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Rating depth structure for yellow perch.
Recent public catches load as you reach this section.
55-acre lake near Houghton County. The lake tops out around 90 ft. The depth chart comes from Michigan Department of Natural Resources bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled. Below is the species-by-species picture, pulled from the same data the map uses.
The drawn water covers 61 acres wrapped in 1.5 miles of bank. The basin is a simple one (shoreline index 1.3) — close to a bowl, so the structure on the chart matters more than the bank. 32% of the surface is littoral (under ~15 ft) — cover, weeds and forage water. End to end it runs roughly 0.5 mi, about 0.3 mi across. It sits in Houghton County. If the bite dies, Sandy Lake is 1 mi to the southwest.
The spring pattern is a shallow one: yellow perch in 3 to 12 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 10 to 30 ft before dropping to 15 to 35 ft for winter. The spot to know is Back-bay flat, a weed flat in about 8 ft of water that rates prime for yellow perch in spring. Plan around early morning in the warm months. 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 (8 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Break off the point (20 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 12 to 35 ft | midday | Break off the point (20 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (22 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
When the water first warms, smallmouth bass slide up into 3 to 12 ft. Summer is a 10 to 30 ft game here, winter a 20 to 45 ft one. Start at Main-lake point. It's a point holding about 8 ft of water and rates prime come fall. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. Keep a drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (8 ft) | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (20 ft) | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 8 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (8 ft) | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 20 to 45 ft | midday | Break off the point (20 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
Come spring, look for largemouth bass tight to the bank in 2 to 10 ft. They move out to 8 to 20 ft in summer and finish the year down in 15 to 35 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Back-bay flat: a weed flat around 8 ft that scores prime in spring. Best bite is 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 | Back-bay flat (8 ft) | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Back-bay flat (8 ft) | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (8 ft) | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday | Break off the point (20 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
Come spring, look for bluegill tight to the bank in 1 to 6 ft. Expect a summer slide to 4 to 15 ft, then a winter hold in 10 to 25 ft. Start at Back-bay flat. It's a weed flat holding about 8 ft of water and rates prime come summer. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. A small sponge spider (fly) or a micro tube jig is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 6 ft | midday & dusk | Back-bay flat (8 ft) | 1/32 oz jig + micro plastic, Tiny popper (evenings) |
| Summer | 4 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Back-bay flat (8 ft) | Small sponge spider (fly), Micro tube jig |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday | Back-bay flat (8 ft) | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 10 to 25 ft | midday | Shallow bay flat (22 ft) | Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon |
Spring rainbow trout on Emily Lake hold shallow, usually 5 to 20 ft. By summer they slide out to 8 to 30 ft, and by winter most fish are in 8 to 40 ft. The chart's best answer is Break off the point — drop-off, 20 ft, prime for winter. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a dodger + spoon (deep troll) or a flutter spoon.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (8 ft) | Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon |
| Summer | 8 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (20 ft) | Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon |
| Fall | 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Secondary point (9 ft) | Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals |
| Winter | 8 to 40 ft | dawn | Break off the point (20 ft) | Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white) |
Emily Lake carries 6 mapped structure features, topping out (or rather bottoming out) at Deep basin, about 86 ft down.
Access data: Michigan DNR — Michigan Boating Access Sites. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
| Date | Species | Count | Size |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 5 | Rainbow trout | 5,200 | ~20" |
Source: Michigan DNR fish-stocking database, retrieved 2026-09-23.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Michigan waters are set by the Michigan DNR — and special regulations can apply to Emily Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Michigan fishing regulations →
Emily Lake is about 90 ft (27 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart comes from Michigan Department of Natural Resources bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled.
Anglers target yellow perch, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, bluegill, rainbow trout on Emily Lake.
Back-bay flat is the top-rated area: a weed flat in about 8 ft of water that rates prime for yellow perch in spring. The map above holds the full rated-spot list for every 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.
Yes — per Michigan DNR fish-stocking database records, Emily Lake was most recently stocked May 5 with 5,200 rainbow trout. The full stocking history is listed above.
Fishing on Emily 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.
Sandy Lake 1 mi · Clear Lake 2 mi · Pike Lake 2 mi · Lake Roland 2 mi · Lake Gerald 3 mi · Courtney Lake 8 mi · Toivola Lake (West) 9 mi · Thirteenmile Lake 11 mi · Sturgeon River (UP) 12 mi · Lake Perrault 13 mi · Prickett Lake 13 mi · Otter Lake 14 mi
See how Emily Lake stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in Michigan · best smallmouth bass lakes in Michigan · best bluegill lakes in Michigan · best rainbow trout lakes in Michigan
More water nearby: Houghton County fishing maps (21 charts). Browse all Michigan fishing maps. See every water on DepthScout. Depth data: Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Inland lake maps. 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.