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Fishing Garey Lake: what the data says
22-acre lake near Benzie County. The lake tops out around 33 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. What follows comes from the same scoring engine that paints the spots above.
Brook Trout fishing at Garey Lake
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. The spot to know is Break off the point, a drop-off in about 17 ft of water that rates prime for brook trout in summer. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. A small spoon fished deep or a trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Small inline spinner (gold), Tiny spoon |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Small spoon fished deep, Trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm |
| Fall | 2 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Small spoon (orange), Spinner |
| Winter | 3 to 20 ft | dawn | Small jigging spoon, Tungsten jig + plastic |
Rainbow Trout fishing at Garey Lake
In spring, rainbow trout run shallow here, mostly 5 to 20 ft. They move out to 8 to 30 ft in summer and finish the year down in 7 to 33 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Break off the point: a drop-off around 17 ft that scores prime in winter. Best bite is early morning and the evening. Summer baits: a dodger + spoon (deep troll) or a flutter spoon gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon |
| Summer | 8 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon |
| Fall | 9 to 33 ft | dawn & dusk | Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals |
| Winter | 7 to 33 ft | dawn | Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white) |
Brown Trout fishing at Garey Lake
Spring brown trout on Garey Lake hold shallow, usually 3 to 25 ft. By summer they slide out to 10 to 33 ft, and by winter most fish are in 5 to 33 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Break off the point: a drop-off around 17 ft that scores prime in summer. In summer the feeding windows fall in after dark and early morning. Tie on a spoon at the thermocline or a deep stickbait (night) and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Stickbait off planer boards (shallow), Small spoon along mud lines |
| Summer | 10 to 33 ft | night & dawn | Spoon at the thermocline, Deep stickbait (night) |
| Fall | 5 to 30 ft | dusk & dawn | Jerkbait over gravel, Casting spoon |
| Winter | 5 to 33 ft | dawn | Jigging spoon, Small stickbait (slow) |
Chinook Salmon fishing at Garey Lake
Spring chinook salmon on Garey Lake hold shallow, usually 4 to 33 ft. Summer fish stay in 10 to 33 ft, and winter fish hold in 10 to 33 ft. The spot to know is Deep basin, a deep basin in about 32 ft of water that rates prime for chinook salmon in summer. Best bite is early morning and the evening. A flasher + fly (green/white) or a magnum spoon on downrigger covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 33 ft | dawn & dusk | Trolled spoon (orange/gold), Stickbait off planer boards |
| Summer | 10 to 33 ft | dawn & dusk | Flasher + fly (green/white), Magnum spoon on downrigger |
| Fall | 7 to 33 ft | dawn & dusk | J-plug (glow), Flasher + fly |
| Winter | 10 to 33 ft | midday | Small spoon on a slow troll, Stickbait deep |
Coho Salmon fishing at Garey Lake
Spring coho salmon on Garey Lake hold shallow, usually 3 to 25 ft. They move out to 10 to 33 ft in summer and finish the year down in 10 to 33 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Deep basin: a deep basin around 32 ft that scores prime in summer. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Tie on a dodger + fly or a medium spoon above the thermocline and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Small orange dodger + peanut fly, Thin spoon (orange/silver) |
| Summer | 10 to 33 ft | dawn & dusk | Dodger + fly, Medium spoon above the thermocline |
| Fall | 7 to 33 ft | dawn & dusk | Casting spoon, Spinner (chartreuse) |
| Winter | 10 to 33 ft | midday | Small spoon, slow troll |
Cisco (Lake Herring) fishing at Garey Lake
In spring, cisco (lake herring) run shallow here, mostly 8 to 33 ft. Summer fish stay in 10 to 33 ft, and winter fish hold in 10 to 33 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Deep basin: a deep basin around 32 ft that scores prime in spring. Best bite is early morning. Summer baits: a vertical flutter spoon (small) or a drop-shot micro plastic gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 8 to 33 ft | dawn & dusk | Small silver spoon, Tiny swim jig (white) |
| Summer | 10 to 33 ft | dawn | Vertical flutter spoon (small), Drop-shot micro plastic |
| Fall | 5 to 25 ft | dusk & dawn | Small casting spoon, Inline spinner (silver) |
| Winter | 10 to 33 ft | dawn | Small jigging spoon (glow/silver), Tungsten jig + minnow head |
Garey Lake also holds walleye (10 to 33 ft in summer), yellow perch (10 to 30 ft in summer), smallmouth bass (10 to 30 ft in summer), largemouth bass (8 to 20 ft in summer), rock bass (5 to 20 ft in summer), white perch (10 to 33 ft in summer), bluegill (4 to 15 ft in summer), pumpkinseed (2 to 10 ft in summer), burbot (10 to 33 ft in summer), freshwater drum (8 to 30 ft in summer), common carp (3 to 15 ft in summer), longnose gar (1 to 12 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
Notable structure
- Deep basin: deep basin, around 32 ft
- Break off the point: drop-off, around 17 ft
- Main-lake point: point, around 7 ft
- Secondary point: point, around 4 ft
Common questions
How deep is Garey Lake?
Garey Lake is about 33 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 Garey Lake?
Anglers target largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, walleye, bluegill, rainbow trout, yellow perch, freshwater drum, common carp, longnose gar, chinook salmon, coho salmon, brown trout, brook trout, burbot, rock bass, white perch, cisco (lake herring), pumpkinseed on Garey 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.
Where is the best fishing spot on Garey Lake?
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 32 ft of water that rates prime for chinook salmon in summer. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.
When is the best time to fish Garey Lake?
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.
Nearby waters
Lime Lake · Stevens Lake · Herendeene Lake · Upper Woodcock Lake · Glen Lake · Bronson Lake
See how Garey Lake stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in Michigan · best smallmouth bass lakes in Michigan · best walleye lakes in Michigan · best bluegill 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.