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4,900-acre reservoir near Friant. A steep-walled San Joaquin River canyon reservoir behind Friant Dam north of Fresno, deep and clear with black bass, striped bass and panfish. The lake tops out around 288 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. Here is how the season plays out for each species, straight from the data behind the map.
Drawn out, this is 4,083 acres of water rimmed by 41.1 miles of bank — one island included. A development index of 4.6 means a maze of bays and points: far more casting targets than a round bowl of the same size. 0% of the surface is littoral (under ~15 ft) — cover, weeds and forage water. End to end it runs roughly 6.5 mi, about 3.4 mi across. You'll find it in Madera County. The nearest mapped water is Pine Flat Lake, 23 mi to the southeast.
Start shallow in spring: largemouth bass sit in 2 to 10 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 8 to 20 ft; cold water stacks them in 15 to 35 ft. Top water on the chart: Marina / dock area, a dock line in the 4 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 | Marina / dock area (4 ft) | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (191 ft) | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Creek inflow (2 ft) | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday | Break off the point (191 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: smallmouth bass in 3 to 12 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 10 to 30 ft before dropping to 20 to 45 ft for winter. The spot to know is Rock reef, a rock pile in about 4 ft of water that rates prime for smallmouth bass in spring. 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 | Rock reef (4 ft) | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Rock reef (4 ft) | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 8 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Rock reef (4 ft) | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 20 to 45 ft | midday | Offshore hump (45 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
Early season spotted bass use the shallows, holding in 5 to 20 ft. Expect a summer slide to 15 to 40 ft, then a winter hold in 25 to 50 ft. Put Offshore hump first on the milk run — an offshore hump near 45 ft that grades prime for winter. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Tie on a drop shot over brush or an underspin + fluke (schoolers) and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Rock reef (4 ft) | Ned rig on gravel points, Shaky head |
| Summer | 15 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Offshore hump (45 ft) | Drop shot over brush, Underspin + fluke (schoolers) |
| Fall | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (92 ft) | Walking topwater, Underspin |
| Winter | 25 to 50 ft | midday | Offshore hump (45 ft) | Damiki/hover rig, Jigging spoon |
When the water first warms, striped bass slide up into 5 to 20 ft. Summer is a 25 to 60 ft game here, winter a 20 to 50 ft one. Start at Old creek channel. It's a creek channel holding about 45 ft of water and rates prime come winter. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. Keep a flutter spoon (deep) or an umbrella rig (trolled) rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Creek inflow (2 ft) | Bucktail jig + trailer, Walking topwater (dawn) |
| Summer | 25 to 60 ft | dawn & dusk | Offshore hump (45 ft) | Flutter spoon (deep), Umbrella rig (trolled) |
| Fall | 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Creek inflow (38 ft) | Topwater walker, Jerkbait |
| Winter | 20 to 50 ft | midday | Old creek channel (45 ft) | Alabama rig (slow), Flutter spoon |
Start shallow in spring: channel catfish sit in 3 to 12 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 8 to 25 ft; cold water stacks them in 20 to 40 ft. Top water on the chart: Creek inflow, an inflow / creek mouth in the 2 ft range, prime in spring. Fish it in after dark and the evening and you'll meet the bite.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dusk | Creek inflow (2 ft) | |
| Summer | 8 to 25 ft | night & dusk | Old creek channel (45 ft) | |
| Fall | 10 to 30 ft | dusk | Back-bay flat (29 ft) | |
| Winter | 20 to 40 ft | midday | Old creek channel (45 ft) |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: crappie in 2 to 8 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 10 to 25 ft before dropping to 15 to 35 ft for winter. The spot to know is Marina / dock area, a dock line in about 4 ft of water that rates prime for crappie in spring. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. Summer baits: a jig trolled/spider-rigged or a small crankbait (trolled) gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Marina / dock area (4 ft) | 1/16 oz jig + tube, Curly-tail grub |
| Summer | 10 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Old creek channel (45 ft) | Jig trolled/spider-rigged, Small crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 8 to 20 ft | dawn | Old creek channel (45 ft) | Jig + minnow combo, Small swimbait (1.5-2") |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday | Deep basin (273 ft) | Tungsten jig + soft plastic, Tiny jigging spoon |
Millerton Lake also holds bluegill (4 to 15 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
Count 19 structure marks on this chart. The deepest, Deep basin, sits near 273 ft.
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 California waters are set by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife — and special regulations can apply to Millerton Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official California fishing regulations →
Millerton Lake is about 288 ft (88 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 largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, spotted bass, striped bass, channel catfish, crappie, bluegill on Millerton Lake.
Rock reef is the top-rated area: a rock pile in about 4 ft of water that rates prime for smallmouth bass in spring. The interactive chart above rates every spot for each species and season.
For largemouth bass, 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.
Fishing on Millerton Lake is regulated by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Check the official California regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Pine Flat Lake 23 mi · George Lake 53 mi · Mamie Lake 54 mi · Mary Lake 54 mi · Constance Lake 55 mi · Dorothy Lake 56 mi · Edith Lake 56 mi · Genevieve Lake 56 mi · Waugh Reservoir 56 mi · Bright Dot Lake 57 mi · Gem Lake 57 mi · Longley Lake 58 mi
See how Millerton Lake stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in California · best smallmouth bass lakes in California · best crappie lakes in California · best bluegill lakes in California
Browse all California 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.