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Rating depth structure for largemouth bass.
Shared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.
31-acre lake near Delta County. The lake tops out around 30 ft. The depth chart comes from published agency bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled. The rest of this page walks each species through its year, using the map's own scoring.
The drawn water covers 32 acres wrapped in 1 miles of bank. At index 1.3 the outline is almost a bowl — read the depth changes, not the shoreline. 35% of the surface is littoral (under ~15 ft) — cover, weeds and forage water. Figure 0.3 mi of water from one end to the other, 0.3 mi at the beam. It sits in Delta County. Lyman Lake sits 2 mi west — the closest neighbouring chart.
Early season brook trout use the shallows, holding in 2 to 15 ft. Expect a summer slide to 10 to 30 ft, then a winter hold in 3 to 20 ft. Put Deep basin first on the milk run — a deep basin near 30 ft that grades prime for summer. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Tie on a small spoon fished deep or a trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (13 ft) | Small inline spinner (gold), Tiny spoon |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Deep basin (30 ft) | Small spoon fished deep, Trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm |
| Fall | 2 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (13 ft) | Small spoon (orange), Spinner |
| Winter | 3 to 20 ft | dawn | Shallow bay flat (5 ft) | Small jigging spoon, Tungsten jig + plastic |
Spring rainbow trout on Bear Lake hold shallow, usually 5 to 20 ft. By summer they slide out to 8 to 30 ft, and by winter most fish are in 6 to 30 ft. The chart's best answer is Break off the point — drop-off, 24 ft, prime for winter. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a dodger + spoon (deep troll) or a flutter spoon.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (13 ft) | Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon |
| Summer | 8 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (24 ft) | Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon |
| Fall | 9 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (13 ft) | Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals |
| Winter | 6 to 30 ft | dawn | Break off the point (24 ft) | Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white) |
In spring, brown trout run shallow here, mostly 3 to 25 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 9 to 30 ft before dropping to 4 to 30 ft for winter. Summer brown trout concentrate at Break off the point, a prime-rated drop-off around 24 ft. Fish it in after dark and early morning and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a spoon at the thermocline or a deep stickbait (night) most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (13 ft) | Stickbait off planer boards (shallow), Small spoon along mud lines |
| Summer | 9 to 30 ft | night & dawn | Break off the point (24 ft) | Spoon at the thermocline, Deep stickbait (night) |
| Fall | 5 to 30 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (13 ft) | Jerkbait over gravel, Casting spoon |
| Winter | 4 to 30 ft | dawn | Break off the point (24 ft) | Jigging spoon, Small stickbait (slow) |
Come spring, look for coho salmon tight to the bank in 3 to 25 ft. They move out to 9 to 30 ft in summer and finish the year down in 9 to 30 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Deep basin: a deep basin around 30 ft that scores prime in summer. Best bite is early morning and the evening. A dodger + fly or a medium spoon above the thermocline is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (13 ft) | Small orange dodger + peanut fly, Thin spoon (orange/silver) |
| Summer | 9 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Deep basin (30 ft) | Dodger + fly, Medium spoon above the thermocline |
| Fall | 6 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (13 ft) | Casting spoon, Spinner (chartreuse) |
| Winter | 9 to 30 ft | midday | Deep basin (30 ft) | Small spoon, slow troll |
Start shallow in spring: cisco (lake herring) sit in 8 to 30 ft that time of year. They don't go far with the seasons — 9 to 30 ft covers summer, 9 to 30 ft covers winter. The spot to know is Deep basin, a deep basin in about 30 ft of water that rates prime for cisco (lake herring) in spring. 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 | 8 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Deep basin (30 ft) | Small silver spoon, Tiny swim jig (white) |
| Summer | 9 to 30 ft | dawn | Deep basin (30 ft) | Vertical flutter spoon (small), Drop-shot micro plastic |
| Fall | 5 to 25 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (24 ft) | Small casting spoon, Inline spinner (silver) |
| Winter | 9 to 30 ft | dawn | Deep basin (30 ft) | Small jigging spoon (glow/silver), Tungsten jig + minnow head |
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 9 to 30 ft for winter. The spot to know is Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in about 5 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 (5 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Deep basin (30 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 9 to 30 ft | midday | Deep basin (30 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 9 to 30 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (30 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Bear Lake also holds northern pike (8 to 20 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 (9 to 30 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
4 pieces of structure are mapped here — Deep basin, around 30 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 Bear Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Michigan fishing regulations →
Bear Lake is about 30 ft (9 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, brown trout, coho salmon, cisco (lake herring), yellow perch, northern pike, largemouth bass, rock bass, bluegill, pumpkinseed, brown bullhead, burbot on Bear Lake. 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 30 ft of water that rates prime for coho salmon in summer. The interactive chart above rates every spot for each 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 Bear Lake 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.
Lyman Lake 2 mi · Thunder Lake 2 mi · Gooseneck Lake 2 mi · Camp Seven Lake 3 mi · Murphy Lake 4 mi · Muleshoe Lake, North 5 mi · Minerva Lake 5 mi · Chicago Lake 6 mi · Mowe Lake 6 mi · Triangle Lake 7 mi · Bass Lake 7 mi · Dana Lake 7 mi
See how Bear Lake stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in Michigan · best northern pike lakes in Michigan · best bluegill lakes in Michigan · best rainbow trout lakes in Michigan
More water nearby: Delta County fishing maps (13 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.