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Rating depth structure for smallmouth bass.
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16-acre reservoir in Waupaca County, Wisconsin. The lake tops out around 5 ft. The chart is a model: real shoreline, published maximum depth, interpolated in between. A planning tool, never a navigation product. Species by species, here's what the data says the year looks like.
On the chart, Waupaca Millpond draws 16 acres inside 0.9 miles of shoreline. Index 1.5 on the shoreline: a few honest points and pockets, nothing labyrinthine. 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 0.4 mi end to end and 0.2 mi across at its widest. The water lies in Waupaca County. Closest neighbour on DepthScout: Mirror Lake, 1 mi south of here.
Spring yellow perch on Waupaca Millpond hold shallow, usually 1 to 5 ft. Depth-wise the year is flat: 2 to 5 ft in summer, 2 to 5 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 | 1 to 5 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 2 to 5 ft | dawn | Deep basin (4 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 2 to 5 ft | midday | Deep basin (4 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 2 to 5 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (4 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Spring puts smallmouth bass in skinny water — 1 to 5 ft is the zone. Summer fish stay in 2 to 5 ft, and winter fish hold in 2 to 5 ft. Fall smallmouth bass concentrate at Main-lake point, a prime-rated point 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 | 1 to 5 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (5 ft) | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 2 to 5 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (2 ft) | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 2 to 5 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (5 ft) | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 2 to 5 ft | midday | Break off the point (2 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
Spring puts crappie in skinny water — 1 to 5 ft is the zone. Summer fish stay in 2 to 5 ft, and winter fish hold in 2 to 5 ft. Winter crappie concentrate at Deep basin, a prime-rated deep basin around 4 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 | 1 to 5 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | 1/16 oz jig + tube, Curly-tail grub |
| Summer | 2 to 5 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Jig trolled/spider-rigged, Small crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 2 to 5 ft | dawn | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Jig + minnow combo, Small swimbait (1.5-2") |
| Winter | 2 to 5 ft | midday | Deep basin (4 ft) | Tungsten jig + soft plastic, Tiny jigging spoon |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: bluegill in 1 to 5 ft. The depth story barely changes: 1 to 5 ft through summer, 2 to 5 ft in winter. 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 5 ft | midday & dusk | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | 1/32 oz jig + micro plastic, Tiny popper (evenings) |
| Summer | 1 to 5 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Small sponge spider (fly), Micro tube jig |
| Fall | 2 to 5 ft | midday | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 2 to 5 ft | midday | Deep basin (4 ft) | Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon |
The chart marks 4 structure features on Waupaca Millpond; the deepest is Main-lake point at about 5 ft.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Wisconsin waters are set by the Wisconsin DNR — and special regulations can apply to Waupaca Millpond specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Wisconsin fishing regulations →
Waupaca Millpond is about 5 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 yellow perch, smallmouth bass, crappie, bluegill on Waupaca Millpond. 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. Scroll up to the map for the complete spot list by species and season.
For yellow perch, the summer bite is best in 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 Waupaca Millpond 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.
Mirror Lake 1 mi · Shadow Lake 1 mi · Cary Pond 2 mi · Old Taylor Lake 2 mi · Otter Lake 3 mi · Taylor Lake 3 mi · George Lake 3 mi · Rainbow Lake 3 mi · Sunset Lake 3 mi · Nessling Lake 4 mi · McCrossen Lake 4 mi · Silver Lake 4 mi
See how Waupaca Millpond stacks up: best smallmouth bass lakes in Wisconsin · best crappie lakes in Wisconsin · best bluegill lakes in Wisconsin · best yellow perch lakes in Wisconsin
More water nearby: Waupaca County fishing maps (85 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.