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34-acre lake near Carlton County. The lake tops out around 34 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. Here's the year, species by species, as the scoring engine sees it.
On the chart, Forbay draws 34 acres inside 1.9 miles of shoreline. The 2.3 development index tells the story — a convoluted bank whose fishable edge far outruns the acreage. Littoral water — the productive band under ~15 ft — makes up 55% of this chart, as modeled. The basin spans about 0.9 mi end to end and 0.2 mi across at its widest. You'll find it in Carlton County. For a second option, Fond du Lac Reservoir lies 2 mi east.
In spring, brook trout run shallow here, mostly 2 to 15 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 10 to 30 ft, and winter fish settle into 3 to 20 ft. Deep basin is the standout, a deep basin at roughly 29 ft, rated prime for summer brook trout. Time it for early morning and the evening. You won't need more than a small spoon fished deep or a trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (9 ft) | Small inline spinner (gold), Tiny spoon |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Deep basin (29 ft) | Small spoon fished deep, Trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm |
| Fall | 2 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (9 ft) | Small spoon (orange), Spinner |
| Winter | 3 to 20 ft | dawn | Break off the point (15 ft) | Small jigging spoon, Tungsten jig + plastic |
Come spring, look for walleye tight to the bank in 4 to 15 ft. Expect a summer slide to 10 to 34 ft, then a winter hold in 10 to 34 ft. Start at Break off the point. It's a drop-off holding about 15 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 | 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (9 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 10 to 34 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 35 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (15 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 10 to 34 ft chart-limited; documented 12 to 40 ft | dusk & night | Break off the point (15 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 10 to 34 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 40 ft | dusk & dawn | Deep basin (29 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
Come spring, look for yellow perch tight to the bank in 3 to 12 ft. They move out to 10 to 30 ft in summer and finish the year down in 10 to 34 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Shallow bay flat: a weed flat around 4 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 | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (4 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Deep basin (29 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 10 to 34 ft chart-limited; documented 12 to 35 ft | midday | Deep basin (29 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 10 to 34 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (29 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Start shallow in spring: northern pike sit in 2 to 8 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 8 to 20 ft; cold water stacks them in 5 to 15 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 bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage until the fish tell you otherwise.
| 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 | Break off the point (15 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (15 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: smallmouth bass sit in 3 to 12 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 10 to 30 ft; cold water stacks them in 10 to 34 ft. Top water on the chart: Main-lake point, a point in the 9 ft range, prime in fall. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. Throw a drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig 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 | 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (9 ft) | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (15 ft) | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 8 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (9 ft) | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 10 to 34 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 45 ft | midday | Break off the point (15 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
Early season rock bass use the shallows, holding in 2 to 10 ft. Summer is a 5 to 20 ft game here, winter a 12 to 30 ft one. The chart's best answer is Main-lake point — point, 9 ft, prime for summer. Best bite is the evening. Tie on a ned rig (small) or a marabou jig and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (9 ft) | 1/16 oz jig + grub, Small inline spinner |
| Summer | 5 to 20 ft | dusk | Main-lake point (9 ft) | Ned rig (small), Marabou jig |
| Fall | 8 to 22 ft | midday | Break off the point (15 ft) | Small tube jig, Inline spinner |
| Winter | 12 to 30 ft | midday | Deep basin (29 ft) | Tungsten jig + plastic, Small spoon + spike |
Forbay also holds crappie (10 to 25 ft in summer), bluegill (4 to 15 ft in summer), pumpkinseed (2 to 10 ft in summer), channel catfish (8 to 25 ft in summer), black bullhead (3 to 15 ft in summer), yellow bullhead (3 to 15 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
The chart marks 5 structure features on Forbay; the deepest is Deep basin at about 29 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 Forbay specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Minnesota fishing regulations →
Forbay is about 34 ft (10 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 brook trout, walleye, yellow perch, northern pike, smallmouth bass, rock bass, crappie, bluegill, pumpkinseed, channel catfish, black bullhead, yellow bullhead on Forbay.
Break off the point is the top-rated area: a drop-off in about 15 ft of water that rates prime for walleye in fall. The interactive chart above rates every spot for each 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 Forbay 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.
Fond du Lac Reservoir 2 mi · Thomson Reservoir 2 mi · Venoah 5 mi · Scanlon Reservoir 5 mi · Chub 5 mi · Knife Falls Reservoir 6 mi · Hay 7 mi · Cloquet Res. 7 mi · Bear 8 mi · Saint Louis River 8 mi, MN/WI · Ellstrom 11 mi · Blackhoof 12 mi
See how Forbay stacks up: best smallmouth bass lakes in Minnesota · best walleye lakes in Minnesota · best northern pike lakes in Minnesota · best crappie lakes in Minnesota
More water nearby: Carlton County fishing maps (45 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.