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Rating depth structure for largemouth bass.
Shared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.
93-acre lake near Charlevoix County. The lake tops out around 14 ft. The depth chart comes from published agency bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled. Here's the year, species by species, as the scoring engine sees it.
Drawn out, this is 82 acres of water rimmed by 2.2 miles of bank. The shoreline is moderately structured (index 1.7) — enough points and pockets to pattern. Nothing on this chart breaks 15 ft, which makes the whole surface littoral: weeds, bait and ambush cover everywhere. Tip to tip the water measures near 1 mi with a 0.2-mi widest point. You'll find it in Charlevoix County. The nearest mapped water is Skinner Lake, 1 mi to the northeast.
When the water first warms, walleye slide up into 4 to 14 ft. There's no big seasonal slide here — summer means 4 to 14 ft, winter 4 to 14 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Deep basin: a deep basin around 13 ft that scores prime in winter. In summer the feeding windows fall in the evening and early morning. Keep a crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 14 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (2 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 4 to 14 ft | dusk & dawn | Deep basin (13 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 4 to 14 ft | dusk & night | Deep basin (13 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 4 to 14 ft | dusk & dawn | Deep basin (13 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
When the water first warms, yellow perch slide up into 3 to 12 ft. Summer is a 4 to 14 ft game here, winter a 4 to 14 ft one. Start at Deep basin. It's a deep basin holding about 13 ft of water and rates prime come fall. The feeding windows run early morning. Keep a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm rigged through the warm months.
| 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 | 4 to 14 ft | dawn | Deep basin (13 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 4 to 14 ft | midday | Deep basin (13 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 4 to 14 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (13 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: northern pike in 2 to 8 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 4 to 14 ft before dropping to 4 to 14 ft for winter. The spot to know is Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in about 2 ft of water that rates prime for northern pike 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.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 4 to 14 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 4 to 14 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 4 to 14 ft | midday | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: smallmouth bass in 3 to 12 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 4 to 14 ft before dropping to 4 to 14 ft for winter. The spot to know is Main-lake point, a point in about 2 ft of water that rates prime for smallmouth bass in fall. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. Summer baits: a drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (2 ft) | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 4 to 14 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (2 ft) | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 4 to 14 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (2 ft) | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 4 to 14 ft | midday | Break off the point (2 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
Start shallow in spring: largemouth bass sit in 2 to 10 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 4 to 14 ft; cold water stacks them in 4 to 14 ft. Top water on the chart: Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in the 2 ft range, prime in spring. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. Throw a texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 4 to 14 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 4 to 14 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (2 ft) | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 4 to 14 ft | midday | Deep basin (13 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
Spring rock bass on Matchett Lake hold shallow, usually 2 to 10 ft. They move out to 4 to 14 ft in summer and finish the year down in 4 to 14 ft. Put Deep basin first on the milk run — a deep basin near 13 ft that grades prime for winter. The feeding windows run the evening. The summer box starts with a ned rig (small) or a marabou jig.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (2 ft) | 1/16 oz jig + grub, Small inline spinner |
| Summer | 4 to 14 ft | dusk | Main-lake point (2 ft) | Ned rig (small), Marabou jig |
| Fall | 4 to 14 ft | midday | Break off the point (2 ft) | Small tube jig, Inline spinner |
| Winter | 4 to 14 ft | midday | Deep basin (13 ft) | Tungsten jig + plastic, Small spoon + spike |
Matchett Lake also holds white perch (4 to 14 ft in summer), crappie (4 to 14 ft in summer), bluegill (4 to 14 ft in summer), pumpkinseed (2 to 10 ft in summer), brown bullhead (3 to 12 ft in summer), channel catfish (4 to 14 ft in summer), freshwater drum (4 to 14 ft in summer), common carp (3 to 14 ft in summer), longnose gar (1 to 12 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
Count 6 structure marks on this chart. The deepest, Deep basin, sits near 13 ft.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Michigan waters are set by the Michigan DNR — and special regulations can apply to Matchett Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Michigan fishing regulations →
Matchett Lake is about 14 ft (4 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart comes from published agency bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled.
Anglers target walleye, yellow perch, northern pike, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, rock bass, white perch, crappie, bluegill, pumpkinseed, brown bullhead, channel catfish, freshwater drum, common carp, longnose gar on Matchett Lake. This isn't a survey of the lake — none is on record for it — but an informed estimate from the species listed for the nearest surveyed lakes in the region, filtered to this lake's depth and habitat.
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 13 ft of water that rates prime for walleye in winter. Every other rated spot, per species and season, is on the map above.
For walleye, the summer bite is best in the evening and 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 Matchett 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.
Skinner Lake 1 mi · Harwood Lake 1 mi · Little Torch Lake 2 mi · Carpenter Lake 2 mi · Mud Lake 2 mi · Lake Marion 3 mi · Eaton Lake 4 mi · Saint Clair Lake 5 mi · Ellsworth Lake 5 mi · Toad Lake 6 mi · Wilson Lake 7 mi · Sixmile Lake 8 mi
See how Matchett Lake 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
More water nearby: Charlevoix County fishing maps (16 charts). Browse all Michigan fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry: published agency survey data. 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.