Lake depth chart
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16-acre lake near St. Louis County. The lake tops out around 30 ft. The depth picture is modeled, anchored to the true shoreline and the water's published max depth — a scouting aid, never a chart to run a boat by. What follows comes from the same scoring engine that paints the spots above.
On the chart, First draws 16 acres inside 0.7 miles of shoreline. Its 1.3 shoreline index means few bank features; the contours below do the pattern work. The shallow band under 15 ft claims about 27% of the surface on the model — that's where the groceries are. Figure 0.3 mi of water from one end to the other, 0.2 mi at the beam. You'll find it in St. Louis County. The nearest mapped water is Regenbogen, 0 mi to the northeast.
The spring pattern is a shallow one: northern pike in 2 to 8 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 8 to 20 ft before dropping to 5 to 15 ft for winter. The spot to know is Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in about 4 ft of water that rates prime for northern pike in spring. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. Summer baits: a bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (4 ft) | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline break (14 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Shoreline break (14 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Shallow bay flat (4 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
Start shallow in spring: largemouth bass sit in 2 to 10 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 8 to 20 ft; cold water stacks them in 9 to 30 ft. Top water on the chart: Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in the 4 ft range, prime in spring. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. Throw a texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait 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 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (4 ft) | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline break (14 ft) | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (4 ft) | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 9 to 30 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 35 ft | midday | Shoreline break (14 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
Spring rock bass on First hold shallow, usually 2 to 10 ft. They move out to 5 to 20 ft in summer and finish the year down in 12 to 30 ft. Put Shoreline break first on the milk run — a drop-off near 14 ft that grades prime for fall. The feeding windows run the evening. The summer box starts with a ned rig (small) or a marabou jig.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | midday & dawn | open water | 1/16 oz jig + grub, Small inline spinner |
| Summer | 5 to 20 ft | dusk | Shoreline break (14 ft) | Ned rig (small), Marabou jig |
| Fall | 8 to 22 ft | midday | Shoreline break (14 ft) | Small tube jig, Inline spinner |
| Winter | 12 to 30 ft | midday | Deep basin (26 ft) | Tungsten jig + plastic, Small spoon + spike |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: crappie in 2 to 8 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 10 to 25 ft before dropping to 9 to 30 ft for winter. The spot to know is Deep basin, a deep basin in about 26 ft of water that rates prime for crappie in winter. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. Summer baits: a jig trolled/spider-rigged or a small crankbait (trolled) gets it done.
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 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (4 ft) | 1/16 oz jig + tube, Curly-tail grub |
| Summer | 10 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline break (14 ft) | Jig trolled/spider-rigged, Small crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 8 to 20 ft | dawn | Shoreline break (14 ft) | Jig + minnow combo, Small swimbait (1.5-2") |
| Winter | 9 to 30 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 35 ft | midday | Deep basin (26 ft) | Tungsten jig + soft plastic, Tiny jigging spoon |
Structure-wise the chart holds 4 features, led in depth by Deep basin at roughly 26 ft.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Minnesota waters are set by the Minnesota DNR — and special regulations can apply to First specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Minnesota fishing regulations →
First is about 30 ft (9 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 northern pike, largemouth bass, rock bass, crappie on First.
Shallow bay flat is the top-rated area: a weed flat in about 4 ft of water that rates prime for northern pike in spring. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.
For northern pike, 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 First 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.
Regenbogen 0 mi · South Hegman 1 mi · Nels 2 mi · North Hegman 2 mi · Slim 2 mi · Fenske 2 mi · Tee 2 mi · Agassa 3 mi · Everett 3 mi · Sletten 3 mi · Little Sletten 3 mi · Hanson 3 mi
See how First stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in Minnesota · best northern pike lakes in Minnesota · best crappie lakes in Minnesota · best rock bass lakes in Minnesota
More water nearby: St. Louis County fishing maps (429 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.