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Rating depth structure for largemouth bass.
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55-acre reservoir in Trempealeau County, Wisconsin. The lake tops out around 8 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.
Traced from the shoreline, Strum Lake (Crystal) runs 55 acres with 2.3 miles of edge. An index of 2.2 puts the bank firmly in maze territory: point after pocket after cove, every one a casting target. 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 0.7 mi of water from one end to the other, 0.2 mi at the beam. The water lies in Trempealeau County. The nearest mapped water is Eleva Pond, 4 mi to the northwest.
The spring pattern is a shallow one: rainbow trout in 2 to 8 ft. The depth story barely changes: 2 to 8 ft through summer, 2 to 8 ft in winter. The spot to know is Main-lake point, a point in about 8 ft of water that rates prime for rainbow trout in spring. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. Summer baits: a dodger + spoon (deep troll) or a flutter spoon gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (8 ft) | Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon |
| Summer | 2 to 8 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (8 ft) | Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon |
| Fall | 2 to 8 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (8 ft) | Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals |
| Winter | 2 to 8 ft | dawn | Deep basin (7 ft) | Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white) |
Spring yellow perch on Strum Lake (Crystal) hold shallow, usually 2 to 8 ft. Depth-wise the year is flat: 2 to 8 ft in summer, 2 to 8 ft once it turns cold. The chart's best answer is Shallow bay flat — weed flat, 3 ft, prime for spring. Prime time lands in early morning. The summer box starts with a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 2 to 8 ft | dawn | Deep basin (7 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 2 to 8 ft | midday | Deep basin (7 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (7 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
In spring, largemouth bass run shallow here, mostly 2 to 8 ft. Summer keeps them at 2 to 8 ft, and they winter in 2 to 8 ft. Shallow bay flat is the standout, a weed flat at roughly 3 ft, rated prime for spring 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 8 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 2 to 8 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (8 ft) | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 2 to 8 ft | midday | Deep basin (7 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
Spring puts crappie in skinny water — 2 to 8 ft is the zone. Summer fish stay in 2 to 8 ft, and winter fish hold in 2 to 8 ft. Winter crappie concentrate at Deep basin, a prime-rated deep basin around 7 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. A jig trolled/spider-rigged or a small crankbait (trolled) covers the summer program.
| 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 | 2 to 8 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Jig trolled/spider-rigged, Small crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 2 to 8 ft | dawn | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Jig + minnow combo, Small swimbait (1.5-2") |
| Winter | 2 to 8 ft | midday | Deep basin (7 ft) | Tungsten jig + soft plastic, Tiny jigging spoon |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: bluegill in 1 to 6 ft. As the season builds they drop to 2 to 8 ft, wintering in 2 to 8 ft. Top water on the chart: Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in the 3 ft range, prime in spring. Time it for early morning and the evening. Summer baits: a small sponge spider (fly) or a micro tube jig gets it done.
| 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 | 2 to 8 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Small sponge spider (fly), Micro tube jig |
| Fall | 2 to 8 ft | midday | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 2 to 8 ft | midday | Deep basin (7 ft) | Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon |
Count 4 structure marks on this chart. The deepest, Main-lake point, sits near 8 ft.
| Date | Species | Count | Size |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025* | Rainbow Trout (adult) | 150 | ~12" |
| 2025* | Rainbow Trout (yearling) | 549 | ~8.6" |
| 2024* | Rainbow Trout (yearling) | 549 | ~8.8" |
| 2024* | Rainbow Trout (adult) | 300 | ~12" |
* 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 Strum Lake (Crystal) specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Wisconsin fishing regulations →
Strum Lake (Crystal) is about 8 ft (2 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 rainbow trout, yellow perch, largemouth bass, crappie, bluegill on Strum Lake (Crystal). 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 rainbow trout, the summer bite is best in early morning and the evening. 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, Strum Lake (Crystal) was most recently stocked 2025 with 150 rainbow trout (adult). The full stocking history is listed above.
Fishing on Strum Lake (Crystal) 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.
Eleva Pond 4 mi · Osseo Club Pond 8 mi · Martha Lake 8 mi · Bugle Lake 13 mi · Mirror Lake 14 mi · Fall Creek Pond 15 mi · Dells Millpond (Rodell) 16 mi · Cooley Lake 17 mi · Altoona Lake 18 mi · Halfmoon Lake 19 mi · Rock Falls Millpond 19 mi · Henry Lake 19 mi
See how Strum Lake (Crystal) stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in Wisconsin · best crappie lakes in Wisconsin · best bluegill lakes in Wisconsin · best rainbow trout lakes in Wisconsin
More water nearby: Trempealeau County fishing maps (11 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.