Sign inSign up free Sign inSign up free Sign inSign up freeLake depth chart
Today's read
Rating depth structure for smallmouth bass.
Recent public catches load as you reach this section.
71-acre lake near Charlevoix County. The lake tops out around 17 ft. The depth chart comes from published agency bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled. Here is how the season plays out for each species, straight from the data behind the map.
The drawn water covers 79 acres wrapped in 1.5 miles of bank. The basin is a simple one (shoreline index 1.2) — close to a bowl, so the structure on the chart matters more than the bank. Roughly 90% of the water is 15 ft or less, the band where the food chain lives. The basin spans about 0.4 mi end to end and 0.4 mi across at its widest. It sits in Charlevoix County. If the bite dies, Lake Geneserath is 4 mi to the south.
Spring puts walleye in skinny water — 4 to 15 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 5 to 17 ft; cold water stacks them in 5 to 17 ft. Break off the point is the standout, a drop-off at roughly 8 ft, rated prime for fall walleye. Plan around the evening and early morning in the warm months. A crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) covers the summer program.
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 (3 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 5 to 17 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 35 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (8 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 5 to 17 ft chart-limited; documented 12 to 40 ft | dusk & night | Break off the point (8 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 5 to 17 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 40 ft | dusk & dawn | Deep basin (17 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
Start shallow in spring: yellow perch sit in 3 to 12 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 5 to 17 ft; cold water stacks them in 5 to 17 ft. Top water on the chart: Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in the 3 ft range, prime in spring. Fish it in early morning and you'll meet the bite. Throw a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm 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 | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 5 to 17 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Deep basin (17 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 5 to 17 ft chart-limited; documented 12 to 35 ft | midday | Deep basin (17 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 5 to 17 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (17 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Come spring, look for smallmouth bass tight to the bank in 3 to 12 ft. They move out to 5 to 17 ft in summer and finish the year down in 5 to 17 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Break off the point: a drop-off around 8 ft that scores prime in winter. Best bite is early morning and the evening. A drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig 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 | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (3 ft) | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 5 to 17 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (8 ft) | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 5 to 17 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (8 ft) | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 5 to 17 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 45 ft | midday | Break off the point (8 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: rock bass in 2 to 10 ft. As the season builds they drop to 4 to 17 ft, wintering in 5 to 17 ft. Top water on the chart: Break off the point, a drop-off in the 8 ft range, prime in fall. Time it for the evening. Summer baits: a ned rig (small) or a marabou jig 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 10 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (3 ft) | 1/16 oz jig + grub, Small inline spinner |
| Summer | 4 to 17 ft chart-limited; documented 5 to 20 ft | dusk | Main-lake point (3 ft) | Ned rig (small), Marabou jig |
| Fall | 5 to 17 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 22 ft | midday | Break off the point (8 ft) | Small tube jig, Inline spinner |
| Winter | 5 to 17 ft chart-limited; documented 12 to 30 ft | midday | Deep basin (17 ft) | Tungsten jig + plastic, Small spoon + spike |
When the water first warms, bluegill slide up into 1 to 6 ft. By summer they slide out to 4 to 15 ft, and by winter most fish are in 5 to 17 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Shallow bay flat: a weed flat around 3 ft that scores prime in spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Keep a small sponge spider (fly) or a micro tube jig rigged through the warm months.
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 | 1 to 6 ft | midday & dusk | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | 1/32 oz jig + micro plastic, Tiny popper (evenings) |
| Summer | 4 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Back-bay flat (6 ft) | Small sponge spider (fly), Micro tube jig |
| Fall | 5 to 17 ft chart-limited; documented 6 to 18 ft | midday | Back-bay flat (6 ft) | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 5 to 17 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 25 ft | midday | Deep basin (17 ft) | Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon |
Early season common carp use the shallows, holding in 2 to 10 ft. Expect a summer slide to 3 to 15 ft, then a winter hold in 5 to 17 ft. Put Shallow bay flat first on the milk run — a weed flat near 3 ft that grades prime for spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening.
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 | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | |
| Summer | 3 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | |
| Fall | 5 to 17 ft chart-limited; documented 5 to 18 ft | midday | Back-bay flat (6 ft) | |
| Winter | 5 to 17 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 30 ft | midday | Deep basin (17 ft) |
6 pieces of structure are mapped here — Deep basin, around 17 ft, is the deepest of them.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Michigan waters are set by the Michigan DNR — and special regulations can apply to Fox Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Michigan fishing regulations →
Fox Lake is about 17 ft (5 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart comes from published agency bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled.
Anglers target walleye, yellow perch, smallmouth bass, rock bass, bluegill, common carp on Fox Lake. This isn't a survey of the lake — none is on record for it — but an informed estimate from the species listed for the nearest surveyed lakes in the region, filtered to this lake's depth and habitat.
Break off the point is the top-rated area: a drop-off in about 8 ft of water that rates prime for walleye in fall. 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 Fox 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.
Lake Geneserath 4 mi · Barneys Lake 4 mi · Lake Michigan - Little Traverse Bay and the Beaver Islands 15 mi · Wycamp Lake 29 mi · Susan Lake 29 mi · Millaquaka Lake 29 mi · McDonald Lake 30 mi · Clear Lake 31 mi · Larks Lake 31 mi · Milakokia Lake 32 mi · Gulliver Lake 32 mi · Harwood Lake 32 mi
See how Fox Lake stacks up: best smallmouth bass lakes in Michigan · best walleye lakes in Michigan · best bluegill lakes in Michigan · best yellow perch lakes in Michigan
More water nearby: Charlevoix County fishing maps (16 charts). Browse all Michigan fishing maps. See every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry: published agency survey data. 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.