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281-acre lake near Presque Isle County. The lake tops out around 29 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. What the data behind the map says about each species, season by season:
On the chart, Lake Esau draws 283 acres inside 2.8 miles of shoreline. At index 1.2 the outline is almost a bowl — read the depth changes, not the shoreline. 59% of the surface is littoral (under ~15 ft) — cover, weeds and forage water. Call it 1.1 mi long by 0.6 mi wide at the broadest reach. The water lies in Presque Isle County. Closest neighbour on DepthScout: Grand Lake, 2 mi southwest of here.
Start shallow in spring: splake sit in 5 to 25 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 9 to 29 ft, and winter fish settle into 6 to 29 ft. The spot to know is Break off the point, a drop-off in about 20 ft of water that rates prime for splake in summer. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. Throw a trolled spoon at the thermocline or a white tube jig (deep) until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (20 ft) | Small casting spoon (gold/orange), Inline spinner |
| Summer | 9 to 29 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (20 ft) | Trolled spoon at the thermocline, White tube jig (deep) |
| Fall | 8 to 29 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (20 ft) | Casting spoon, Jerkbait |
| Winter | 6 to 29 ft | dawn | Break off the point (20 ft) | Jigging spoon tipped with minnow head, Small white tube |
Spring brown trout on Lake Esau hold shallow, usually 3 to 25 ft. They move out to 9 to 29 ft in summer and finish the year down in 4 to 29 ft. Put Break off the point first on the milk run — a drop-off near 20 ft that grades prime for summer. The feeding windows run after dark and early morning. The summer box starts with a spoon at the thermocline or a deep stickbait (night).
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (1 ft) | Stickbait off planer boards (shallow), Small spoon along mud lines |
| Summer | 9 to 29 ft | night & dawn | Break off the point (20 ft) | Spoon at the thermocline, Deep stickbait (night) |
| Fall | 5 to 29 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (20 ft) | Jerkbait over gravel, Casting spoon |
| Winter | 4 to 29 ft | dawn | Break off the point (20 ft) | Jigging spoon, Small stickbait (slow) |
Spring walleye on Lake Esau hold shallow, usually 4 to 15 ft. They move out to 9 to 29 ft in summer and finish the year down in 9 to 29 ft. Put Break off the point first on the milk run — a drop-off near 20 ft that grades prime for fall. The feeding windows run the evening and early morning. The summer box starts with a crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled).
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (1 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 9 to 29 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (20 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 9 to 29 ft | dusk & night | Break off the point (20 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 9 to 29 ft | dusk & dawn | Deep basin (29 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
Early season yellow perch use the shallows, holding in 3 to 12 ft. Expect a summer slide to 9 to 29 ft, then a winter hold in 9 to 29 ft. Put Deep basin first on the milk run — a deep basin near 29 ft that grades prime for fall. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning. Tie on a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 9 to 29 ft | dawn | Deep basin (29 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 9 to 29 ft | midday | Deep basin (29 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 9 to 29 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (29 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
In spring, smallmouth bass run shallow here, mostly 3 to 12 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 9 to 29 ft, and winter fish settle into 9 to 29 ft. Break off the point is the standout, a drop-off at roughly 20 ft, rated prime for winter smallmouth bass. Time it for early morning and the evening. You won't need more than a drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (1 ft) | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 9 to 29 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (20 ft) | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 8 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (20 ft) | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 9 to 29 ft | midday | Break off the point (20 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
Spring puts largemouth bass in skinny water — 2 to 10 ft is the zone. As the season builds they drop to 8 to 20 ft, wintering in 9 to 29 ft. Winter largemouth bass concentrate at Break off the point, a prime-rated drop-off around 20 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. A texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (20 ft) | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (1 ft) | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 9 to 29 ft | midday | Break off the point (20 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
Lake Esau 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.
6 pieces of structure are mapped here — Deep basin, around 29 ft, is the deepest of them.
Access data: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) — community-mapped launches. 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 Lake Esau specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Michigan fishing regulations →
Lake Esau is about 29 ft (9 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 splake, brown trout, walleye, yellow perch, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, crappie, bluegill on Lake Esau. 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.
Break off the point is the top-rated area: a drop-off in about 20 ft of water that rates prime for splake in summer. Every other rated spot, per species and season, is on the map above.
For splake, 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 Lake Esau 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.
Grand Lake 2 mi · Long Lake 8 mi · Lake Augusta 9 mi · Ninth Street Pond 17 mi · Devils Lake 23 mi · Lake Ella 23 mi · Lake May 24 mi · Lake Ferdelman 25 mi · Drum Lake 25 mi · Lake Nettie 26 mi · Lake Emma 26 mi · Bullhead Lake 26 mi
See how Lake Esau 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: Presque Isle County fishing maps (24 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.