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Rating depth structure for largemouth bass.
Shared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.
63-acre lake near Marquette County. The lake tops out around 35 ft. The depth chart comes from published agency bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled. The season-by-season read for each species follows, from the map's own numbers.
Drawn out, this is 56 acres of water rimmed by 1.5 miles of bank. Its 1.4 shoreline index means few bank features; the contours below do the pattern work. The shallow band under 15 ft claims about 30% of the surface — that's where the groceries are. The basin spans about 0.6 mi end to end and 0.3 mi across at its widest. You'll find it in Marquette County. The nearest mapped water is Hasseib Lake, 2 mi to the east.
Spring puts brook trout in skinny water — 2 to 15 ft is the zone. As the season builds they drop to 10 to 30 ft, wintering in 3 to 20 ft. Summer brook trout concentrate at Break off the point, a prime-rated drop-off around 21 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. A small spoon fished deep or a trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (3 ft) | Small inline spinner (gold), Tiny spoon |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (21 ft) | Small spoon fished deep, Trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm |
| Fall | 2 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (3 ft) | Small spoon (orange), Spinner |
| Winter | 3 to 20 ft | dawn | Break off the point (21 ft) | Small jigging spoon, Tungsten jig + plastic |
When the water first warms, brown trout slide up into 3 to 25 ft. By summer they slide out to 11 to 35 ft, and by winter most fish are in 5 to 35 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Break off the point: a drop-off around 21 ft that scores prime in summer. In summer the feeding windows fall in after dark and early morning. Keep a spoon at the thermocline or a deep stickbait (night) rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (3 ft) | Stickbait off planer boards (shallow), Small spoon along mud lines |
| Summer | 11 to 35 ft | night & dawn | Break off the point (21 ft) | Spoon at the thermocline, Deep stickbait (night) |
| Fall | 5 to 30 ft | dusk & dawn | Secondary point (14 ft) | Jerkbait over gravel, Casting spoon |
| Winter | 5 to 35 ft | dawn | Break off the point (21 ft) | Jigging spoon, Small stickbait (slow) |
Spring cisco (lake herring) on Lake Arfelin hold shallow, usually 9 to 35 ft. Depth-wise the year is flat: 11 to 35 ft in summer, 11 to 35 ft once it turns cold. Put Deep basin first on the milk run — a deep basin near 34 ft that grades prime for spring. The feeding windows run early morning. The summer box starts with a vertical flutter spoon (small) or a drop-shot micro plastic.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 9 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Deep basin (34 ft) | Small silver spoon, Tiny swim jig (white) |
| Summer | 11 to 35 ft | dawn | Deep basin (34 ft) | Vertical flutter spoon (small), Drop-shot micro plastic |
| Fall | 5 to 25 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (21 ft) | Small casting spoon, Inline spinner (silver) |
| Winter | 11 to 35 ft | dawn | Deep basin (34 ft) | Small jigging spoon (glow/silver), Tungsten jig + minnow head |
When the water first warms, walleye slide up into 4 to 15 ft. By summer they slide out to 15 to 35 ft, and by winter most fish are in 11 to 35 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Break off the point: a drop-off around 21 ft that scores prime in fall. In summer the feeding windows fall in the evening and early morning. Keep a crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | Secondary point (14 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 15 to 35 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (21 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 11 to 35 ft | dusk & night | Break off the point (21 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 11 to 35 ft | dusk & dawn | Deep basin (34 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
When the water first warms, yellow perch slide up into 3 to 12 ft. Summer is a 10 to 30 ft game here, winter a 15 to 35 ft one. Start at Back-bay flat. It's a weed flat holding about 7 ft of water and rates prime come spring. The feeding windows run early morning. Keep a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Back-bay flat (7 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Break off the point (21 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 12 to 35 ft | midday | Deep basin (34 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (34 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: northern pike in 2 to 8 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 8 to 20 ft before dropping to 5 to 15 ft for winter. The spot to know is Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in about 2 ft of water that rates prime for northern pike in spring. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. Summer baits: a bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Back-bay flat (7 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Back-bay flat (7 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Back-bay flat (7 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
Lake Arfelin also holds smallmouth bass (10 to 30 ft in summer), largemouth bass (8 to 20 ft in summer), rock bass (5 to 20 ft in summer), bluegill (4 to 15 ft in summer), pumpkinseed (2 to 10 ft in summer), brown bullhead (3 to 12 ft in summer), burbot (11 to 35 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
Lake Arfelin carries 6 mapped structure features, topping out (or rather bottoming out) at Deep basin, about 34 ft down.
Access data: Michigan DNR — Michigan Boating Access Sites. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
| Date | Species | Count | Size |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 22 | Splake | 1,830 | ~20.8" |
Source: Michigan DNR fish-stocking database, retrieved 2026-08-18.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Michigan waters are set by the Michigan DNR — and special regulations can apply to Lake Arfelin specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Michigan fishing regulations →
Lake Arfelin is about 35 ft (11 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart comes from published agency bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled.
Anglers target brook trout, brown trout, cisco (lake herring), walleye, yellow perch, northern pike, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, rock bass, bluegill, pumpkinseed, brown bullhead, burbot on Lake Arfelin. This isn't a survey of the lake — none is on record for it — but an informed estimate from the species listed for the nearest surveyed lakes in the region, filtered to this lake's depth and habitat.
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 34 ft of water that rates prime for cisco (lake herring) in spring. Scroll up to the map for the complete spot list by species and season.
For brook 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 Michigan DNR fish-stocking database records, Lake Arfelin was most recently stocked May 22 with 1,830 splake. The full stocking history is listed above.
Fishing on Lake Arfelin is regulated by the Michigan DNR. Check the official Michigan regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Hasseib Lake 2 mi · Little White Goat Lake 2 mi · Van Riper Lake (NW) 3 mi · Van Riper Lakes (west) 3 mi · Lake Keewaydin 3 mi · Lake Alice 5 mi · Craig Lake 6 mi · Clear Lake 6 mi · Log Lake 7 mi · Coon Lake 7 mi · Lake Michigamme 8 mi · Beaufort Lake 9 mi
See how Lake Arfelin stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in Michigan · best smallmouth bass lakes in Michigan · best walleye lakes in Michigan · best northern pike lakes in Michigan
More water nearby: Marquette County fishing maps (49 charts). Browse all Michigan fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry: published agency survey data. 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.