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Recent public catches load as you reach this section.
319-acre lake near St. Louis County. The lake tops out around 27 ft. What you see is a modeled chart: the shoreline is real, the max depth is published, and the contours between are estimated. Plan with it; don't navigate by it. Every species below gets its seasonal read from the same numbers driving the chart.
Traced from the shoreline, Boot runs 320 acres with 6.4 miles of edge. An index of 2.6 puts the bank firmly in maze territory: point after pocket after cove, every one a casting target. The shallow band under 15 ft claims about 80% of the surface on the model — that's where the groceries are. Tip to tip the water measures near 1.6 mi with a 1-mi widest point. The water lies in St. Louis County. The nearest mapped water is Fairy, 1 mi to the north.
Early season cisco (lake herring) use the shallows, holding in 7 to 27 ft. Even in summer they hold at 8 to 27 ft; winter keeps them in 8 to 27 ft. Put Deep basin first on the milk run — a deep basin near 23 ft that grades prime for spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning. Tie on a vertical flutter spoon (small) or a drop-shot micro plastic and you're in the game.
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 | 7 to 27 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Deep basin (23 ft) | Small silver spoon, Tiny swim jig (white) |
| Summer | 8 to 27 ft chart-limited; documented 40 to 80 ft | dawn | Deep basin (23 ft) | Vertical flutter spoon (small), Drop-shot micro plastic |
| Fall | 5 to 25 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (12 ft) | Small casting spoon, Inline spinner (silver) |
| Winter | 8 to 27 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 60 ft | dawn | Deep basin (23 ft) | Small jigging spoon (glow/silver), Tungsten jig + minnow head |
Come spring, look for walleye tight to the bank in 4 to 15 ft. They move out to 8 to 27 ft in summer and finish the year down in 8 to 27 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Break off the point: a drop-off around 12 ft that scores prime in fall. Best bite is the evening and early morning. A crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) is the honest summer answer here.
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 | 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (8 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 8 to 27 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 35 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (12 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 8 to 27 ft chart-limited; documented 12 to 40 ft | dusk & night | Break off the point (12 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 8 to 27 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 40 ft | dusk & dawn | Deep basin (23 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
Come spring, look for yellow perch tight to the bank in 3 to 12 ft. Expect a summer slide to 8 to 27 ft, then a winter hold in 8 to 27 ft. Start at Shallow bay flat. It's a weed flat holding about 3 ft of water and rates prime come spring. Prime time lands in early morning. A drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm is the honest summer answer here.
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 | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 8 to 27 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Deep basin (23 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 8 to 27 ft chart-limited; documented 12 to 35 ft | midday | Deep basin (23 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 8 to 27 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (23 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Start shallow in spring: northern pike sit in 2 to 8 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 8 to 20 ft, and winter fish settle into 5 to 15 ft. The spot to know is Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in about 3 ft of water that rates prime for northern pike in spring. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. Throw a bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (12 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (12 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
Early season rock bass use the shallows, holding in 2 to 10 ft. Expect a summer slide to 5 to 20 ft, then a winter hold in 8 to 27 ft. Put Main-lake point first on the milk run — a point near 8 ft that grades prime for summer. In summer the feeding windows fall in the evening. Tie on a ned rig (small) or a marabou jig and you're in the game.
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 | 2 to 10 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (8 ft) | 1/16 oz jig + grub, Small inline spinner |
| Summer | 5 to 20 ft | dusk | Main-lake point (8 ft) | Ned rig (small), Marabou jig |
| Fall | 8 to 22 ft | midday | Break off the point (12 ft) | Small tube jig, Inline spinner |
| Winter | 8 to 27 ft chart-limited; documented 12 to 30 ft | midday | Deep basin (23 ft) | Tungsten jig + plastic, Small spoon + spike |
The chart marks 6 structure features on Boot; the deepest is Deep basin at about 23 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 Boot specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Minnesota fishing regulations →
Boot is about 27 ft (8 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 cisco (lake herring), walleye, yellow perch, northern pike, rock bass on Boot.
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 23 ft of water that rates prime for cisco (lake herring) in spring. Scroll up to the map for the complete spot list by 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 Boot 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.
Fairy 1 mi · Fourtown 2 mi · Gun 2 mi · Gull 3 mi · Moosecamp 3 mi · Angleworm 3 mi · Home 3 mi · Bullet 3 mi · Horse 3 mi · Jacob 3 mi · Alruss 3 mi · Tin Can Mike 4 mi
See how Boot stacks up: best walleye lakes in Minnesota · best northern pike lakes in Minnesota · best yellow perch lakes in Minnesota · best rock bass lakes in Minnesota
More water nearby: St. Louis County fishing maps (429 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.