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380-acre lake near Oakland County. The lake tops out around 21 ft. The depth chart is built from real state fisheries GPS surveys, 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:
Lower Straits Lake maps at 336 acres behind 3.8 miles of shoreline. A middling shoreline index (1.5) gives it some bays to work without being a maze. 98% of the surface is littoral (under ~15 ft) — cover, weeds and forage water. Call it 1.4 mi long by 0.8 mi wide at the broadest reach. It sits in Oakland County. Middle Straits Lake sits 1 mi east — the closest neighbouring chart.
In spring, yellow perch run shallow here, mostly 3 to 12 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 6 to 21 ft before dropping to 6 to 21 ft for winter. Fall yellow perch concentrate at Deep basin, a prime-rated deep basin around 20 ft. Fish it in early morning and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 6 to 21 ft | dawn | Deep basin (20 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 6 to 21 ft | midday | Deep basin (20 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 6 to 21 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (20 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Early season smallmouth bass use the shallows, holding in 3 to 12 ft. Summer is a 6 to 21 ft game here, winter a 6 to 21 ft one. The chart's best answer is Break off the point — drop-off, 5 ft, prime for winter. Best bite is early morning and the evening. Tie on a drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (3 ft) | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 6 to 21 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (5 ft) | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 6 to 21 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (5 ft) | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 6 to 21 ft | midday | Break off the point (5 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
Spring largemouth bass on Lower Straits Lake hold shallow, usually 2 to 10 ft. They move out to 8 to 20 ft in summer and finish the year down in 6 to 21 ft. Put Shallow bay flat first on the milk run — a weed flat near 2 ft that grades prime for spring. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (5 ft) | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (3 ft) | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 6 to 21 ft | midday | Break off the point (5 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
Early season crappie use the shallows, holding in 2 to 8 ft. Summer is a 6 to 21 ft game here, winter a 6 to 21 ft one. The chart's best answer is Deep basin — deep basin, 20 ft, prime for winter. Best bite is early morning and the evening. Tie on a jig trolled/spider-rigged or a small crankbait (trolled) and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | 1/16 oz jig + tube, Curly-tail grub |
| Summer | 6 to 21 ft | dawn & dusk | Deep basin (20 ft) | Jig trolled/spider-rigged, Small crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 8 to 20 ft | dawn | Deep basin (20 ft) | Jig + minnow combo, Small swimbait (1.5-2") |
| Winter | 6 to 21 ft | midday | Deep basin (20 ft) | Tungsten jig + soft plastic, Tiny jigging spoon |
Early season bluegill use the shallows, holding in 1 to 6 ft. Expect a summer slide to 4 to 15 ft, then a winter hold in 6 to 21 ft. Put Shallow bay flat first on the milk run — a weed flat near 2 ft that grades prime for spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Tie on a small sponge spider (fly) or a micro tube jig and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 6 ft | midday & dusk | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | 1/32 oz jig + micro plastic, Tiny popper (evenings) |
| Summer | 4 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | Small sponge spider (fly), Micro tube jig |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday | Break off the point (5 ft) | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 6 to 21 ft | midday | Deep basin (20 ft) | Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon |
6 pieces of structure are mapped here — Deep basin, around 20 ft, is the deepest of them.
Access data: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) — community-mapped launches. 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 Lower Straits Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Michigan fishing regulations →
Lower Straits Lake is about 21 ft (6 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart here comes from real state fisheries GPS surveys, so the contours reflect measured depths.
Anglers target yellow perch, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, crappie, bluegill on Lower Straits Lake. This isn't a survey of the water — none is published for it — but an informed estimate from the species common to the region, narrowed by this water's depth, size and each species' range.
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 20 ft of water that rates prime for yellow perch in fall. Every other rated spot, per species and season, is on the map above.
For yellow perch, 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 Lower Straits Lake 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.
Middle Straits Lake 1 mi · Long Lake 2 mi · Union Lake 2 mi · Carroll Lake 2 mi · South Commerce Lake 2 mi · Wolverine Lake 3 mi · Sugden Lake 3 mi · Cedar Island Lake 3 mi · Bogie Lake 3 mi · Upper Proud Lake 3 mi · Pleasant Lake 4 mi · Lower Proud Lake 4 mi
See how Lower Straits Lake stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in Michigan · best smallmouth bass lakes in Michigan · best crappie lakes in Michigan · best bluegill lakes in Michigan
More water nearby: Oakland County fishing maps (78 charts). Browse all Michigan fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: state fisheries survey programs. 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.