Sign inSign up freeRecent catches at Ford Lake
Shared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.
Fishing Ford Lake: what the data says
123-acre lake near Schoolcraft County. The lake tops out around 17 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. Below is the species-by-species picture, pulled from the same data the map uses.
Yellow Perch fishing at Ford Lake
Start shallow in spring: yellow perch sit in 3 to 12 ft that time of year. They move out to 5 to 17 ft in summer and finish the year down in 5 to 17 ft. The spot to know is Deep basin, a deep basin in about 16 ft of water that rates prime for yellow perch in fall. 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 | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 5 to 17 ft | dawn | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 5 to 17 ft | midday | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 5 to 17 ft | midday & dawn | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Notable structure
- Deep basin: deep basin, around 16 ft
- Break off the point: drop-off, around 14 ft
- Secondary point: point, around 3 ft
- Main-lake point: point, around 2 ft
- Shallow bay flat: weed flat, around 2 ft
- Back-bay flat: weed flat, around 2 ft
Common questions
How deep is Ford Lake?
Ford Lake is about 17 ft at its deepest point. The depth chart here comes from real state fisheries GPS surveys, so the contours reflect measured depths.
What fish are in Ford Lake?
Anglers target yellow perch on Ford Lake.
Where is the best fishing spot on Ford Lake?
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 16 ft of water that rates prime for yellow perch in fall. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.
When is the best time to fish Ford Lake?
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.
Nearby waters
Tee Lake · Stewart Lake · Mezik Lake · Kennedy Lake · Cedar Lake · Milakokia Lake
See how Ford Lake stacks up: best yellow perch lakes in Michigan
Browse all Michigan fishing maps or every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: state fisheries survey programs. How we build these maps. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.