Minnesota · best rock bass lakes in Minnesota
More water nearby: Lake County fishing maps (313 charts). Browse all Minnesota fishing maps. 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.