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Rating depth structure for largemouth bass.
Shared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.
96-acre lake near Antrim County. The lake tops out around 16 ft. The depth chart comes from published agency bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled. The season-by-season read for each species follows, from the map's own numbers.
Drawn out, this is 95 acres of water rimmed by 1.9 miles of bank. A shoreline index of 1.4 says round and simple: fish relate to depth changes here, not shoreline features. Nothing on this chart breaks 15 ft, which makes the whole surface littoral: weeds, bait and ambush cover everywhere. Figure 0.9 mi of water from one end to the other, 0.2 mi at the beam. The water lies in Charlevoix County. The nearest mapped water is Matchett Lake, 1 mi to the east.
Come spring, look for walleye tight to the bank in 4 to 15 ft. They move out to 5 to 16 ft in summer and finish the year down in 5 to 16 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Break off the point: a drop-off around 8 ft that scores prime in fall. Best bite is the evening and early morning. A crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) is the honest summer answer here.
| 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 16 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (8 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 5 to 16 ft | dusk & night | Break off the point (8 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 5 to 16 ft | dusk & dawn | Deep basin (15 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
Come spring, look for yellow perch tight to the bank in 3 to 12 ft. Expect a summer slide to 5 to 16 ft, then a winter hold in 5 to 16 ft. Start at Back-bay flat. It's a weed flat holding about 3 ft of water and rates prime come spring. Prime time lands in early morning. A drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Back-bay flat (3 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 5 to 16 ft | dawn | Deep basin (15 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 5 to 16 ft | midday | Deep basin (15 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 5 to 16 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (15 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Start shallow in spring: northern pike sit in 2 to 8 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 5 to 16 ft, and winter fish settle into 5 to 15 ft. The spot to know is Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in about 2 ft of water that rates prime for northern pike in spring. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. 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 (2 ft) | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 5 to 16 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (8 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 5 to 16 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (8 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Back-bay flat (3 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
Start shallow in spring: smallmouth bass sit in 3 to 12 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 5 to 16 ft, and winter fish settle into 5 to 16 ft. The spot to know is Break off the point, a drop-off in about 8 ft of water that rates prime for smallmouth bass in winter. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. Throw a drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig until the fish tell you otherwise.
| 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 16 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (8 ft) | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 5 to 16 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (8 ft) | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 5 to 16 ft | midday | Break off the point (8 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: largemouth bass in 2 to 10 ft. As the season builds they drop to 5 to 16 ft, wintering in 5 to 16 ft. Top water on the chart: Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in the 2 ft range, prime in spring. Time it for early morning and the evening. Summer baits: a texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 5 to 16 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (8 ft) | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (3 ft) | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 5 to 16 ft | midday | Break off the point (8 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
Early season rock bass use the shallows, holding in 2 to 10 ft. Expect a summer slide to 4 to 16 ft, then a winter hold in 5 to 16 ft. Put Break off the point first on the milk run — a drop-off near 8 ft that grades prime for fall. In summer the feeding windows fall in 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 (3 ft) | 1/16 oz jig + grub, Small inline spinner |
| Summer | 4 to 16 ft | dusk | Main-lake point (3 ft) | Ned rig (small), Marabou jig |
| Fall | 5 to 16 ft | midday | Break off the point (8 ft) | Small tube jig, Inline spinner |
| Winter | 5 to 16 ft | midday | Deep basin (15 ft) | Tungsten jig + plastic, Small spoon + spike |
Harwood Lake also holds white perch (5 to 16 ft in summer), crappie (5 to 16 ft in summer), bluegill (4 to 15 ft in summer), pumpkinseed (2 to 10 ft in summer), brown bullhead (3 to 12 ft in summer), channel catfish (5 to 16 ft in summer), freshwater drum (4 to 16 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.
Count 6 structure marks on this chart. The deepest, Deep basin, sits near 15 ft.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Michigan waters are set by the Michigan DNR — and special regulations can apply to Harwood Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Michigan fishing regulations →
Harwood Lake is about 16 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, northern pike, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, rock bass, white perch, crappie, bluegill, pumpkinseed, brown bullhead, channel catfish, freshwater drum, common carp, longnose gar on Harwood 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. Every other rated spot, per species and season, is on the map above.
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 Harwood 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.
Matchett Lake 1 mi · Little Torch Lake 2 mi · Skinner Lake 2 mi · Mud Lake 3 mi · Carpenter Lake 3 mi · Lake Marion 4 mi · Eaton Lake 4 mi · Toad Lake 6 mi · Ellsworth Lake 6 mi · Saint Clair Lake 6 mi · Wilson Lake 7 mi · Ben-way Lake 8 mi
See how Harwood 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: Charlevoix County fishing maps (16 charts). Browse all Michigan fishing maps or 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.