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157-acre lake near Otter Tail County. The lake tops out around 10 ft. The depth data here comes from a DNR lake survey. What the data behind the map says about each species, season by season:
The drawn water covers 157 acres wrapped in 4.4 miles of bank. That shoreline is heavily fingered (development index 2.5) — bays, points and pockets everywhere, which multiplies the fishable edge. Every acre of it sits shallower than ~15 ft: one big littoral zone, cover and forage throughout. End to end it runs roughly 1.2 mi, about 0.5 mi across. It sits in Otter Tail County. If the bite dies, West Olaf is 2 mi to the northeast.
The spring pattern is a shallow one: walleye in 3 to 10 ft. The depth story barely changes: 3 to 10 ft through summer, 3 to 10 ft in winter. The spot to know is Break off the point, a drop-off in about 5 ft of water that rates prime for walleye in fall. Plan around the evening and early morning in the warm months. Summer baits: a crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 10 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (3 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 3 to 10 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (5 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 3 to 10 ft | dusk & night | Break off the point (5 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 3 to 10 ft | dusk & dawn | Deep basin (10 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
In spring, yellow perch run shallow here, mostly 3 to 10 ft. Summer keeps them at 3 to 10 ft, and they winter in 3 to 10 ft. Spring yellow perch concentrate at Shallow bay flat, a prime-rated weed flat around 3 ft. Fish it in early morning and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 10 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 3 to 10 ft | dawn | Deep basin (10 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 3 to 10 ft | midday | Deep basin (10 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 3 to 10 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (10 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Early season northern pike use the shallows, holding in 2 to 8 ft. Summer is a 3 to 10 ft game here, winter a 3 to 10 ft one. The chart's best answer is Shallow bay flat — weed flat, 3 ft, prime for spring. Best bite is early morning and the evening. Tie on a bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 3 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 3 to 10 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 3 to 10 ft | midday | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
Early season smallmouth bass use the shallows, holding in 3 to 10 ft. Even in summer they hold at 3 to 10 ft; winter keeps them in 3 to 10 ft. The chart's best answer is Main-lake point — point, 3 ft, prime for fall. Best bite is early morning and the evening. Tie on a drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (3 ft) | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 3 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (5 ft) | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 3 to 10 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (3 ft) | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 3 to 10 ft | midday | Break off the point (5 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
Spring largemouth bass on Jacobs hold shallow, usually 2 to 10 ft. Depth-wise the year is flat: 3 to 10 ft in summer, 3 to 10 ft once it turns cold. Put Shallow bay flat first on the milk run — a weed flat near 3 ft that grades prime for spring. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 3 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 3 to 10 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (3 ft) | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 3 to 10 ft | midday | Break off the point (5 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
In spring, rock bass run shallow here, mostly 2 to 10 ft. Summer keeps them at 3 to 10 ft, and they winter in 3 to 10 ft. Main-lake point is the standout, a point at roughly 3 ft, rated prime for summer rock bass. Time it for the evening. You won't need more than a ned rig (small) or a marabou jig most summer days.
| 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 | 3 to 10 ft | dusk | Main-lake point (3 ft) | Ned rig (small), Marabou jig |
| Fall | 3 to 10 ft | midday | Break off the point (5 ft) | Small tube jig, Inline spinner |
| Winter | 3 to 10 ft | midday | Deep basin (10 ft) | Tungsten jig + plastic, Small spoon + spike |
Jacobs also holds crappie (3 to 10 ft in summer), bluegill (3 to 10 ft in summer), pumpkinseed (2 to 10 ft in summer), brown bullhead (3 to 10 ft in summer), common carp (2 to 10 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
6 pieces of structure are mapped here — Deep basin, around 10 ft, is the deepest of them.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Minnesota waters are set by the Minnesota DNR — and special regulations can apply to Jacobs specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Minnesota fishing regulations →
Jacobs is about 10 ft (3 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth data here comes from a DNR lake survey.
Anglers target walleye, yellow perch, northern pike, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, rock bass, crappie, bluegill, pumpkinseed, brown bullhead, common carp on Jacobs. 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 5 ft of water that rates prime for walleye in fall. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each 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 Jacobs 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.
West Olaf 2 mi · Grove 5 mi · Unnamed Lake (Otter Tail County) 6 mi · Pete 6 mi · Prairie 7 mi · Sand 8 mi · Tamarac 9 mi · Rush-Lizzie(south portion 10 mi · Lizzie (north portion) 10 mi · South Lida 11 mi · North Lida 11 mi · Barnesville 12 mi
See how Jacobs stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in Minnesota · best smallmouth bass lakes in Minnesota · best walleye lakes in Minnesota · best northern pike lakes in Minnesota
More water nearby: Otter Tail County fishing maps (156 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.