Sign inSign up free Sign inSign up free Sign inSign up freeShared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.
7,058-acre lake near St Louis County. The lake tops out around 30 ft. The depth data here comes from the Minnesota DNR survey of 1954, a decades-old survey (the DNR's original lake-survey map). Here's the year, species by species, as the scoring engine sees it.
On the chart, Birch draws 7,001 acres inside 92.8 miles of shoreline, broken up by 4 islands. A development index of 7.9 means a maze of bays and points: far more casting targets than a round bowl of the same size. The shallow band under 15 ft claims about 73% of the surface — that's where the groceries are. End to end it runs roughly 11.3 mi, about 5.2 mi across. You'll find it in St. Louis County. Closest neighbour on DepthScout: Little, 3 mi west of here.
Spring cisco (lake herring) on Birch hold shallow, usually 8 to 30 ft. Depth-wise the year is flat: 9 to 30 ft in summer, 9 to 30 ft once it turns cold. Put Deep basin first on the milk run — a deep basin near 20 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 | 8 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Deep basin (20 ft) | Small silver spoon, Tiny swim jig (white) |
| Summer | 9 to 30 ft | dawn | Deep basin (20 ft) | Vertical flutter spoon (small), Drop-shot micro plastic |
| Fall | 5 to 25 ft | dusk & dawn | Gravel shoal (8 ft) | Small casting spoon, Inline spinner (silver) |
| Winter | 9 to 30 ft | dawn | Deep basin (20 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 9 to 30 ft, and by winter most fish are in 9 to 30 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Gravel shoal: a gravel shoal around 8 ft that scores prime in spring. 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 | Gravel shoal (8 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 9 to 30 ft | dusk & dawn | Sharp break (12 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 9 to 30 ft | dusk & night | Sharp break (12 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 9 to 30 ft | dusk & dawn | Deep basin (20 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 9 to 30 ft one. Start at Weed 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 | Weed flat (7 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Deep basin (20 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 9 to 30 ft | midday | Deep basin (20 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 9 to 30 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (20 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 Weed flat, a weed flat in about 7 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 | Weed flat (7 ft) | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Weed flat (7 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Sharp break (12 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Weed flat (7 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: smallmouth bass 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 Main-lake point, a point in about 10 ft of water that rates prime for smallmouth bass in fall. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. Summer baits: a drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Gravel shoal (8 ft) | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (12 ft) | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 8 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (10 ft) | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 9 to 30 ft | midday | Sharp break (12 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
Spring rock bass on Birch hold shallow, usually 2 to 10 ft. They move out to 5 to 20 ft in summer and finish the year down in 12 to 30 ft. Put Gravel shoal first on the milk run — a gravel shoal near 8 ft that grades prime for spring. The feeding windows run the evening. The summer box starts with a ned rig (small) or a marabou jig.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | midday & dawn | Gravel shoal (8 ft) | 1/16 oz jig + grub, Small inline spinner |
| Summer | 5 to 20 ft | dusk | Main-lake point (10 ft) | Ned rig (small), Marabou jig |
| Fall | 8 to 22 ft | midday | Sharp break (12 ft) | Small tube jig, Inline spinner |
| Winter | 12 to 30 ft | midday | Deep basin (20 ft) | Tungsten jig + plastic, Small spoon + spike |
Birch also holds crappie (10 to 25 ft in summer), bluegill (4 to 15 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
Structure-wise the chart holds 13 features, led in depth by Deep basin at roughly 20 ft.
Access data: MN DNR Water Access Sites (struc_water_access_sites), Minnesota Geospatial Commons. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Minnesota waters are set by the Minnesota DNR — and special regulations can apply to Birch specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Minnesota fishing regulations →
Birch is about 30 ft (9 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth data here comes from the Minnesota DNR survey of 1954, a decades-old survey (the DNR's original lake-survey map).
Anglers target cisco (lake herring), walleye, yellow perch, northern pike, smallmouth bass, rock bass, crappie, bluegill on Birch.
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 20 ft of water that rates prime for cisco (lake herring) in spring. The interactive chart above rates every spot for each species and season.
For cisco (lake herring), 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 Birch 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.
Little 3 mi · Harris 4 mi · Denley 5 mi · Beaver Hut 5 mi · Chow 5 mi · Blueberry 6 mi · Fran 6 mi · One Pine 6 mi · Perch 7 mi · Gypsy 7 mi · August 7 mi · Whisper 7 mi
See how Birch stacks up: best smallmouth bass lakes in Minnesota · best walleye lakes in Minnesota · best northern pike lakes in Minnesota · best crappie lakes in Minnesota
More water nearby: St. Louis County fishing maps (429 charts). Browse all Minnesota fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: state fisheries survey programs. 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.