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169,870-acre section. The East and West arms out of Traverse City: gin-clear water, world-class smallmouth on the drops and lake trout year round. The lake tops out around 603 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. What the data behind the map says about each species, season by season:
Spring puts smallmouth bass in skinny water — 3 to 12 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 10 to 30 ft; cold water stacks them in 20 to 45 ft. Offshore hump is the standout, an offshore hump at roughly 30 ft, rated prime for summer smallmouth bass. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. A drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (5 ft) | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Offshore hump (30 ft) | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 8 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Shoreline point (10 ft) | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 20 to 45 ft | midday | Rock reef (37 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
Start shallow in spring: lake trout sit in 10 to 40 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 50 to 120 ft; cold water stacks them in 20 to 80 ft. Top water on the chart: Rock reef, a rock pile in the 37 ft range, prime in fall. 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.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 10 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Rock reef (37 ft) | Casting spoon over shoals, Jerkbait (shallow) |
| Summer | 50 to 120 ft | dawn | Deep break (78 ft) | White tube jig (deep), Magnum spoon on downrigger |
| Fall | 10 to 50 ft | dusk & dawn | Rock reef (37 ft) | Heavy casting spoon, Jigging rap over reefs |
| Winter | 20 to 80 ft | dawn | Offshore hump (30 ft) | White tube jig, Airplane jig |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: chinook salmon in 5 to 40 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 50 to 120 ft before dropping to 30 to 90 ft for winter. The spot to know is Boardman River mouth, an inflow / creek mouth in about 1 ft of water that rates prime for chinook salmon in spring. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. Summer baits: a flasher + fly (green/white) or a magnum spoon on downrigger gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Boardman River mouth (1 ft) | Trolled spoon (orange/gold), Stickbait off planer boards |
| Summer | 50 to 120 ft | dawn & dusk | Deep break (78 ft) | Flasher + fly (green/white), Magnum spoon on downrigger |
| Fall | 10 to 50 ft | dawn & dusk | Deep break (50 ft) | J-plug (glow), Flasher + fly |
| Winter | 30 to 90 ft | midday | Deep break (78 ft) | Small spoon on a slow troll, Stickbait deep |
Spring steelhead on Lake Michigan - Grand Traverse Bays hold shallow, usually 3 to 20 ft. By summer they slide out to 5 to 45 ft, and by winter most fish are in 4 to 15 ft. The chart's best answer is Boardman River mouth — inflow / creek mouth, 1 ft, prime for spring. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with an orange dodger + fly high in the column or a thin spoon off boards.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Boardman River mouth (1 ft) | Small spoon or spinner at the mouths, Jig + waxworm under float |
| Summer | 5 to 45 ft | dawn & dusk | Offshore hump (30 ft) | Orange dodger + fly high in the column, Thin spoon off boards |
| Fall | 5 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Boardman River mouth (1 ft) | Spinner (silver/blue), Casting spoon |
| Winter | 4 to 15 ft | midday | Boardman River mouth (1 ft) | Float jig (black/purple), Bead rig |
Spring yellow perch on Lake Michigan - Grand Traverse Bays 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 Feeding flat first on the milk run — a feeding flat near 4 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 | Feeding flat (4 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Offshore hump (30 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 12 to 35 ft | midday | Offshore hump (30 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Offshore hump (30 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
When the water first warms, lake whitefish slide up into 15 to 45 ft. Summer is a 40 to 90 ft game here, winter a 25 to 70 ft one. Start at Rock reef. It's a rock pile holding about 37 ft of water and rates prime come spring. The feeding windows run early morning. Keep a blade bait vertical or a small jigging spoon rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 15 to 45 ft | midday & dawn | Rock reef (37 ft) | Small jig + waxworm, Blade bait (small) |
| Summer | 40 to 90 ft | dawn | Deep break (78 ft) | Blade bait vertical, Small jigging spoon |
| Fall | 8 to 30 ft | dusk | Offshore hump (30 ft) | Small spoon (gold), Jig + plastic larva |
| Winter | 25 to 70 ft | midday & dawn | Offshore hump (30 ft) | Jigging spoon + bead chain, Tungsten jig + waxie |
Lake Michigan - Grand Traverse Bays also holds rock bass (5 to 20 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
Structure-wise the chart holds 44 features, led in depth by Deepest basin at roughly 599 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 Michigan - Grand Traverse Bays specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Michigan fishing regulations →
Lake Michigan - Grand Traverse Bays is about 603 ft (184 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart here comes from real NOAA hydrographic surveys, so the contours reflect measured depths.
Anglers target smallmouth bass, lake trout, chinook salmon, steelhead, yellow perch, lake whitefish, rock bass on Lake Michigan - Grand Traverse Bays.
Offshore hump is the top-rated area: an offshore hump in about 30 ft of water that rates prime for smallmouth bass in summer. The interactive chart above rates every spot for each species and season.
For smallmouth bass, 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 Lake Michigan - Grand Traverse Bays 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.
Bass Lake 6 mi · Birch Lake 6 mi · Elk Lake 9 mi · Torch Lake 10 mi · Lake Leelanau 11 mi · Cedar Lake 12 mi · Lake Skegemog 13 mi · Duck Lake 13 mi · Lake Bellaire 14 mi · Boardman Lake 15 mi · Intermediate Lake 15 mi · Truax Lake 15 mi
See how Lake Michigan - Grand Traverse Bays stacks up: best smallmouth bass lakes in Michigan · best yellow perch lakes in Michigan · best chinook salmon lakes in Michigan · best steelhead lakes in Michigan
More water nearby: Grand Traverse County fishing maps (23 charts). 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.