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Rating depth structure for northern pike.
Shared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.
101-acre lake near Alger County. The lake tops out around 5 ft. The depth chart comes from published agency bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled. The season-by-season read for each species follows, from the map's own numbers.
Crooked Lake maps at 92 acres behind 1.8 miles of shoreline. Nearly circular (index 1.3), so the story is the bottom, not the bank. Every acre of it sits shallower than ~15 ft: one big littoral zone, cover and forage throughout. Call it 0.7 mi long by 0.4 mi wide at the broadest reach. Schoolcraft County claims this one. Nevins Lake sits 1 mi northeast — the closest neighbouring chart.
Start shallow in spring: yellow perch sit in 1 to 5 ft that time of year. They don't go far with the seasons — 2 to 5 ft covers summer, 2 to 5 ft covers winter. The spot to know is Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in about 2 ft of water that rates prime for yellow perch in spring. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning. Throw a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 5 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 2 to 5 ft | dawn | Deep basin (4 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 2 to 5 ft | midday | Deep basin (4 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 2 to 5 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (4 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Come spring, look for northern pike tight to the bank in 1 to 5 ft. Through summer count on 2 to 5 ft; the winter hold is 2 to 5 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 bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 5 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 2 to 5 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 2 to 5 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 2 to 5 ft | midday | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
When the water first warms, brown bullhead slide up into 1 to 5 ft. There's no big seasonal slide here — summer means 1 to 5 ft, winter 2 to 5 ft. Start at Deep basin. It's a deep basin holding about 4 ft of water and rates prime come winter. The feeding windows run after dark and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 5 ft | dusk & night | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | |
| Summer | 1 to 5 ft | night & dusk | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | |
| Fall | 2 to 5 ft | dusk | Deep basin (4 ft) | |
| Winter | 2 to 5 ft | midday | Deep basin (4 ft) |
The chart marks 6 structure features on Crooked Lake; the deepest is Deep basin at about 4 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 Crooked Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Michigan fishing regulations →
Crooked Lake is about 5 ft (2 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 yellow perch, northern pike, brown bullhead on Crooked 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.
Shallow bay flat is the top-rated area: a weed flat in about 2 ft of water that rates prime for yellow perch in spring. Scroll up to the map for the complete spot list by species and season.
For yellow perch, 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 Crooked 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.
Nevins Lake 1 mi · Ross Lake 2 mi · Gemini Lakes 2 mi · Long Lake 2 mi · Canoe Lake 3 mi · Cusino Lake 4 mi · Legion Lake 5 mi · Driggs Lake 5 mi · Stanley Lake 5 mi · Lower Shoe Lake 5 mi · Beaver Lake 6 mi · Trappers Lake 6 mi
See how Crooked Lake stacks up: best northern pike lakes in Michigan · best yellow perch lakes in Michigan · best brown bullhead 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.