Burbot fishing at Little Deer Lake

In spring, burbot run shallow here, mostly 14 to 47 ft. Summer fish stay in 14 to 47 ft, and winter fish hold in 12 to 47 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Deep basin: a deep basin around 40 ft that scores prime in spring. Best bite is after dark and midday. Summer baits: a heavy jig + cut bait gets it done.

Cisco (Lake Herring) fishing at Little Deer Lake

Start shallow in spring: cisco (lake herring) sit in 10 to 40 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 14 to 47 ft, and winter fish settle into 14 to 47 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Deep basin: a deep basin around 40 ft that scores prime in spring. Best bite is early morning. A vertical flutter spoon (small) or a drop-shot micro plastic covers the summer program.

Lake Whitefish fishing at Little Deer Lake

Spring lake whitefish on Little Deer Lake hold shallow, usually 15 to 45 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 14 to 47 ft, and winter fish settle into 14 to 47 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Deep basin: a deep basin around 40 ft that scores prime in summer. 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.

Northern Pike fishing at Little Deer Lake

In spring, northern pike run shallow here, mostly 2 to 8 ft. By summer they slide out to 8 to 20 ft, and by winter most fish are in 5 to 15 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Shallow bay flat: a weed flat around 6 ft that scores prime in spring. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. Summer baits: a bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage gets it done.

Walleye fishing at Little Deer Lake

Start shallow in spring: walleye sit in 4 to 15 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 15 to 35 ft, and winter fish settle into 20 to 40 ft. The spot to know is Deep basin, a deep basin in about 40 ft of water that rates prime for walleye in winter. In summer the feeding windows fall in the evening and early morning. A crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) covers the summer program.

Yellow Perch fishing at Little Deer Lake

Spring yellow perch on Little Deer Lake 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. If you only fish one area, make it Shallow bay flat: a weed flat around 6 ft that scores prime in spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning. A drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm covers the summer program.

How deep is Little Deer Lake?

Little Deer Lake is about 47 ft (14 m) deep 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 Little Deer Lake?

Anglers target walleye, northern pike, yellow perch, lake whitefish, burbot, cisco (lake herring) on Little Deer Lake.

Where is the best fishing spot on Little Deer Lake?

Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 40 ft of water that rates prime for burbot in spring. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.

When is the best time to fish Little Deer Lake?

For burbot, the summer bite is best in after dark and midday. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.