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1,849-acre lake near Washtenaw County. The lake tops out around 30 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. Every species below gets its seasonal read from the same numbers driving the chart.
The drawn outline gives you 8.6 miles of bank to pick apart. Index 1.8 on the shoreline: a few honest points and pockets, nothing labyrinthine. Roughly 59% of the water is 15 ft or less, the band where the food chain lives. End to end it runs roughly 3.1 mi, about 1.2 mi across. You'll find it in Washtenaw County. Closest neighbour on DepthScout: Huron River Lake, 4 mi northwest of here.
Early season walleye use the shallows, holding in 4 to 15 ft. Expect a summer slide to 9 to 30 ft, then a winter hold in 9 to 30 ft. Put Deep basin first on the milk run — a deep basin near 30 ft that grades prime for winter. In summer the feeding windows fall in the evening and early morning. Tie on a crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (13 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 9 to 30 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (8 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 9 to 30 ft | dusk & night | Break off the point (8 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 9 to 30 ft | dusk & dawn | Deep basin (30 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
Spring yellow perch on Ford Lake hold shallow, usually 3 to 12 ft. They move out to 10 to 30 ft in summer and finish the year down in 9 to 30 ft. Put Shallow bay flat first on the milk run — a weed flat near 10 ft that grades prime for spring. The feeding windows run early morning. The summer box starts with a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (10 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Deep basin (30 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 9 to 30 ft | midday | Deep basin (30 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 9 to 30 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (30 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Spring puts northern pike in skinny water — 2 to 8 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 8 to 20 ft; cold water stacks them in 5 to 15 ft. Back-bay flat is the standout, a weed flat at roughly 4 ft, rated prime for spring northern pike. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. A bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Back-bay flat (4 ft) | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (10 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (10 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Shallow bay flat (10 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: muskellunge in 3 to 12 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 8 to 25 ft before dropping to 9 to 30 ft for winter. The spot to know is Break off the point, a drop-off in about 8 ft of water that rates prime for muskellunge in fall. Plan around the evening and early morning in the warm months. Summer baits: a double-10 bucktail or a topwater (walk-the-dog / creeper) gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dusk | Shallow bay flat (10 ft) | Smaller bucktail (#8 blades), 6" glide bait |
| Summer | 8 to 25 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (13 ft) | Double-10 bucktail, Topwater (walk-the-dog / creeper) |
| Fall | 8 to 30 ft | midday & dusk | Break off the point (8 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), 10"+ glide bait |
| Winter | 9 to 30 ft | midday | Deep basin (30 ft) | Large rubber, crawled slow |
Spring puts smallmouth bass in skinny water — 3 to 12 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 10 to 30 ft; cold water stacks them in 9 to 30 ft. Main-lake point is the standout, a point at roughly 13 ft, rated prime for fall smallmouth bass. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. A drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Secondary point (9 ft) | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (13 ft) | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 8 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (13 ft) | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 9 to 30 ft | midday | Break off the point (8 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
In spring, largemouth bass run shallow here, mostly 2 to 10 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 8 to 20 ft before dropping to 9 to 30 ft for winter. Spring largemouth bass concentrate at Shallow bay flat, a prime-rated weed flat around 10 ft. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (10 ft) | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (10 ft) | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (13 ft) | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 9 to 30 ft | midday | Break off the point (8 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
Ford Lake also holds crappie (10 to 25 ft in summer), bluegill (4 to 15 ft in summer), channel catfish (8 to 25 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
11 pieces of structure are mapped here — Deep basin, around 30 ft, is the deepest of them.
Access data: Michigan DNR — Michigan Boating Access Sites. 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 Ford Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Michigan fishing regulations →
Ford Lake is about 30 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 walleye, yellow perch, northern pike, muskellunge, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, crappie, bluegill, channel catfish on Ford Lake. 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.
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 30 ft of water that rates prime for walleye in winter. The map above holds the full rated-spot list for every species and season.
For walleye, the summer bite is best in the evening and early morning. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.
Fishing on Ford 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.
Huron River Lake 4 mi · Belleville Lake 5 mi · Geddes Pond 7 mi · Murray Lake 8 mi · Barton Pond 12 mi · Huron River 12 mi · Horseshoe Lake 15 mi · Flat Rock Impoundment 16 mi · Inchwagh Lake 17 mi · Whitmore Lake 17 mi · Independence Lake 17 mi · Limekiln Lake 17 mi
See how Ford Lake stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in Michigan · best smallmouth bass lakes in Michigan · best walleye lakes in Michigan · best northern pike lakes in Michigan
More water nearby: Washtenaw County fishing maps (30 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.