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Rating depth structure for largemouth bass.
Shared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.
52-acre lake near Mason County. The lake tops out around 45 ft. The depth chart comes from published agency bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled. Here's the year, species by species, as the scoring engine sees it.
Drawn out, this is 58 acres of water rimmed by 1.4 miles of bank. Nearly circular (index 1.3), so the story is the bottom, not the bank. About 35% of the surface sits shallower than 15 ft — that's the weed-and-bait zone. Call it 0.5 mi long by 0.3 mi wide at the broadest reach. You'll find it in Mason County. Closest neighbour on DepthScout: Long Lake, 1 mi northwest of here.
Spring puts brook trout in skinny water — 2 to 15 ft is the zone. As the season builds they drop to 10 to 30 ft, wintering in 3 to 20 ft. Summer brook trout concentrate at Break off the point, a prime-rated drop-off around 25 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. A small spoon fished deep or a trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (15 ft) | Small inline spinner (gold), Tiny spoon |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (25 ft) | Small spoon fished deep, Trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm |
| Fall | 2 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (15 ft) | Small spoon (orange), Spinner |
| Winter | 3 to 20 ft | dawn | Shallow bay flat (8 ft) | Small jigging spoon, Tungsten jig + plastic |
In spring, rainbow trout run shallow here, mostly 5 to 20 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 8 to 30 ft, and winter fish settle into 8 to 40 ft. Break off the point is the standout, a drop-off at roughly 25 ft, rated prime for winter rainbow trout. Time it for early morning and the evening. 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 (15 ft) | Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon |
| Summer | 8 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (25 ft) | Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon |
| Fall | 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (15 ft) | Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals |
| Winter | 8 to 40 ft | dawn | Break off the point (25 ft) | Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white) |
When the water first warms, brown trout slide up into 3 to 25 ft. By summer they slide out to 14 to 45 ft, and by winter most fish are in 5 to 35 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Break off the point: a drop-off around 25 ft that scores prime in summer. In summer the feeding windows fall in after dark and early morning. Keep a spoon at the thermocline or a deep stickbait (night) rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (15 ft) | Stickbait off planer boards (shallow), Small spoon along mud lines |
| Summer | 14 to 45 ft | night & dawn | Break off the point (25 ft) | Spoon at the thermocline, Deep stickbait (night) |
| Fall | 5 to 30 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (15 ft) | Jerkbait over gravel, Casting spoon |
| Winter | 5 to 35 ft | dawn | Break off the point (25 ft) | Jigging spoon, Small stickbait (slow) |
Spring puts chinook salmon in skinny water — 5 to 40 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 14 to 45 ft; cold water stacks them in 14 to 45 ft. Deep basin is the standout, a deep basin at roughly 45 ft, rated prime for summer chinook salmon. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. A flasher + fly (green/white) or a magnum spoon on downrigger covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (25 ft) | Trolled spoon (orange/gold), Stickbait off planer boards |
| Summer | 14 to 45 ft | dawn & dusk | Deep basin (45 ft) | Flasher + fly (green/white), Magnum spoon on downrigger |
| Fall | 9 to 45 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (25 ft) | J-plug (glow), Flasher + fly |
| Winter | 14 to 45 ft | midday | Deep basin (45 ft) | Small spoon on a slow troll, Stickbait deep |
Start shallow in spring: coho salmon sit in 3 to 25 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 14 to 45 ft; cold water stacks them in 14 to 45 ft. Top water on the chart: Deep basin, a deep basin in the 45 ft range, prime in summer. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. Throw a dodger + fly or a medium spoon above the thermocline 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 (15 ft) | Small orange dodger + peanut fly, Thin spoon (orange/silver) |
| Summer | 14 to 45 ft | dawn & dusk | Deep basin (45 ft) | Dodger + fly, Medium spoon above the thermocline |
| Fall | 8 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (15 ft) | Casting spoon, Spinner (chartreuse) |
| Winter | 14 to 45 ft | midday | Deep basin (45 ft) | Small spoon, slow troll |
When the water first warms, yellow perch slide up into 3 to 12 ft. Summer is a 10 to 30 ft game here, winter a 15 to 35 ft one. Start at Shallow bay flat. It's a weed flat holding about 8 ft of water and rates prime come spring. The feeding windows run 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 (8 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Break off the point (25 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 12 to 35 ft | midday | Break off the point (25 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (25 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Emerson Lake also holds northern pike (8 to 20 ft in summer), smallmouth bass (10 to 30 ft in summer), largemouth bass (8 to 20 ft in summer), rock bass (5 to 20 ft in summer), crappie (10 to 25 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), burbot (14 to 45 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
5 pieces of structure are mapped here — Deep basin, around 45 ft, is the deepest of them.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Michigan waters are set by the Michigan DNR — and special regulations can apply to Emerson Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Michigan fishing regulations →
Emerson Lake is about 45 ft (14 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, chinook salmon, coho salmon, yellow perch, northern pike, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, rock bass, crappie, bluegill, pumpkinseed, brown bullhead, burbot on Emerson 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.
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 45 ft of water that rates prime for chinook salmon in summer. Scroll up to the map for the complete spot list by 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 Emerson 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.
Long Lake 1 mi · Gooseneck Lake 2 mi · Tallman Lake 3 mi · Pere Marquette River 4 mi · Bartons Lake 7 mi · Ford Lake 7 mi · Nugent Lake 8 mi · Reed Lake 8 mi · Orchard Lake 8 mi · Chancellor Lake 9 mi · Rainbow Lake 9 mi · Eden Lake 9 mi
See how Emerson Lake stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in Michigan · best smallmouth bass lakes in Michigan · best northern pike lakes in Michigan · best crappie lakes in Michigan
More water nearby: Mason County fishing maps (13 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.