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Rating depth structure for largemouth bass.
Shared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.
54-acre lake near Newaygo County. The lake tops out around 30 ft. The depth chart comes from published agency bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled. What follows comes from the same scoring engine that paints the spots above.
Traced from the shoreline, Kimes Lake runs 46 acres with 1.7 miles of edge. Index 1.8 on the shoreline: a few honest points and pockets, nothing labyrinthine. Roughly 91% of the water is 15 ft or less, the band where the food chain lives. The basin spans about 0.4 mi end to end and 0.3 mi across at its widest. The water lies in Newaygo County. Closest neighbour on DepthScout: McLaren Lake, 4 mi west of here.
The spring pattern is a shallow one: brook trout in 2 to 15 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 10 to 30 ft before dropping to 3 to 20 ft for winter. The spot to know is Deep basin, a deep basin in about 30 ft of water that rates prime for brook trout in summer. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. Summer baits: a small spoon fished deep or a trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (6 ft) | Small inline spinner (gold), Tiny spoon |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Deep basin (30 ft) | Small spoon fished deep, Trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm |
| Fall | 2 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (6 ft) | Small spoon (orange), Spinner |
| Winter | 3 to 20 ft | dawn | Break off the point (9 ft) | Small jigging spoon, Tungsten jig + plastic |
Start shallow in spring: rainbow trout sit in 5 to 20 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 8 to 30 ft; cold water stacks them in 6 to 30 ft. Top water on the chart: Break off the point, a drop-off in the 9 ft range, prime in winter. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. Throw a dodger + spoon (deep troll) or a flutter spoon until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (6 ft) | Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon |
| Summer | 8 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (9 ft) | Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon |
| Fall | 9 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (9 ft) | Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals |
| Winter | 6 to 30 ft | dawn | Break off the point (9 ft) | Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white) |
Spring brown trout on Kimes Lake hold shallow, usually 3 to 25 ft. They move out to 9 to 30 ft in summer and finish the year down in 4 to 30 ft. Put Break off the point first on the milk run — a drop-off near 9 ft that grades prime for summer. The feeding windows run after dark and early morning. The summer box starts with a spoon at the thermocline or a deep stickbait (night).
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (6 ft) | Stickbait off planer boards (shallow), Small spoon along mud lines |
| Summer | 9 to 30 ft | night & dawn | Break off the point (9 ft) | Spoon at the thermocline, Deep stickbait (night) |
| Fall | 5 to 30 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (6 ft) | Jerkbait over gravel, Casting spoon |
| Winter | 4 to 30 ft | dawn | Break off the point (9 ft) | Jigging spoon, Small stickbait (slow) |
Start shallow in spring: chinook salmon sit in 4 to 30 ft that time of year. They don't go far with the seasons — 9 to 30 ft covers summer, 9 to 30 ft covers winter. The spot to know is Deep basin, a deep basin in about 30 ft of water that rates prime for chinook salmon in summer. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. Throw a flasher + fly (green/white) or a magnum spoon on downrigger until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (9 ft) | Trolled spoon (orange/gold), Stickbait off planer boards |
| Summer | 9 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Deep basin (30 ft) | Flasher + fly (green/white), Magnum spoon on downrigger |
| Fall | 6 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (9 ft) | J-plug (glow), Flasher + fly |
| Winter | 9 to 30 ft | midday | Deep basin (30 ft) | Small spoon on a slow troll, Stickbait deep |
Spring puts coho salmon in skinny water — 3 to 25 ft is the zone. As the season builds they drop to 9 to 30 ft, wintering in 9 to 30 ft. Summer coho salmon concentrate at Deep basin, a prime-rated deep basin around 30 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. A dodger + fly or a medium spoon above the thermocline covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (6 ft) | Small orange dodger + peanut fly, Thin spoon (orange/silver) |
| Summer | 9 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Deep basin (30 ft) | Dodger + fly, Medium spoon above the thermocline |
| Fall | 6 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (6 ft) | Casting spoon, Spinner (chartreuse) |
| Winter | 9 to 30 ft | midday | Deep basin (30 ft) | Small spoon, slow troll |
Come spring, look for cisco (lake herring) tight to the bank in 8 to 30 ft. Through summer count on 9 to 30 ft; the winter hold is 9 to 30 ft. Start at Deep basin. It's a deep basin holding about 30 ft of water and rates prime come spring. Prime time lands in early morning. A vertical flutter spoon (small) or a drop-shot micro plastic is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 8 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Deep basin (30 ft) | Small silver spoon, Tiny swim jig (white) |
| Summer | 9 to 30 ft | dawn | Deep basin (30 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 | 9 to 30 ft | dawn | Deep basin (30 ft) | Small jigging spoon (glow/silver), Tungsten jig + minnow head |
Kimes Lake also holds yellow perch (10 to 30 ft in summer), northern pike (8 to 20 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), 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), burbot (9 to 30 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
5 pieces of structure are mapped here — Deep basin, around 30 ft, is the deepest of them.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Michigan waters are set by the Michigan DNR — and special regulations can apply to Kimes Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Michigan fishing regulations →
Kimes Lake is about 30 ft (9 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 brook trout, rainbow trout, brown trout, chinook salmon, coho salmon, cisco (lake herring), yellow perch, northern pike, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, rock bass, crappie, bluegill, pumpkinseed, brown bullhead, burbot on Kimes 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.
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 30 ft of water that rates prime for chinook salmon in summer. The interactive chart above rates every spot for each species and season.
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.
Fishing on Kimes 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.
McLaren Lake 4 mi · Benton Lake 5 mi · Campbell Lake 7 mi · Nichols Lake 7 mi · Woodland Lake 7 mi · Diamond Lake 8 mi · Gilbert Lake 8 mi · Robinson Lake 9 mi · Bitely Lake 9 mi · Martin Lake 10 mi · Webinguaw Lake 10 mi · Highbank Lake 10 mi
See how Kimes Lake stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in Michigan · best smallmouth bass lakes in Michigan · best northern pike lakes in Michigan · best crappie lakes in Michigan
More water nearby: Newaygo County fishing maps (28 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.