Sign inSign up free Sign inSign up free Sign inSign up freeShared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.
258-acre lake near Alger County. The lake tops out around 70 ft. The depth chart is built from real state fisheries GPS surveys, so the humps, channels and drop-offs you see are measured, not guessed. Species by species, here's what the data says the year looks like.
On the chart, Deer Lake draws 252 acres inside 3.9 miles of shoreline. The shoreline is moderately structured (index 1.7) — enough points and pockets to pattern. The shallow band under 15 ft claims about 11% of the surface — that's where the groceries are. Tip to tip the water measures near 1.5 mi with a 0.5-mi widest point. The water lies in Alger County. The nearest mapped water is Au Train Lake, 8 mi to the southeast.
In spring, lake trout run shallow here, mostly 10 to 40 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 21 to 70 ft, and winter fish settle into 18 to 70 ft. Deep basin is the standout, a deep basin at roughly 69 ft, rated prime for summer lake trout. Time it for early morning. You won't need more than a white tube jig (deep) or a magnum spoon on downrigger most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 10 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (16 ft) | Casting spoon over shoals, Jerkbait (shallow) |
| Summer | 21 to 70 ft | dawn | Deep basin (69 ft) | White tube jig (deep), Magnum spoon on downrigger |
| Fall | 10 to 50 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (16 ft) | Heavy casting spoon, Jigging rap over reefs |
| Winter | 18 to 70 ft | dawn | Deep basin (69 ft) | White tube jig, Airplane jig |
In spring, rainbow trout run shallow here, mostly 5 to 20 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 8 to 30 ft before dropping to 8 to 40 ft for winter. Winter rainbow trout concentrate at Break off the point, a prime-rated drop-off around 30 ft. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a dodger + spoon (deep troll) or a flutter spoon most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (16 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 | Main-lake point (16 ft) | Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals |
| Winter | 8 to 40 ft | dawn | Break off the point (30 ft) | Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white) |
When the water first warms, walleye slide up into 4 to 15 ft. Summer is a 15 to 35 ft game here, winter a 20 to 40 ft one. Start at Break off the point. It's a drop-off holding about 30 ft of water and rates prime come fall. The feeding windows run the evening and early morning. Keep a crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | Secondary point (12 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 15 to 35 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (30 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 12 to 40 ft | dusk & night | Break off the point (30 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 20 to 40 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (30 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
When the water first warms, yellow perch slide up into 3 to 12 ft. By summer they slide out to 10 to 30 ft, and by winter most fish are in 15 to 35 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Break off the point: a drop-off around 30 ft that scores prime in summer. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning. Keep a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (7 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) |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: smallmouth bass in 3 to 12 ft. As the season builds they drop to 10 to 30 ft, wintering in 20 to 45 ft. Top water on the chart: Main-lake point, a point in the 16 ft range, prime in fall. Time it for early morning and the evening. Summer baits: a drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Secondary point (12 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 | Main-lake point (16 ft) | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 20 to 45 ft | midday | Break off the point (30 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
Start shallow in spring: largemouth bass sit in 2 to 10 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 8 to 20 ft, and winter fish settle into 15 to 35 ft. The spot to know is Secondary point, a point in about 12 ft of water that rates prime for largemouth bass in fall. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. Throw a texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (7 ft) | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (16 ft) | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Secondary point (12 ft) | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday | Break off the point (30 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
Deer Lake also holds crappie (10 to 25 ft in summer), bluegill (4 to 15 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
Deer Lake carries 6 mapped structure features, topping out (or rather bottoming out) at Deep basin, about 69 ft down.
Access data: Michigan DNR — Michigan Boating Access Sites. 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 Deer Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Michigan fishing regulations →
Deer Lake is about 70 ft (21 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart here comes from real state fisheries GPS surveys, so the contours reflect measured depths.
Anglers target lake trout, rainbow trout, walleye, yellow perch, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, crappie, bluegill on Deer Lake. This isn't a survey of the water — none is published for it — but an informed estimate from the species common to the region, narrowed by this water's depth, size and each species' range.
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 69 ft of water that rates prime for lake trout in summer. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.
For lake trout, 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 Deer 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.
Au Train Lake 8 mi · Lake Kawbawgam 13 mi · Perch Lake 13 mi · Joe Lake 14 mi · Echo Lake 14 mi · Sixteenmile Lake 15 mi · Otter Lake 16 mi · Lake Superior - Marquette Shore 16 mi · Bunting Lake 16 mi · Little Round Lake 17 mi · Trout Lake 18 mi · Wheelbarrow Lake 18 mi
See how Deer Lake stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in Michigan · best smallmouth bass lakes in Michigan · best walleye lakes in Michigan · best crappie lakes in Michigan
More water nearby: Alger County fishing maps (46 charts). Browse all Michigan fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: state fisheries survey programs. 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.