Sign inSign up free Sign inSign up free Sign inSign up freeShared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.
521,274-acre section. Marquette to Munising and Grand Island: spring coho along the beaches, lake trout on the humps and steelhead off every river mouth. The lake tops out around 798 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 season-by-season read for each species follows, from the map's own numbers.
On the chart, Lake Superior - Marquette Shore draws 525,714 acres inside 240.9 miles of shoreline, with 12 islands in the mix. With a shoreline index of 2.4, this water is all arms and coves — edge habitat well beyond its acreage. 6% of the surface is littoral (under ~15 ft) — cover, weeds and forage water. Tip to tip the water measures near 64.7 mi with a 30-mi widest point. The nearest mapped water is Lake Kawbawgam, 15 mi to the south.
The spring pattern is a shallow one: lake trout in 10 to 40 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 50 to 120 ft before dropping to 20 to 80 ft for winter. The spot to know is Rock reef, a rock pile in about 42 ft of water that rates prime for lake trout in fall. Plan around early morning in the warm months. Summer baits: a white tube jig (deep) or a magnum spoon on downrigger gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 10 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (10 ft) | Casting spoon over shoals, Jerkbait (shallow) |
| Summer | 50 to 120 ft | dawn | Offshore hump (82 ft) | White tube jig (deep), Magnum spoon on downrigger |
| Fall | 10 to 50 ft | dusk & dawn | Rock reef (42 ft) | Heavy casting spoon, Jigging rap over reefs |
| Winter | 20 to 80 ft | dawn | Offshore hump (73 ft) | White tube jig, Airplane jig |
Spring puts coho salmon in skinny water — 3 to 25 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 30 to 70 ft; cold water stacks them in 20 to 60 ft. Carp River mouth is the standout, an inflow / creek mouth at roughly 1 ft, rated prime for spring coho salmon. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. 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 | Carp River mouth (1 ft) | Small orange dodger + peanut fly, Thin spoon (orange/silver) |
| Summer | 30 to 70 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (67 ft) | Dodger + fly, Medium spoon above the thermocline |
| Fall | 8 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Carp River mouth (1 ft) | Casting spoon, Spinner (chartreuse) |
| Winter | 20 to 60 ft | midday | Sharp break (67 ft) | Small spoon, slow troll |
Early season steelhead use the shallows, holding in 3 to 20 ft. Expect a summer slide to 5 to 45 ft, then a winter hold in 4 to 15 ft. Put Carp River mouth first on the milk run — an inflow / creek mouth near 1 ft that grades prime for spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Tie on an orange dodger + fly high in the column or a thin spoon off boards and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Carp River mouth (1 ft) | Small spoon or spinner at the mouths, Jig + waxworm under float |
| Summer | 5 to 45 ft | dawn & dusk | Offshore hump (13 ft) | Orange dodger + fly high in the column, Thin spoon off boards |
| Fall | 5 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Carp River mouth (1 ft) | Spinner (silver/blue), Casting spoon |
| Winter | 4 to 15 ft | midday | Carp River mouth (1 ft) | Float jig (black/purple), Bead rig |
Start shallow in spring: chinook salmon sit in 5 to 40 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 50 to 120 ft; cold water stacks them in 30 to 90 ft. Top water on the chart: Carp River mouth, an inflow / creek mouth in the 1 ft range, prime in spring. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. 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 | 5 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Carp River mouth (1 ft) | Trolled spoon (orange/gold), Stickbait off planer boards |
| Summer | 50 to 120 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (67 ft) | Flasher + fly (green/white), Magnum spoon on downrigger |
| Fall | 10 to 50 ft | dawn & dusk | Carp River mouth (1 ft) | J-plug (glow), Flasher + fly |
| Winter | 30 to 90 ft | midday | Sharp break (67 ft) | Small spoon on a slow troll, Stickbait deep |
Come spring, look for lake whitefish tight to the bank in 15 to 45 ft. They move out to 40 to 90 ft in summer and finish the year down in 25 to 70 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Rock reef: a rock pile around 42 ft that scores prime in spring. Best bite is early morning. A blade bait vertical or a small jigging spoon is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 15 to 45 ft | midday & dawn | Rock reef (42 ft) | Small jig + waxworm, Blade bait (small) |
| Summer | 40 to 90 ft | dawn | Offshore hump (82 ft) | Blade bait vertical, Small jigging spoon |
| Fall | 8 to 30 ft | dusk | Offshore hump (13 ft) | Small spoon (gold), Jig + plastic larva |
| Winter | 25 to 70 ft | midday & dawn | Offshore hump (73 ft) | Jigging spoon + bead chain, Tungsten jig + waxie |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: burbot in 25 to 70 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 50 to 120 ft before dropping to 15 to 60 ft for winter. The spot to know is Rock reef, a rock pile in about 42 ft of water that rates prime for burbot in winter. Plan around after dark and midday in the warm months. Summer baits: a heavy jig + cut bait gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 25 to 70 ft | night & dusk | Rock reef (42 ft) | Glow jigging spoon + cut bait, Rattle bait (dark) |
| Summer | 50 to 120 ft | night & midday | Offshore hump (82 ft) | Heavy jig + cut bait |
| Fall | 30 to 80 ft | night & dusk | Rock reef (42 ft) | Glow spoon + minnow head, Blade bait (slow) |
| Winter | 15 to 60 ft | night & dusk | Rock reef (42 ft) | Glow tungsten + cut bait, Rattle spoon + minnow head |
Structure-wise the chart holds 67 features, led in depth by Deepest basin at roughly 796 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 Superior - Marquette Shore specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Michigan fishing regulations →
Lake Superior - Marquette Shore is about 798 ft (243 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart here comes from real NOAA hydrographic surveys, so the contours reflect measured depths.
Anglers target lake trout, coho salmon, steelhead, chinook salmon, lake whitefish, burbot on Lake Superior - Marquette Shore.
Rock reef is the top-rated area: a rock pile in about 42 ft of water that rates prime for burbot in winter. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.
For lake trout, 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 Superior - Marquette Shore 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.
Lake Kawbawgam 15 mi · Deer Lake 16 mi · Pelissier Lake 19 mi · Goose Lake 23 mi · Powell Lake 24 mi · Au Train Lake 24 mi · Engman Lake 25 mi · Echo Lake 25 mi · Sporley Lake 26 mi · Teal Lake 26 mi · Lake Miller 27 mi · Lake Ogden 27 mi
See how Lake Superior - Marquette Shore stacks up: best chinook salmon lakes in Michigan · best coho salmon lakes in Michigan · best steelhead lakes in Michigan · best lake trout 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.