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385-acre lake near Cass County. The lake tops out around 60 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. Here is how the season plays out for each species, straight from the data behind the map.
The outline encloses 385 acres, worked by 7 miles of shoreline. An index of 2.6 puts the bank firmly in maze territory: point after pocket after cove, every one a casting target. Littoral water — the productive band under ~15 ft — makes up 27% of this chart. End to end it runs roughly 2.3 mi, about 0.7 mi across. It sits in Cass County. If the bite dies, Little Bass is 1 mi to the southeast.
Start shallow in spring: cisco (lake herring) sit in 10 to 40 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 18 to 60 ft, and winter fish settle into 20 to 60 ft. The spot to know is Deep basin, a deep basin in about 58 ft of water that rates prime for cisco (lake herring) in summer. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning. Throw a vertical flutter spoon (small) or a drop-shot micro plastic until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 10 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (9 ft) | Small silver spoon, Tiny swim jig (white) |
| Summer | 18 to 60 ft | dawn | Deep basin (58 ft) | Vertical flutter spoon (small), Drop-shot micro plastic |
| Fall | 5 to 25 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (9 ft) | Small casting spoon, Inline spinner (silver) |
| Winter | 20 to 60 ft | dawn | Deep basin (58 ft) | Small jigging spoon (glow/silver), Tungsten jig + minnow head |
In spring, walleye run shallow here, mostly 4 to 15 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 15 to 35 ft before dropping to 20 to 40 ft for winter. Fall walleye concentrate at Main-lake point, a prime-rated point around 12 ft. Fish it in the evening and early morning and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (12 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 15 to 35 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (12 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 12 to 40 ft | dusk & night | Main-lake point (12 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 20 to 40 ft | dusk & dawn | Deep basin (58 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: yellow perch in 3 to 12 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 10 to 30 ft before dropping to 15 to 35 ft for winter. The spot to know is Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in about 8 ft of water that rates prime for yellow perch in spring. 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 | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (8 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Break off the point (9 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 12 to 35 ft | midday | Break off the point (9 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (58 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
When the water first warms, northern pike slide up into 2 to 8 ft. Summer is an 8 to 20 ft game here, winter a 5 to 15 ft one. Start at Shallow bay flat. It's a weed flat holding about 8 ft of water and rates prime come spring. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. Keep a bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (8 ft) | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (8 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (8 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Shallow bay flat (8 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
Come spring, look for largemouth bass tight to the bank in 2 to 10 ft. They move out to 8 to 20 ft in summer and finish the year down in 15 to 35 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Shallow bay flat: a weed flat around 8 ft that scores prime in spring. Best bite is early morning and the evening. A texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (8 ft) | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (8 ft) | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (12 ft) | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday | Break off the point (9 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
Start shallow in spring: rock bass sit in 2 to 10 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 5 to 20 ft, and winter fish settle into 12 to 30 ft. The spot to know is Main-lake point, a point in about 12 ft of water that rates prime for rock bass in summer. Warm-month bites cluster around the evening. Throw a ned rig (small) or a marabou jig until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | midday & dawn | Secondary point (7 ft) | 1/16 oz jig + grub, Small inline spinner |
| Summer | 5 to 20 ft | dusk | Main-lake point (12 ft) | Ned rig (small), Marabou jig |
| Fall | 8 to 22 ft | midday | Break off the point (9 ft) | Small tube jig, Inline spinner |
| Winter | 12 to 30 ft | midday | Break off the point (9 ft) | Tungsten jig + plastic, Small spoon + spike |
Howard also holds crappie (10 to 25 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). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
The chart marks 6 structure features on Howard; the deepest is Deep basin at about 58 ft.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Minnesota waters are set by the Minnesota DNR — and special regulations can apply to Howard specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Minnesota fishing regulations →
Howard is about 60 ft (18 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 cisco (lake herring), walleye, yellow perch, northern pike, largemouth bass, rock bass, crappie, bluegill, pumpkinseed, brown bullhead on Howard.
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 58 ft of water that rates prime for cisco (lake herring) in summer. The interactive chart above rates every spot for each species and season.
For cisco (lake herring), 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.
Fishing on Howard is regulated by the Minnesota DNR. Check the official Minnesota regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Little Bass 1 mi · Million 2 mi · Shingobee 2 mi · Bass 2 mi · Island 3 mi · Williams 3 mi · Alice 3 mi · Gadbolt 3 mi · Eleventh Crow Wing (East) 3 mi · Big Bass 3 mi · Anway 3 mi · Crystal 4 mi
See how Howard stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in Minnesota · best walleye lakes in Minnesota · best northern pike lakes in Minnesota · best crappie lakes in Minnesota
More water nearby: Cass County fishing maps (217 charts). Browse all Minnesota 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.