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80-acre lake near Itasca County. The lake tops out around 50 ft. The depth chart comes from Minnesota Department of Natural Resources 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.
On the chart, Bird's Eye draws 80 acres inside 2 miles of shoreline. Index 1.6 on the shoreline: a few honest points and pockets, nothing labyrinthine. Littoral water — the productive band under ~15 ft — makes up 46% of this chart. The basin spans about 0.7 mi end to end and 0.3 mi across at its widest. The water lies in Itasca County. The nearest mapped water is Sand, 1 mi to the west.
Early season walleye use the shallows, holding in 4 to 15 ft. Summer is a 15 to 35 ft game here, winter a 20 to 40 ft one. The chart's best answer is Break off the point — drop-off, 20 ft, prime for fall. Best bite is the evening and early morning. Tie on a crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (8 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 15 to 35 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (20 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 12 to 40 ft | dusk & night | Break off the point (20 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 20 to 40 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (20 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: bluegill in 1 to 6 ft. As the season builds they drop to 4 to 15 ft, wintering in 10 to 25 ft. Top water on the chart: Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in the 3 ft range, prime in spring. Time it for early morning and the evening. Summer baits: a small sponge spider (fly) or a micro tube jig gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 6 ft | midday & dusk | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | 1/32 oz jig + micro plastic, Tiny popper (evenings) |
| Summer | 4 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Back-bay flat (10 ft) | Small sponge spider (fly), Micro tube jig |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday | Back-bay flat (10 ft) | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 10 to 25 ft | midday | Back-bay flat (10 ft) | Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon |
When the water first warms, pumpkinseed slide up into 1 to 8 ft. By summer they slide out to 2 to 10 ft, and by winter most fish are in 6 to 18 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Shallow bay flat: a weed flat around 3 ft that scores prime in spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in the evening and early morning. Keep a micro tube or a sponge spider (fly) rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 8 ft | midday & dusk | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Micro jig under a float, Tiny beetle-spin |
| Summer | 2 to 10 ft | dusk & dawn | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Micro tube, Sponge spider (fly) |
| Fall | 4 to 14 ft | dusk & dawn | Back-bay flat (10 ft) | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 6 to 18 ft | dawn | Back-bay flat (10 ft) | Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: brown bullhead in 2 to 8 ft. As the season builds they drop to 3 to 12 ft, wintering in 10 to 25 ft. Top water on the chart: Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in the 3 ft range, prime in spring. Time it for after dark and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | dusk & night | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | |
| Summer | 3 to 12 ft | night & dusk | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | |
| Fall | 5 to 15 ft | dusk | Back-bay flat (10 ft) | |
| Winter | 10 to 25 ft | midday | open water |
When the water first warms, cisco (lake herring) slide up into 10 to 40 ft. By summer they slide out to 15 to 50 ft, and by winter most fish are in 15 to 50 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Deep basin: a deep basin around 45 ft that scores prime in summer. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning. Keep a vertical flutter spoon (small) or a drop-shot micro plastic rigged through the warm months.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 10 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Deep basin (45 ft) | Small silver spoon, Tiny swim jig (white) |
| Summer | 15 to 50 ft chart-limited; documented 40 to 80 ft | dawn | Deep basin (45 ft) | Vertical flutter spoon (small), Drop-shot micro plastic |
| Fall | 5 to 25 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (20 ft) | Small casting spoon, Inline spinner (silver) |
| Winter | 15 to 50 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 60 ft | dawn | Deep basin (45 ft) | Small jigging spoon (glow/silver), Tungsten jig + minnow head |
Spring puts crappie in skinny water — 2 to 8 ft is the zone. As the season builds they drop to 10 to 25 ft, wintering in 15 to 35 ft. Spring crappie concentrate at Shallow bay flat, a prime-rated weed flat around 3 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. A jig trolled/spider-rigged or a small crankbait (trolled) covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | 1/16 oz jig + tube, Curly-tail grub |
| Summer | 10 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Back-bay flat (10 ft) | Jig trolled/spider-rigged, Small crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 8 to 20 ft | dawn | Back-bay flat (10 ft) | Jig + minnow combo, Small swimbait (1.5-2") |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday | Break off the point (20 ft) | Tungsten jig + soft plastic, Tiny jigging spoon |
Bird's Eye also holds largemouth bass (8 to 20 ft in summer), northern pike (8 to 20 ft in summer), rock bass (5 to 20 ft in summer), yellow perch (10 to 30 ft in summer), black bullhead (3 to 15 ft in summer), bowfin (2 to 14 ft in summer), yellow bullhead (3 to 15 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
The chart marks 6 structure features on Bird's Eye; the deepest is Deep basin at about 45 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 Bird's Eye specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Minnesota fishing regulations →
Bird's Eye is about 50 ft (15 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart comes from Minnesota Department of Natural Resources bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled.
Anglers target walleye, bluegill, pumpkinseed, brown bullhead, cisco (lake herring), crappie, largemouth bass, northern pike, rock bass, yellow perch, black bullhead, bowfin, yellow bullhead on Bird's Eye.
Break off the point is the top-rated area: a drop-off in about 20 ft of water that rates prime for walleye in fall. Every other rated spot, per species and season, is on the map above.
For walleye, the summer bite is best in the evening and 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 Bird's Eye 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.
Sand 1 mi · Rush Island 2 mi · Bass 2 mi · Cedar 2 mi · Portage 3 mi · Little Sand 4 mi · Little Whitefish 4 mi · Whitefish 5 mi · Rice 5 mi · Bowstring 6 mi · Four Towns 6 mi · Little Spring 6 mi
See how Bird's Eye stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in Minnesota · best walleye lakes in Minnesota · best northern pike lakes in Minnesota · best crappie lakes in Minnesota
More water nearby: Itasca County fishing maps (371 charts). Browse all Minnesota fishing maps. 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.