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Recent public catches load as you reach this section.
197-acre lake near St. Louis County. The lake tops out around 8 ft. What you see is a modeled chart: the shoreline is real, the max depth is published, and the contours between are estimated. Plan with it; don't navigate by it. What the data behind the map says about each species, season by season:
Drawn out, this is 197 acres of water rimmed by 2.9 miles of bank. Index 1.5 on the shoreline: a few honest points and pockets, nothing labyrinthine. Every acre of it sits shallower than ~15 ft: one big littoral zone, cover and forage throughout. Tip to tip the water measures near 0.8 mi with a 0.6-mi widest point. You'll find it in St. Louis County. For a second option, Trout lies 2 mi east.
Early season yellow perch use the shallows, holding in 2 to 8 ft. Even in summer they hold at 2 to 8 ft; winter keeps them in 2 to 8 ft. The chart's best answer is Shallow bay flat — weed flat, 3 ft, prime for spring. 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.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft chart-limited; documented 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 2 to 8 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Deep basin (7 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 2 to 8 ft chart-limited; documented 12 to 35 ft | midday | Deep basin (7 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 2 to 8 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (7 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
In spring, northern pike run shallow here, mostly 2 to 8 ft. Summer keeps them at 2 to 8 ft, and they winter in 2 to 8 ft. Spring northern pike concentrate at Shallow bay flat, a prime-rated weed flat around 3 ft. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage most summer days.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| 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 | 2 to 8 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 2 to 8 ft chart-limited; documented 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 2 to 8 ft chart-limited; documented 5 to 15 ft | midday | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
The chart marks 6 structure features on Merritt; the deepest is Main-lake point at about 8 ft.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Minnesota waters are set by the Minnesota DNR — and special regulations can apply to Merritt specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Minnesota fishing regulations →
Merritt is about 8 ft (2 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.
Anglers target yellow perch, northern pike on Merritt.
Shallow bay flat is the top-rated area: a weed flat in about 3 ft of water that rates prime for yellow perch in spring. Scroll up to the map for the complete spot list by species and season.
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 Merritt is regulated by the Minnesota DNR. Check the official Minnesota regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Trout 2 mi · Oriniack 2 mi · Little Trout 4 mi · Wolf 4 mi · Gowan 6 mi · Pine 6 mi · Chad 6 mi · Lake Vermilion 7 mi · Buck 8 mi · Picket 8 mi · Western 8 mi · Bootleg 9 mi
See how Merritt stacks up: best northern pike lakes in Minnesota · best yellow perch lakes in Minnesota
More water nearby: St. Louis County fishing maps (429 charts). Browse all Minnesota fishing maps. See every water on DepthScout. 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.