Sign inSign up free Sign inSign up free Sign inSign up freeLake depth chart
Today's read
Recent public catches load as you reach this section.
246-acre lake near Martin County. The lake tops out around 6 ft. The contours come from a model of the real basin shape and its known max depth. Read them as probabilities, not soundings, and keep them out of navigation decisions. The rest of this page walks each species through its year, using the map's own scoring.
Drawn out, this is 246 acres of water rimmed by 2.5 miles of bank. A shoreline index of 1.1 says round and simple: fish relate to depth changes here, not shoreline features. Every acre of it sits shallower than ~15 ft: one big littoral zone, cover and forage throughout. Figure 0.9 mi of water from one end to the other, 0.7 mi at the beam. You'll find it in Martin County. For a second option, South Silver lies 5 mi west.
Come spring, look for walleye tight to the bank in 2 to 6 ft. Through summer count on 2 to 6 ft; the winter hold is 2 to 6 ft. Start at Break off the point. It's a drop-off holding about 3 ft of water and rates prime come fall. Prime time lands in 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 | 2 to 6 ft chart-limited; documented 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (6 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 2 to 6 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 35 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (3 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 2 to 6 ft chart-limited; documented 12 to 40 ft | dusk & night | Break off the point (3 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 2 to 6 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 40 ft | dusk & dawn | Deep basin (5 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
Come spring, look for yellow perch tight to the bank in 2 to 6 ft. Through summer count on 2 to 6 ft; the winter hold is 2 to 6 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Shallow bay flat: a weed flat around 3 ft that scores prime in spring. Best bite is 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 | 2 to 6 ft chart-limited; documented 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 2 to 6 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Deep basin (5 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 2 to 6 ft chart-limited; documented 12 to 35 ft | midday | Deep basin (5 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 2 to 6 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (5 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Start shallow in spring: northern pike sit in 2 to 6 ft that time of year. They don't go far with the seasons — 2 to 6 ft covers summer, 2 to 6 ft covers winter. Top water on the chart: Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in the 3 ft range, prime in spring. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. Throw a bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage until the fish tell you otherwise.
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 6 ft chart-limited; documented 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 2 to 6 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 2 to 6 ft chart-limited; documented 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 2 to 6 ft chart-limited; documented 5 to 15 ft | midday | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
Start shallow in spring: crappie sit in 2 to 6 ft that time of year. They don't go far with the seasons — 2 to 6 ft covers summer, 2 to 6 ft covers winter. Top water on the chart: Deep basin, a deep basin in the 5 ft range, prime in winter. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. Throw a jig trolled/spider-rigged or a small crankbait (trolled) until the fish tell you otherwise.
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 6 ft chart-limited; documented 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | 1/16 oz jig + tube, Curly-tail grub |
| Summer | 2 to 6 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Jig trolled/spider-rigged, Small crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 2 to 6 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 20 ft | dawn | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Jig + minnow combo, Small swimbait (1.5-2") |
| Winter | 2 to 6 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 35 ft | midday | Deep basin (5 ft) | Tungsten jig + soft plastic, Tiny jigging spoon |
In spring, bluegill run shallow here, mostly 1 to 6 ft. Summer keeps them at 2 to 6 ft, and they winter in 2 to 6 ft. Spring bluegill concentrate at Shallow bay flat, a prime-rated weed flat around 3 ft. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a small sponge spider (fly) or a micro tube jig most summer days.
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 | 1 to 6 ft | midday & dusk | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | 1/32 oz jig + micro plastic, Tiny popper (evenings) |
| Summer | 2 to 6 ft chart-limited; documented 4 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Small sponge spider (fly), Micro tube jig |
| Fall | 2 to 6 ft chart-limited; documented 6 to 18 ft | midday | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 2 to 6 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 25 ft | midday | Deep basin (5 ft) | Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: channel catfish in 2 to 6 ft. The depth story barely changes: 2 to 6 ft through summer, 2 to 6 ft in winter. The spot to know is Deep basin, a deep basin in about 5 ft of water that rates prime for channel catfish in winter. Plan around after dark and the evening in the warm months.
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 6 ft chart-limited; documented 3 to 12 ft | dusk | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | |
| Summer | 2 to 6 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 25 ft | night & dusk | Deep basin (5 ft) | |
| Fall | 2 to 6 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 30 ft | dusk | Deep basin (5 ft) | |
| Winter | 2 to 6 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 40 ft | midday | Deep basin (5 ft) |
East Chain also holds freshwater drum (2 to 6 ft in summer), common carp (1 to 6 ft in summer), black bullhead (1 to 6 ft in summer), green sunfish (1 to 6 ft in summer), yellow bullhead (1 to 6 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
East Chain carries 5 mapped structure features, topping out (or rather bottoming out) at Main-lake point, about 6 ft down.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Minnesota waters are set by the Minnesota DNR — and special regulations can apply to East Chain specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Minnesota fishing regulations →
East Chain is about 6 ft (2 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 walleye, yellow perch, northern pike, crappie, bluegill, channel catfish, freshwater drum, common carp, black bullhead, green sunfish, yellow bullhead on East Chain.
Break off the point is the top-rated area: a drop-off in about 3 ft of water that rates prime for walleye in fall. The interactive chart above rates every spot for each species and season.
For walleye, the summer bite is best in the evening and 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 East Chain 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.
South Silver 5 mi · North Silver 5 mi · Iowa 6 mi · Wilmert 6 mi · Amber Lake (Fairmont Chain) 7 mi · Imogene 7 mi · Hall Lake (Fairmont Chain) 8 mi · Budd Lake (Fairmont Chain) 9 mi · Lake Sisseton (Fairmont Chain) 10 mi · Lake George (Fairmont Chain) 10 mi · Bright 11 mi · Okamanpeedan 11 mi
See how East Chain stacks up: best walleye lakes in Minnesota · best northern pike lakes in Minnesota · best crappie lakes in Minnesota · best bluegill lakes in Minnesota
More water nearby: Martin County fishing maps (21 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.