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742-acre lake near Lake County. The lake tops out around 116 ft. The depth chart comes from Minnesota Department of Natural Resources bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled. The depth data here comes from the Minnesota DNR survey of 1970, a decades-old survey (the DNR's original lake-survey map). Every species below gets its seasonal read from the same numbers driving the chart.
Drawn out, this is 745 acres of water rimmed by 12.5 miles of bank, with 2 islands in the mix. The 3.3 development index tells the story — a convoluted bank whose fishable edge far outruns the acreage. Roughly 54% of the water is 15 ft or less, the band where the food chain lives. End to end it runs roughly 1.9 mi, about 1.3 mi across. You'll find it in Lake County. The nearest mapped water is Hatchet, 1 mi to the east.
Start shallow in spring: lake trout sit in 10 to 40 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 35 to 116 ft; cold water stacks them in 20 to 80 ft. Top water on the chart: Deep basin, a deep basin in the 110 ft range, prime in summer. Fish it in early morning and you'll meet the bite. Throw a white tube jig (deep) or a magnum spoon on downrigger 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 | 10 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (20 ft) | Casting spoon over shoals, Jerkbait (shallow) |
| Summer | 35 to 116 ft chart-limited; documented 50 to 120 ft | dawn | Deep basin (110 ft) | White tube jig (deep), Magnum spoon on downrigger |
| Fall | 10 to 50 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (20 ft) | Heavy casting spoon, Jigging rap over reefs |
| Winter | 20 to 80 ft | dawn | Break off the point (53 ft) | White tube jig, Airplane jig |
When the water first warms, cisco (lake herring) slide up into 10 to 40 ft. Summer is a 40 to 80 ft game here, winter a 20 to 60 ft one. Start at Break off the point. It's a drop-off holding about 53 ft of water and rates prime come winter. The feeding windows run early morning. Keep a vertical flutter spoon (small) or a drop-shot micro plastic rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 10 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Small silver spoon, Tiny swim jig (white) |
| Summer | 40 to 80 ft | dawn | Break off the point (53 ft) | Vertical flutter spoon (small), Drop-shot micro plastic |
| Fall | 5 to 25 ft | dusk & dawn | open water | Small casting spoon, Inline spinner (silver) |
| Winter | 20 to 60 ft | dawn | Break off the point (53 ft) | Small jigging spoon (glow/silver), Tungsten jig + minnow head |
Early season walleye use the shallows, holding in 4 to 15 ft. Expect a summer slide to 15 to 35 ft, then a winter hold in 20 to 40 ft. Put Main-lake point first on the milk run — a point near 20 ft that grades prime for fall. 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 | Secondary point (1 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 15 to 35 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (20 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 12 to 40 ft | dusk & night | Main-lake point (20 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 20 to 40 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (20 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
Spring yellow perch on Ima hold shallow, usually 3 to 12 ft. They move out to 10 to 30 ft in summer and finish the year down in 15 to 35 ft. Put Shallow bay flat first on the milk run — a weed flat near 1 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 (1 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 12 to 35 ft | midday | open water | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | open water | 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. Shallow bay flat is the standout, a weed flat at roughly 1 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 | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (20 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (20 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
When the water first warms, rock bass slide up into 2 to 10 ft. Summer is a 5 to 20 ft game here, winter a 12 to 30 ft one. Start at Main-lake point. It's a point holding about 20 ft of water and rates prime come summer. The feeding windows run the evening. Keep a ned rig (small) or a marabou jig rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | midday & dawn | Secondary point (1 ft) | 1/16 oz jig + grub, Small inline spinner |
| Summer | 5 to 20 ft | dusk | Main-lake point (20 ft) | Ned rig (small), Marabou jig |
| Fall | 8 to 22 ft | midday | Main-lake point (20 ft) | Small tube jig, Inline spinner |
| Winter | 12 to 30 ft | midday | open water | Tungsten jig + plastic, Small spoon + spike |
Ima also holds bluegill (4 to 15 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
Ima carries 6 mapped structure features, topping out (or rather bottoming out) at Deep basin, about 110 ft down.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Minnesota waters are set by the Minnesota DNR — and special regulations can apply to Ima specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Minnesota fishing regulations →
Ima is about 116 ft (35 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth data here comes from the Minnesota DNR survey of 1970, a decades-old survey (the DNR's original lake-survey map).
Anglers target lake trout, cisco (lake herring), walleye, yellow perch, northern pike, rock bass, bluegill on Ima.
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 110 ft of water that rates prime for lake trout in summer. The interactive chart above rates every spot for each species and season.
For lake trout, 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 Ima 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.
Hatchet 1 mi · Alworth 1 mi · Jordan 1 mi · Cattyman 2 mi · Adventure 2 mi · Explorer 2 mi · Gibson 2 mi · Ashigan 2 mi · Neglige 3 mi · Thomas 3 mi · Jitterbug 3 mi · Trader 3 mi
See how Ima stacks up: best walleye lakes in Minnesota · best northern pike lakes in Minnesota · best bluegill lakes in Minnesota · best yellow perch lakes in Minnesota
More water nearby: Lake County fishing maps (313 charts). Browse all Minnesota 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.