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31,197-acre section. The channels out of Cedarville and Hessel: protected perch and pike water between the islands, with smallmouth on every rocky point. The lake tops out around 118 ft. The depth chart is built from real NOAA hydrographic survey soundings, 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 24,302 acres, worked by 74.2 miles of shoreline — 11 islands included. With a shoreline index of 3.4, this water is all arms and coves — edge habitat well beyond its acreage. 24% of the surface is littoral (under ~15 ft) — cover, weeds and forage water. Tip to tip the water measures near 15.7 mi with a 4.3-mi widest point. Its nearest charted neighbour, Big Trout Lake, is 5 mi to the east.
Start shallow in spring: yellow perch sit in 3 to 12 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 10 to 30 ft; cold water stacks them in 15 to 35 ft. Top water on the chart: Weed flat, a weed flat in the 3 ft range, prime in spring. Fish it in early morning and you'll meet the bite. Throw a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Weed flat (3 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Sharp break (29 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 12 to 35 ft | midday | Sharp break (33 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Sharp break (33 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Come spring, look for northern pike tight to the bank in 2 to 8 ft. They move out to 8 to 20 ft in summer and finish the year down in 5 to 15 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Weed flat: a weed flat around 2 ft that scores prime in spring. Best bite is early morning and the evening. A bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Weed flat (2 ft) | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow feeding flat (20 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Weed flat (5 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Weed flat (5 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
Come spring, look for smallmouth bass tight to the bank in 3 to 12 ft. They move out to 10 to 30 ft in summer and finish the year down in 20 to 45 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Rock reef: a rock pile around 3 ft that scores prime in spring. Best bite is early morning and the evening. A drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Rock reef (3 ft) | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Rock reef (19 ft) | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 8 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Shoreline point (9 ft) | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 20 to 45 ft | midday | Sharp break (33 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
Spring puts walleye in skinny water — 4 to 15 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 15 to 35 ft; cold water stacks them in 20 to 40 ft. Cedarville channel rocks is the standout, a gravel shoal at roughly 6 ft, rated prime for spring walleye. Plan around the evening and early morning in the warm months. A crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | Cedarville channel rocks (6 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 15 to 35 ft | dusk & dawn | Sharp break (33 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 12 to 40 ft | dusk & night | Sharp break (33 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 20 to 40 ft | dusk & dawn | Sharp break (33 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: rock bass in 2 to 10 ft. As the season builds they drop to 5 to 20 ft, wintering in 12 to 30 ft. Top water on the chart: Rock reef, a rock pile in the 3 ft range, prime in spring. Time it for the evening. Summer baits: a ned rig (small) or a marabou jig gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | midday & dawn | Rock reef (3 ft) | 1/16 oz jig + grub, Small inline spinner |
| Summer | 5 to 20 ft | dusk | Rock reef (6 ft) | Ned rig (small), Marabou jig |
| Fall | 8 to 22 ft | midday | Rock reef (19 ft) | Small tube jig, Inline spinner |
| Winter | 12 to 30 ft | midday | Rock reef (19 ft) | Tungsten jig + plastic, Small spoon + spike |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: lake whitefish in 15 to 45 ft. As the season builds they drop to 40 to 90 ft, wintering in 25 to 70 ft. Top water on the chart: Rock reef, a rock pile in the 19 ft range, prime in fall. Time it for early morning. Summer baits: a blade bait vertical or a small jigging spoon gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 15 to 45 ft | midday & dawn | Rock reef (19 ft) | Small jig + waxworm, Blade bait (small) |
| Summer | 40 to 90 ft | dawn | Sharp break (40 ft) | Blade bait vertical, Small jigging spoon |
| Fall | 8 to 30 ft | dusk | Rock reef (19 ft) | Small spoon (gold), Jig + plastic larva |
| Winter | 25 to 70 ft | midday & dawn | Sharp break (33 ft) | Jigging spoon + bead chain, Tungsten jig + waxie |
Structure-wise the chart holds 30 features, led in depth by Deepest basin at roughly 113 ft.
Access data: Michigan DNR — Michigan Boating Access Sites. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Michigan waters are set by the Michigan DNR — and special regulations can apply to Lake Huron - Les Cheneaux Islands specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Michigan fishing regulations →
Lake Huron - Les Cheneaux Islands is about 118 ft (36 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart here comes from real NOAA hydrographic surveys, so the contours reflect measured depths.
Anglers target yellow perch, northern pike, smallmouth bass, walleye, rock bass, lake whitefish on Lake Huron - Les Cheneaux Islands.
Weed flat is the top-rated area: a weed flat in about 3 ft of water that rates prime for yellow perch in spring. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.
For yellow perch, 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 Lake Huron - Les Cheneaux Islands 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.
Big Trout Lake 5 mi · Caribou Lake 11 mi · Parish Lake 17 mi · Gravel Lake 20 mi · St. Marys River - Reach 1 of 2 21 mi, ON/MI · Twin Lakes 23 mi, ON · Caufield Lake 23 mi, ON · Gamble Lake 26 mi · Lake Sixteen 26 mi · Cheboygan River 27 mi · Chain Lake 27 mi · Massey Lake 27 mi
See how Lake Huron - Les Cheneaux Islands stacks up: best smallmouth bass lakes in Michigan · best walleye lakes in Michigan · best northern pike lakes in Michigan · best yellow perch lakes in Michigan
Browse all Michigan fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: NOAA hydrographic surveys. 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.