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Rating depth structure for northern pike.
Shared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.
70-acre lake near Alger County. The lake tops out around 46 ft. The depth chart comes from published agency bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled. Here is how the season plays out for each species, straight from the data behind the map.
Drawn out, this is 85 acres of water rimmed by 1.9 miles of bank. Index 1.5 on the shoreline: a few honest points and pockets, nothing labyrinthine. Roughly 27% of the water is 15 ft or less, the band where the food chain lives. End to end it runs roughly 0.6 mi, about 0.3 mi across. You'll find it in Alger County. The nearest mapped water is Grand Sable Lake, 5 mi to the southwest.
The spring pattern is a shallow one: brook trout in 2 to 15 ft. As the season builds they drop to 10 to 30 ft, wintering in 3 to 20 ft. Top water on the chart: Main-lake point, a point in the 1 ft range, prime in spring. Time it for early morning and the evening. Summer baits: a small spoon fished deep or a trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (1 ft) | Small inline spinner (gold), Tiny spoon |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Small spoon fished deep, Trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm |
| Fall | 2 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (1 ft) | Small spoon (orange), Spinner |
| Winter | 3 to 20 ft | dawn | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | Small jigging spoon, Tungsten jig + plastic |
Start shallow in spring: rainbow trout sit in 5 to 20 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 8 to 30 ft, and winter fish settle into 8 to 40 ft. The spot to know is Break off the point, a drop-off in about 40 ft of water that rates prime for rainbow trout in winter. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. Throw a dodger + spoon (deep troll) or a flutter spoon until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (1 ft) | Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon |
| Summer | 8 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (40 ft) | Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon |
| Fall | 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (40 ft) | Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals |
| Winter | 8 to 40 ft | dawn | Break off the point (40 ft) | Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white) |
Start shallow in spring: chinook salmon sit in 5 to 40 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 14 to 46 ft; cold water stacks them in 14 to 46 ft. Top water on the chart: Deep basin, a deep basin in the 46 ft range, prime in summer. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. Throw a flasher + fly (green/white) or a magnum spoon on downrigger until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (40 ft) | Trolled spoon (orange/gold), Stickbait off planer boards |
| Summer | 14 to 46 ft | dawn & dusk | Deep basin (46 ft) | Flasher + fly (green/white), Magnum spoon on downrigger |
| Fall | 9 to 46 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (40 ft) | J-plug (glow), Flasher + fly |
| Winter | 14 to 46 ft | midday | Deep basin (46 ft) | Small spoon on a slow troll, Stickbait deep |
Spring puts coho salmon in skinny water — 3 to 25 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 14 to 46 ft; cold water stacks them in 14 to 46 ft. Deep basin is the standout, a deep basin at roughly 46 ft, rated prime for summer coho salmon. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. A dodger + fly or a medium spoon above the thermocline covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (1 ft) | Small orange dodger + peanut fly, Thin spoon (orange/silver) |
| Summer | 14 to 46 ft | dawn & dusk | Deep basin (46 ft) | Dodger + fly, Medium spoon above the thermocline |
| Fall | 8 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (40 ft) | Casting spoon, Spinner (chartreuse) |
| Winter | 14 to 46 ft | midday | Deep basin (46 ft) | Small spoon, slow troll |
Come spring, look for cisco (lake herring) tight to the bank in 10 to 40 ft. They move out to 14 to 46 ft in summer and finish the year down in 14 to 46 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Deep basin: a deep basin around 46 ft that scores prime in summer. Best bite is early morning. A vertical flutter spoon (small) or a drop-shot micro plastic is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 10 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Deep basin (46 ft) | Small silver spoon, Tiny swim jig (white) |
| Summer | 14 to 46 ft | dawn | Deep basin (46 ft) | Vertical flutter spoon (small), Drop-shot micro plastic |
| Fall | 5 to 25 ft | dusk & dawn | open water | Small casting spoon, Inline spinner (silver) |
| Winter | 14 to 46 ft | dawn | Deep basin (46 ft) | Small jigging spoon (glow/silver), Tungsten jig + minnow head |
Early season yellow perch use the shallows, holding in 3 to 12 ft. Summer is a 10 to 30 ft game here, winter a 15 to 35 ft one. The chart's best answer is Shallow bay flat — weed flat, 1 ft, prime for spring. Best bite is early morning. Tie on a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Deep basin (46 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 12 to 35 ft | midday | Break off the point (40 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (46 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Bay Lake, East also holds northern pike (8 to 20 ft in summer), rock bass (5 to 20 ft in summer), burbot (14 to 46 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
6 pieces of structure are mapped here — Deep basin, around 46 ft, is the deepest of them.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Michigan waters are set by the Michigan DNR — and special regulations can apply to Bay Lake, East specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Michigan fishing regulations →
Bay Lake, East is about 46 ft (14 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, rainbow trout, chinook salmon, coho salmon, cisco (lake herring), yellow perch, northern pike, rock bass, burbot on Bay Lake, East. 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 46 ft of water that rates prime for chinook salmon in summer. The map above holds the full rated-spot list for every 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.
Fishing on Bay Lake, East 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.
Grand Sable Lake 5 mi · Sitka Lake 7 mi · Niemi Lake 7 mi · Weber Lake 8 mi · McKay Lake 9 mi · Bearfoot Lake 10 mi · Mitchell Lake 10 mi · Gypsy Lake 10 mi · Teal Lake 10 mi · Deadman Lake 10 mi · Tank Lake 11 mi · Pickerel Lake 11 mi
See how Bay Lake, East stacks up: best northern pike lakes in Michigan · best rainbow trout lakes in Michigan · best yellow perch lakes in Michigan · best chinook salmon lakes in Michigan
More water nearby: Alger County fishing maps (46 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.