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Rating depth structure for largemouth bass.
Shared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.
29-acre lake near Otsego County. The lake tops out around 58 ft. The depth chart comes from published agency bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled. Below is the species-by-species picture, pulled from the same data the map uses.
The outline encloses 36 acres, worked by 1 miles of shoreline. At index 1.2 the outline is almost a bowl — read the depth changes, not the shoreline. Littoral water — the productive band under ~15 ft — makes up 34% of this chart. Figure 0.4 mi of water from one end to the other, 0.2 mi at the beam. Otsego County claims this one. If the bite dies, Douglas Lake is 2 mi to the east.
When the water first warms, brook trout slide up into 2 to 15 ft. Summer is a 10 to 30 ft game here, winter a 3 to 20 ft one. Start at Break off the point. It's a drop-off holding about 30 ft of water and rates prime come summer. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. Keep a small spoon fished deep or a trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm rigged through the warm months.
| 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 | Break off the point (30 ft) | 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 |
Come spring, look for rainbow trout tight to the bank in 5 to 20 ft. They move out to 8 to 30 ft in summer and finish the year down in 8 to 40 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Break off the point: a drop-off around 30 ft that scores prime in winter. Best bite is early morning and the evening. A dodger + spoon (deep troll) or a flutter spoon is the honest summer answer here.
| 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 (30 ft) | Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon |
| Fall | 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (30 ft) | Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals |
| Winter | 8 to 40 ft | dawn | Break off the point (30 ft) | Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white) |
Start shallow in spring: brown trout sit in 3 to 25 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 17 to 58 ft, and winter fish settle into 5 to 35 ft. The spot to know is Break off the point, a drop-off in about 30 ft of water that rates prime for brown trout in summer. Warm-month bites cluster around after dark and early morning. Throw a spoon at the thermocline or a deep stickbait (night) until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (1 ft) | Stickbait off planer boards (shallow), Small spoon along mud lines |
| Summer | 17 to 58 ft | night & dawn | Break off the point (30 ft) | Spoon at the thermocline, Deep stickbait (night) |
| Fall | 5 to 30 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (30 ft) | Jerkbait over gravel, Casting spoon |
| Winter | 5 to 35 ft | dawn | Break off the point (30 ft) | Jigging spoon, Small stickbait (slow) |
Spring puts yellow perch in skinny water — 3 to 12 ft is the zone. As the season builds they drop to 10 to 30 ft, wintering in 15 to 35 ft. Summer yellow perch concentrate at Break off the point, a prime-rated drop-off around 30 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning. A drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm covers the summer program.
| 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 | Break off the point (30 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 12 to 35 ft | midday | Break off the point (30 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (30 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Spring northern pike on Clear Lake hold shallow, usually 2 to 8 ft. By summer they slide out to 8 to 20 ft, and by winter most fish are in 5 to 15 ft. The chart's best answer is Shallow bay flat — weed flat, 1 ft, prime for spring. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
Spring smallmouth bass on Clear Lake hold shallow, usually 3 to 12 ft. By summer they slide out to 10 to 30 ft, and by winter most fish are in 20 to 45 ft. The chart's best answer is Break off the point — drop-off, 30 ft, prime for winter. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (1 ft) | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (30 ft) | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 8 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (30 ft) | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 20 to 45 ft | midday | Break off the point (30 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
Clear Lake also holds 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). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
The chart marks 5 structure features on Clear Lake; the deepest is Deep basin at about 58 ft.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Michigan waters are set by the Michigan DNR — and special regulations can apply to Clear Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Michigan fishing regulations →
Clear Lake is about 58 ft (18 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, yellow perch, northern pike, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, rock bass, bluegill, pumpkinseed, brown bullhead on Clear 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.
Break off the point is the top-rated area: a drop-off in about 30 ft of water that rates prime for smallmouth bass in winter. Open the map above to see every rated 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 Clear 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.
Douglas Lake 2 mi · Big Bass Lake 2 mi · Crapo Lake 3 mi · Caulkins Lake 4 mi · Seventh Spectacle Lake 5 mi · Big Bear Lake 5 mi · Gee Lake 5 mi · Sixth Spectacle Lake 5 mi · Traverse Lake, Middle 6 mi · Town Line Lake 6 mi · Spectacle Lake (Middle 6 mi · Emerald Lake 6 mi
See how Clear Lake stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in Michigan · best smallmouth bass lakes in Michigan · best northern pike lakes in Michigan · best bluegill lakes in Michigan
More water nearby: Otsego County fishing maps (27 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.