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Fishing Makwa: what the data says
127-acre lake near Lake County. The lake tops out around 76 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.
Lake Trout fishing at Makwa
Spring lake trout on Makwa hold shallow, usually 10 to 40 ft. By summer they slide out to 23 to 76 ft, and by winter most fish are in 19 to 76 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Deep basin: a deep basin around 65 ft that scores prime in summer. In summer the feeding windows fall in 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 | 23 to 76 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 | 19 to 76 ft | dawn | White tube jig, Airplane jig |
Yellow Perch fishing at Makwa
In spring, yellow perch run shallow here, mostly 3 to 12 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 10 to 30 ft, and winter fish settle into 15 to 35 ft. Shallow bay flat is the standout, a weed flat at roughly 6 ft, rated prime for spring yellow perch. Best bite is early morning. Tie on a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 12 to 35 ft | midday | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Northern Pike fishing at Makwa
Spring northern pike on Makwa hold shallow, usually 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. The spot to know is Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in about 6 ft of water that rates prime for northern pike in spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Summer baits: a bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
Burbot fishing at Makwa
Start shallow in spring: burbot sit in 25 to 70 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 23 to 76 ft, and winter fish settle into 15 to 60 ft. Deep basin is the standout, a deep basin at roughly 65 ft, rated prime for spring burbot. Plan around after dark and midday in the warm months. A heavy jig + cut bait covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 25 to 70 ft | night & dusk | Glow jigging spoon + cut bait, Rattle bait (dark) |
| Summer | 23 to 76 ft | night & midday | Heavy jig + cut bait |
| Fall | 23 to 76 ft | night & dusk | Glow spoon + minnow head, Blade bait (slow) |
| Winter | 15 to 60 ft | night & dusk | Glow tungsten + cut bait, Rattle spoon + minnow head |
Notable structure
- Deep basin: deep basin, around 65 ft
- Break off the point: drop-off, around 34 ft
- Main-lake point: point, around 19 ft
- Secondary point: point, around 19 ft
- Shallow bay flat: weed flat, around 6 ft
- Back-bay flat: weed flat, around 6 ft
Common questions
How deep is Makwa?
Makwa is about 76 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 Makwa?
Anglers target northern pike, yellow perch, lake trout, burbot on Makwa.
Where is the best fishing spot on Makwa?
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 65 ft of water that rates prime for lake trout in summer. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.
When is the best time to fish Makwa?
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.
Nearby waters
Elton · Little Saganaga · Gabimichigami · Adams · Rattle · Malberg
See how Makwa stacks up: best northern pike lakes in Minnesota · best yellow perch lakes in Minnesota · best lake trout lakes in Minnesota · best burbot lakes in Minnesota
Browse all Minnesota fishing maps or every water on DepthScout. How we build these maps. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.