Sign inSign up freeRecent catches at Lake Michigan - Little Traverse Bay and the Beaver Islands
Shared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.
Fishing Lake Michigan - Little Traverse Bay and the Beaver Islands: what the data says
1,152,977-acre section. Charlevoix, Petoskey and Harbor Springs around Little Traverse Bay, out to the Beaver Island archipelago: kings off the breakwalls and trophy smallmouth on the island reefs. The lake tops out around 581 ft. The contours are modeled from the water's real shoreline and maximum depth. Treat them as a rough guide, and never use them for navigation. Below is the species-by-species picture, pulled from the same data the map uses.
Chinook Salmon fishing at Lake Michigan - Little Traverse Bay and the Beaver Islands
Start shallow in spring: chinook salmon sit in 5 to 40 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 50 to 120 ft, and winter fish settle into 30 to 90 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Bear River mouth (Petoskey): a inflow / creek mouth around 8 ft that scores prime in spring. Best bite is early morning and the evening. A flasher + fly (green/white) or a magnum spoon on downrigger covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Trolled spoon (orange/gold), Stickbait off planer boards |
| Summer | 50 to 120 ft | dawn & dusk | Flasher + fly (green/white), Magnum spoon on downrigger |
| Fall | 10 to 50 ft | dawn & dusk | J-plug (glow), Flasher + fly |
| Winter | 30 to 90 ft | midday | Small spoon on a slow troll, Stickbait deep |
Coho Salmon fishing at Lake Michigan - Little Traverse Bay and the Beaver Islands
Spring coho salmon on Lake Michigan - Little Traverse Bay and the Beaver Islands hold shallow, usually 3 to 25 ft. By summer they slide out to 30 to 70 ft, and by winter most fish are in 20 to 60 ft. Bear River mouth (Petoskey) is the standout, a inflow / creek mouth at roughly 8 ft, rated prime for spring coho salmon. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Tie on a dodger + fly or a medium spoon above the thermocline and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Small orange dodger + peanut fly, Thin spoon (orange/silver) |
| Summer | 30 to 70 ft | dawn & dusk | Dodger + fly, Medium spoon above the thermocline |
| Fall | 8 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Casting spoon, Spinner (chartreuse) |
| Winter | 20 to 60 ft | midday | Small spoon, slow troll |
Steelhead fishing at Lake Michigan - Little Traverse Bay and the Beaver Islands
Start shallow in spring: steelhead sit in 3 to 20 ft that time of year. They move out to 5 to 45 ft in summer and finish the year down in 4 to 15 ft. Bear River mouth (Petoskey) is the standout, a inflow / creek mouth at roughly 8 ft, rated prime for spring steelhead. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Summer baits: a orange dodger + fly high in the column or a thin spoon off boards gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Small spoon or spinner at the mouths, Jig + waxworm under float |
| Summer | 5 to 45 ft | dawn & dusk | Orange dodger + fly high in the column, Thin spoon off boards |
| Fall | 5 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Spinner (silver/blue), Casting spoon |
| Winter | 4 to 15 ft | midday | Float jig (black/purple), Bead rig |
Lake Trout fishing at Lake Michigan - Little Traverse Bay and the Beaver Islands
In spring, lake trout run shallow here, mostly 10 to 40 ft. They move out to 50 to 120 ft in summer and finish the year down in 20 to 80 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Rock reef: a rock pile around 28 ft that scores prime in fall. Best bite is early morning. A white tube jig (deep) or a magnum spoon on downrigger covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 10 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Casting spoon over shoals, Jerkbait (shallow) |
| Summer | 50 to 120 ft | dawn | White tube jig (deep), Magnum spoon on downrigger |
| Fall | 10 to 50 ft | dusk & dawn | Heavy casting spoon, Jigging rap over reefs |
| Winter | 20 to 80 ft | dawn | White tube jig, Airplane jig |
Smallmouth Bass fishing at Lake Michigan - Little Traverse Bay and the Beaver Islands
Start shallow in spring: smallmouth bass sit in 3 to 12 ft that time of year. By summer they slide out to 10 to 30 ft, and by winter most fish are in 20 to 45 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Rock reef: a rock pile around 28 ft that scores prime in summer. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Summer baits: a drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 8 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 20 to 45 ft | midday | Blade bait, Hair jig |
Lake Whitefish fishing at Lake Michigan - Little Traverse Bay and the Beaver Islands
Spring lake whitefish on Lake Michigan - Little Traverse Bay and the Beaver Islands hold shallow, usually 15 to 45 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 40 to 90 ft, and winter fish settle into 25 to 70 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Rock reef: a rock pile around 28 ft that scores prime in fall. Plan around early morning in the warm months. Tie on a blade bait vertical or a small jigging spoon and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 15 to 45 ft | midday & dawn | Small jig + waxworm, Blade bait (small) |
| Summer | 40 to 90 ft | dawn | Blade bait vertical, Small jigging spoon |
| Fall | 8 to 30 ft | dusk | Small spoon (gold), Jig + plastic larva |
| Winter | 25 to 70 ft | midday & dawn | Jigging spoon + bead chain, Tungsten jig + waxie |
Lake Michigan - Little Traverse Bay and the Beaver Islands also holds brown trout (25 to 60 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
Notable structure
- Deepest basin: deep basin, around 567 ft
- Deep hole: deep basin, around 509 ft
- Deep hole: deep basin, around 500 ft
- Deep hole: deep basin, around 487 ft
- Deep hole: deep basin, around 487 ft
- Deep hole: deep basin, around 480 ft
- Sharp break: drop-off, around 413 ft
- Offshore hump: offshore hump, around 400 ft
- Sharp break: drop-off, around 343 ft
- Sharp break: drop-off, around 339 ft
- Sharp break: drop-off, around 330 ft
- Sharp break: drop-off, around 310 ft
- Rock reef: rock pile, around 299 ft
- Sharp break: drop-off, around 299 ft
Common questions
How deep is Lake Michigan - Little Traverse Bay and the Beaver Islands?
Lake Michigan - Little Traverse Bay and the Beaver Islands is about 581 ft at its deepest point. The contours here are modeled from the water's real shape and maximum depth, so treat them as a rough guide.
What fish are in Lake Michigan - Little Traverse Bay and the Beaver Islands?
Anglers target smallmouth bass, chinook salmon, coho salmon, steelhead, lake trout, brown trout, lake whitefish on Lake Michigan - Little Traverse Bay and the Beaver Islands.
Where is the best fishing spot on Lake Michigan - Little Traverse Bay and the Beaver Islands?
Bear River mouth (Petoskey) is the top-rated area: a inflow / creek mouth in about 8 ft of water that rates prime for chinook salmon in spring. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.
When is the best time to fish Lake Michigan - Little Traverse Bay and the Beaver Islands?
For chinook salmon, 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.
Nearby waters
Geneserath, Lake · Susan Lake · Charlevoix, Lake · Lake Charlevoix · Saint Clair Lake · Ellsworth Lake
See how Lake Michigan - Little Traverse Bay and the Beaver Islands stacks up: best smallmouth bass lakes in Michigan · best chinook salmon lakes in Michigan · best coho salmon lakes in Michigan · best steelhead lakes in Michigan
Browse all Michigan fishing maps or every water on DepthScout. How we build these maps. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.