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275,000-acre shallow basin between Lake Huron and Lake Erie, averaging about 11 ft with a natural maximum near 21 ft; only the dredged shipping channel runs deeper. World-class smallmouth and muskie water. The lake tops out around 27 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. The rest of this page walks each species through its year, using the map's own scoring.
The drawn water covers 277,125 acres wrapped in 314.1 miles of bank — 269 islands included. With a shoreline index of 4.3, this water is all arms and coves — edge habitat well beyond its acreage. 56% of the surface is littoral (under ~15 ft) — cover, weeds and forage water. Figure 27.9 mi of water from one end to the other, 27.5 mi at the beam. Its nearest charted neighbour, Clinton River, is 11 mi to the northwest.
When the water first warms, smallmouth bass slide up into 3 to 12 ft. Summer is an 8 to 27 ft game here, winter an 8 to 27 ft one. Start at Rock reef. It's a rock pile holding about 3 ft of water and rates prime come spring. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. Keep a drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig rigged through the warm months.
| 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 | 8 to 27 ft | dawn & dusk | Sand bar rise (south) (14 ft) | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 8 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Shoreline point (8 ft) | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 8 to 27 ft | midday | Channel break (14 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
In spring, walleye run shallow here, mostly 4 to 15 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 8 to 27 ft before dropping to 8 to 27 ft for winter. Summer walleye concentrate at Sand bar rise (south), a prime-rated offshore hump around 14 ft. Fish it in the evening and early morning and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | Grassy Island area flats (2 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 8 to 27 ft | dusk & dawn | Sand bar rise (south) (14 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 8 to 27 ft | dusk & night | Channel break (14 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 8 to 27 ft | dusk & dawn | Sand bar rise (south) (14 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
When the water first warms, northern pike slide up into 2 to 8 ft. Summer is an 8 to 20 ft game here, winter a 5 to 15 ft one. Start at Anchor Bay weed flats. It's a weed flat holding about 6 ft of water and rates prime come spring. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. Keep a bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Anchor Bay weed flats (6 ft) | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow flat (7 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Anchor Bay weed flats (6 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Anchor Bay weed flats (6 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
When the water first warms, crappie slide up into 2 to 8 ft. Summer is a 10 to 25 ft game here, winter an 8 to 27 ft one. Start at Anchor Bay weed flats. It's a weed flat holding about 6 ft of water and rates prime come spring. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. Keep a jig trolled/spider-rigged or a small crankbait (trolled) rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Anchor Bay weed flats (6 ft) | 1/16 oz jig + tube, Curly-tail grub |
| Summer | 10 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Sand bar rise (south) (14 ft) | Jig trolled/spider-rigged, Small crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 8 to 20 ft | dawn | Shipping channel edge (6 ft) | Jig + minnow combo, Small swimbait (1.5-2") |
| Winter | 8 to 27 ft | midday | Shipping channel edge (6 ft) | Tungsten jig + soft plastic, Tiny jigging spoon |
Come spring, look for bluegill tight to the bank in 1 to 6 ft. Expect a summer slide to 4 to 15 ft, then a winter hold in 10 to 25 ft. Start at Anchor Bay weed flats. It's a weed flat holding about 6 ft of water and rates prime come spring. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. A small sponge spider (fly) or a micro tube jig is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 6 ft | midday & dusk | Anchor Bay weed flats (6 ft) | 1/32 oz jig + micro plastic, Tiny popper (evenings) |
| Summer | 4 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Anchor Bay weed flats (6 ft) | Small sponge spider (fly), Micro tube jig |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday | Anchor Bay weed flats (6 ft) | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 10 to 25 ft | midday | Sand bar rise (south) (14 ft) | Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon |
Come spring, look for muskellunge tight to the bank in 3 to 12 ft. Expect a summer slide to 8 to 25 ft, then a winter hold in 8 to 27 ft. Start at Channel break. It's a drop-off holding about 14 ft of water and rates prime come fall. Prime time lands in the evening and early morning. A double-10 bucktail or a topwater (walk-the-dog / creeper) is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dusk | Anchor Bay weed flats (6 ft) | Smaller bucktail (#8 blades), 6" glide bait |
| Summer | 8 to 25 ft | dusk & dawn | Shoreline point (8 ft) | Double-10 bucktail, Topwater (walk-the-dog / creeper) |
| Fall | 7 to 27 ft | midday & dusk | Channel break (14 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), 10"+ glide bait |
| Winter | 8 to 27 ft | midday | Channel break (14 ft) | Large rubber, crawled slow |
Lake St. Clair also holds yellow perch (8 to 27 ft in summer), largemouth bass (8 to 20 ft in summer), freshwater drum (7 to 27 ft in summer), common carp (3 to 15 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 Mile-long grass edge at roughly 27 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 St. Clair specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Michigan fishing regulations →
Lake St. Clair is about 27 ft (8 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, walleye, northern pike, crappie, bluegill, muskellunge, yellow perch, largemouth bass, freshwater drum, common carp on Lake St. Clair.
Rock reef is the top-rated area: a rock pile in about 3 ft of water that rates prime for smallmouth bass in spring. Every other rated spot, per species and season, is on the map above.
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 St. Clair 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.
Clinton River 11 mi · Detroit River 25 mi · Stony Creek Lake 27 mi · Cusick Lake 29 mi · Gilbert Lake 31 mi · Orange Lake 32 mi · Galloway Lake 32 mi · Meadow Lake 33 mi · Graham Lake (west) 34 mi · Square Lake 34 mi · Lakeville Lake 34 mi · no name Lake 34 mi
See how Lake St. Clair stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in Michigan · best smallmouth bass lakes in Michigan · best walleye lakes in Michigan · best northern pike 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.