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14,069-acre lake near Lake County. The lake tops out around 111 ft. Bathymetry on this water is estimated from its real outline and maximum depth. Use it to shortlist water, then verify with your electronics — and never navigate by it. Here is how the season plays out for each species, straight from the data behind the map.
The outline encloses 14,122 acres, worked by 159.3 miles of shoreline, broken up by 42 islands. With a shoreline index of 9.6, this water is all arms and coves — edge habitat well beyond its acreage. 56% of the surface is littoral (under ~15 ft), per the model — cover, weeds and forage water. Figure 15.3 mi of water from one end to the other, 6.8 mi at the beam. It sits in Lake County. If the bite dies, Indiana is 3 mi to the south.
Start shallow in spring: lake whitefish sit in 15 to 45 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 40 to 90 ft, and winter fish settle into 25 to 70 ft. The spot to know is Rock reef, a rock pile in about 7 ft of water that rates prime for lake whitefish in fall. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning. Throw a blade bait vertical or a small jigging spoon until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 15 to 45 ft | midday & dawn | Sharp break (22 ft) | Small jig + waxworm, Blade bait (small) |
| Summer | 40 to 90 ft | dawn | Deep basin (94 ft) | Blade bait vertical, Small jigging spoon |
| Fall | 8 to 30 ft | dusk | Rock reef (7 ft) | Small spoon (gold), Jig + plastic larva |
| Winter | 25 to 70 ft | midday & dawn | Sharp break (50 ft) | Jigging spoon + bead chain, Tungsten jig + waxie |
Start shallow in spring: cisco (lake herring) sit in 10 to 40 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 40 to 80 ft, and winter fish settle into 20 to 60 ft. The spot to know is Rock reef, a rock pile in about 6 ft of water that rates prime for cisco (lake herring) in fall. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning. Throw a vertical flutter spoon (small) or a drop-shot micro plastic until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 10 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Offshore hump (13 ft) | Small silver spoon, Tiny swim jig (white) |
| Summer | 40 to 80 ft | dawn | Deep basin (94 ft) | Vertical flutter spoon (small), Drop-shot micro plastic |
| Fall | 5 to 25 ft | dusk & dawn | Rock reef (6 ft) | Small casting spoon, Inline spinner (silver) |
| Winter | 20 to 60 ft | dawn | Sharp break (50 ft) | Small jigging spoon (glow/silver), Tungsten jig + minnow head |
In spring, walleye run shallow here, mostly 4 to 15 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 15 to 35 ft before dropping to 20 to 40 ft for winter. Fall walleye concentrate at Sharp break, a prime-rated drop-off around 22 ft. Fish it in the evening and early morning and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | Rock reef (6 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 15 to 35 ft | dusk & dawn | Offshore hump (13 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 12 to 40 ft | dusk & night | Sharp break (22 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 20 to 40 ft | dusk & dawn | Sharp break (22 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: yellow perch in 3 to 12 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 10 to 30 ft before dropping to 15 to 35 ft for winter. The spot to know is Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in about 6 ft of water that rates prime for yellow perch in spring. Plan around early morning in the warm months. Summer baits: a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Sharp break (22 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 12 to 35 ft | midday | Sharp break (22 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Offshore hump (13 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
When the water first warms, northern pike slide up into 2 to 8 ft. Summer is an 8 to 20 ft game here, winter a 5 to 15 ft one. Start at Shallow bay flat. It's a weed flat holding about 6 ft of water and rates prime come spring. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. Keep a bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
When the water first warms, smallmouth bass slide up into 3 to 12 ft. Summer is a 10 to 30 ft game here, winter a 20 to 45 ft one. Start at Rock reef. It's a rock pile holding about 6 ft of water and rates prime come spring. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. Keep a drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Rock reef (6 ft) | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Offshore hump (13 ft) | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 8 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Sharp break (22 ft) | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 20 to 45 ft | midday | Sharp break (22 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
Basswood also holds largemouth bass (8 to 20 ft in summer), rock bass (5 to 20 ft in summer), crappie (10 to 25 ft in summer), bluegill (4 to 15 ft in summer), pumpkinseed (2 to 10 ft in summer), burbot (33 to 111 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
Structure-wise the chart holds 16 features, led in depth by Deep basin at roughly 94 ft.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Minnesota waters are set by the Minnesota DNR — and special regulations can apply to Basswood specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Minnesota fishing regulations →
Basswood is about 111 ft (34 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 lake whitefish, cisco (lake herring), walleye, yellow perch, northern pike, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, rock bass, crappie, bluegill, pumpkinseed, burbot on Basswood.
Sharp break is the top-rated area: a drop-off in about 22 ft of water that rates prime for walleye in fall. Every other rated spot, per species and season, is on the map above.
For lake whitefish, 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 Basswood 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.
Indiana 3 mi · Good 3 mi · Wind 4 mi · Washte 5 mi · Witness 5 mi · Ella Hall 5 mi · Wood 5 mi · Manomin 6 mi · Muskeg 6 mi · Moose 6 mi · Tofte 6 mi · Mud 6 mi
See how Basswood stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in Minnesota · best smallmouth bass lakes in Minnesota · best walleye lakes in Minnesota · best northern pike 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.