McNearney Lake Depth Map & Fishing Spots (MI)

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Lake depth chart

McNearney Lake, MI

Max 25 ft

Today's read

Where to start

Fall shiner run window is on — see the hatch outlook

Hatch outlook

Fall shiner runActive window

Typical here: Sep 1 – Oct 31 · colder nights and shortening days start the push in early September — shiners slide out of open water toward warmer shallows and run up the rivers; the Rainy River run off Lake of the Woods is the marquee version

adultdaylight for the jig bite; after dark the shiners stack under dock lights with walleyes and pike mixed right in — follow the bait, not the spot — millions of shiners move together and the predators ride with them; silver profile and flash matter

Concentrates hard but travels — the school (and the walleyes under it) can be off a river mouth one week and miles upriver the next.

Jig-and-minnow is the event's signature — a frozen emerald shiner on a 1/4 oz jig drifted along the run; silver jerkbaits and trolled crankbaits take the roaming fish; blade baits under the schools.

The event happens over river mouths and the first miles upriver, warming shallow shorelines, and rocky points where the displaced bait stacks

Next on this water

Fall frog migration · forageSep 25 – Nov 10 · in ~3 weeks

Recommendations come from depth structure and seasonal species behavior. Treat them as a starting point, not a guarantee. Contours here are generated from real agency depth surveys; use the survey badge for the provider, dataset, datum and measured coverage. Never use for navigation. Always check local regulations.

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Recent catches at McNearney Lake

Shared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.

No shared catches here yet — be the first.Log a catch from the map above and share it to put McNearney Lake on the board.

Fishing McNearney Lake: what the data says

123-acre lake near Chippewa County. The lake tops out around 25 ft. The depth chart comes from published agency bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled. What follows comes from the same scoring engine that paints the spots above.

Traced from the shoreline, McNearney Lake runs 121 acres with 1.9 miles of edge. The basin is a simple one (shoreline index 1.2) — close to a bowl, so the structure on the chart matters more than the bank. The shallow band under 15 ft claims about 26% of the surface — that's where the groceries are. Call it 0.8 mi long by 0.3 mi wide at the broadest reach. You'll find it in Chippewa County. For a second option, Piatt Lake lies 3 mi west.

Northern Pike fishing at McNearney Lake

Spring puts northern pike in skinny water — 2 to 8 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 8 to 20 ft; cold water stacks them in 5 to 15 ft. Shallow bay flat is the standout, a weed flat at roughly 3 ft, rated prime for spring northern pike. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. A bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage covers the summer program.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	2 to 8 ft	midday & dawn	Shallow bay flat (3 ft)	#5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white)
Summer	8 to 20 ft	dawn & dusk	Back-bay flat (11 ft)	Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage
Fall	6 to 18 ft	midday & dawn	Back-bay flat (11 ft)	Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait
Winter	5 to 15 ft	midday	Back-bay flat (11 ft)	Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon

Notable structure

6 pieces of structure are mapped here — Deep basin, around 25 ft, is the deepest of them.

Deep basin: deep basin, around 25 ft
Break off the point: drop-off, around 23 ft
Secondary point: point, around 12 ft
Back-bay flat: weed flat, around 11 ft
Main-lake point: point, around 5 ft
Shallow bay flat: weed flat, around 3 ft

McNearney Lake fishing regulations

Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Michigan waters are set by the Michigan DNR — and special regulations can apply to McNearney Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.

Check the official Michigan fishing regulations →

Common questions

How deep is McNearney Lake?

McNearney Lake is about 25 ft (8 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.

What fish are in McNearney Lake?

Anglers target northern pike on McNearney 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.

Where is the best fishing spot on McNearney Lake?

Shallow bay flat is the top-rated area: a weed flat in about 3 ft of water that rates prime for northern pike in spring. Every other rated spot, per species and season, is on the map above.

When is the best time to fish McNearney Lake?

For northern pike, the summer bite is best in early morning and the evening. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.

What are the fishing regulations for McNearney Lake?

Fishing on McNearney 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.

Nearby waters

Piatt Lake 3 mi · Soldier Lake 7 mi · Pendills Lake 9 mi · Betchler Lakes 9 mi · Williams Lake 9 mi · Betchler Lake, Little 9 mi · Mud Lake 10 mi · Crego Lake 12 mi · Bobbygay Lake 15 mi · Monocle Lake 15 mi · Frenchman Lake 17 mi · Trout Lake 17 mi

See how McNearney Lake stacks up: best northern pike lakes in Michigan

More water nearby: Chippewa County fishing maps (18 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.