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Rating depth structure for largemouth bass.
Shared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.
69-acre lake near Schoolcraft County. The lake tops out around 35 ft. The depth chart comes from published agency bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled. Every species below gets its seasonal read from the same numbers driving the chart.
The drawn water covers 56 acres wrapped in 1.7 miles of bank. With a 1.6 development index there's bank structure worth casting at, in moderation. The shallow band under 15 ft claims about 78% of the surface — that's where the groceries are. Tip to tip the water measures near 0.6 mi with a 0.3-mi widest point. Schoolcraft County claims this one. Its nearest charted neighbour, Green Bass Lake, is 1 mi to the northeast.
Early season brook trout use the shallows, holding in 2 to 15 ft. Summer is a 10 to 30 ft game here, winter a 3 to 20 ft one. The chart's best answer is Deep basin — deep basin, 30 ft, prime for summer. Best bite is 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 (6 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 (6 ft) | Small spoon (orange), Spinner |
| Winter | 3 to 20 ft | dawn | Break off the point (12 ft) | Small jigging spoon, Tungsten jig + plastic |
In spring, brown trout run shallow here, mostly 3 to 25 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 11 to 35 ft, and winter fish settle into 5 to 35 ft. Break off the point is the standout, a drop-off at roughly 12 ft, rated prime for summer brown trout. Time it for after dark and early morning. 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 (6 ft) | Stickbait off planer boards (shallow), Small spoon along mud lines |
| Summer | 11 to 35 ft | night & dawn | Break off the point (12 ft) | Spoon at the thermocline, Deep stickbait (night) |
| Fall | 5 to 30 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (6 ft) | Jerkbait over gravel, Casting spoon |
| Winter | 5 to 35 ft | dawn | Break off the point (12 ft) | Jigging spoon, Small stickbait (slow) |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: yellow perch in 3 to 12 ft. As the season builds they drop to 10 to 30 ft, wintering in 15 to 35 ft. Top water on the chart: Back-bay flat, a weed flat in the 6 ft range, prime in spring. Time it for early morning. 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 | Back-bay flat (6 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 | 12 to 35 ft | midday | Deep basin (30 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (30 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
When the water first warms, northern pike slide up into 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. If you only fish one area, make it Shallow bay flat: a weed flat around 2 ft that scores prime in spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Keep a bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (2 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 | Back-bay flat (6 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Back-bay flat (6 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
Come spring, look for largemouth bass tight to the bank in 2 to 10 ft. Expect a summer slide to 8 to 20 ft, then a winter hold in 15 to 35 ft. Start at Shallow bay flat. It's a weed flat holding about 2 ft of water and rates prime come spring. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. A texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (12 ft) | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (6 ft) | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday | Break off the point (12 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
Start shallow in spring: rock bass sit in 2 to 10 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 5 to 20 ft; cold water stacks them in 12 to 30 ft. Top water on the chart: Main-lake point, a point in the 6 ft range, prime in summer. Fish it in the evening and you'll meet the bite. Throw a ned rig (small) or a marabou jig until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (6 ft) | 1/16 oz jig + grub, Small inline spinner |
| Summer | 5 to 20 ft | dusk | Main-lake point (6 ft) | Ned rig (small), Marabou jig |
| Fall | 8 to 22 ft | midday | Break off the point (12 ft) | Small tube jig, Inline spinner |
| Winter | 12 to 30 ft | midday | Deep basin (30 ft) | Tungsten jig + plastic, Small spoon + spike |
Cookson Lake also holds bluegill (4 to 15 ft in summer), pumpkinseed (2 to 10 ft in summer), brown bullhead (3 to 12 ft in summer), burbot (11 to 35 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
Count 6 structure marks on this chart. The deepest, Deep basin, sits near 30 ft.
Access data: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) — community-mapped launches. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Michigan waters are set by the Michigan DNR — and special regulations can apply to Cookson Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Michigan fishing regulations →
Cookson Lake is about 35 ft (11 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, brown trout, yellow perch, northern pike, largemouth bass, rock bass, bluegill, pumpkinseed, brown bullhead, burbot on Cookson 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.
Back-bay flat is the top-rated area: a weed flat in about 6 ft of water that rates prime for yellow perch in spring. Every other rated spot, per species and season, is on the map above.
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 Cookson 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.
Green Bass Lake 1 mi · McKeever Lake 2 mi · Ironjaw Lake 2 mi · Grassy Lake 2 mi · Swan Lake 2 mi · Straits Lake 3 mi · Petes Lake 3 mi · Herman Lake 3 mi · Big Island Lake 3 mi · Toms Lake 3 mi · Triangle Lake 3 mi · Byers Lake 4 mi
See how Cookson Lake stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in Michigan · best northern pike lakes in Michigan · best bluegill lakes in Michigan · best yellow perch lakes in Michigan
More water nearby: Schoolcraft County fishing maps (54 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.