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684-acre reservoir near Flint. The lake tops out around 20 ft. These contours are modeled — built from the real shoreline and the water's maximum depth — so read them as a guide, never as navigation. Here is how the season plays out for each species, straight from the data behind the map.
Traced from the shoreline, Mott Lake runs 594 acres with 15.2 miles of edge — one island included. The 4.5 development index tells the story — a convoluted bank whose fishable edge far outruns the acreage. Littoral water — the productive band under ~15 ft — makes up 95% of this chart, as modeled. Figure 3.9 mi of water from one end to the other, 1.1 mi at the beam. The water lies in Genesee County. Closest neighbour on DepthScout: Holloway Reservoir, 10 mi east of here.
The spring pattern is a shallow one: crappie in 2 to 8 ft. As the season builds they drop to 6 to 20 ft, wintering in 6 to 20 ft. Top water on the chart: Old creek channel, a creek channel in the 10 ft range, prime in fall. Time it for early morning and the evening. 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 | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | 1/16 oz jig + tube, Curly-tail grub |
| Summer | 6 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Old creek channel (10 ft) | Jig trolled/spider-rigged, Small crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 8 to 20 ft | dawn | Old creek channel (10 ft) | Jig + minnow combo, Small swimbait (1.5-2") |
| Winter | 6 to 20 ft | midday | Deep basin (17 ft) | Tungsten jig + soft plastic, Tiny jigging spoon |
Spring puts bluegill in skinny water — 1 to 6 ft is the zone. As the season builds they drop to 4 to 15 ft, wintering in 6 to 20 ft. Spring bluegill concentrate at Shallow bay flat, a prime-rated weed flat around 3 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. A small sponge spider (fly) or a micro tube jig covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 6 ft | midday & dusk | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | 1/32 oz jig + micro plastic, Tiny popper (evenings) |
| Summer | 4 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Small sponge spider (fly), Micro tube jig |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday | Break off the point (9 ft) | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 6 to 20 ft | midday | Deep basin (17 ft) | Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon |
Start shallow in spring: channel catfish sit in 3 to 12 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 6 to 20 ft, and winter fish settle into 6 to 20 ft. The spot to know is Flint River inflow, an inflow / creek mouth in about 4 ft of water that rates prime for channel catfish in spring. Warm-month bites cluster around after dark and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dusk | Flint River inflow (4 ft) | |
| Summer | 6 to 20 ft | night & dusk | Old creek channel (10 ft) | |
| Fall | 6 to 20 ft | dusk | Old creek channel (10 ft) | |
| Winter | 6 to 20 ft | midday | Deep basin (17 ft) |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: northern pike in 2 to 8 ft. As the season builds they drop to 8 to 20 ft, wintering in 5 to 15 ft. Top water on the chart: Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in the 3 ft range, prime in spring. Time it for early morning and the evening. 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 (3 ft) | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (9 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (9 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
Spring rock bass on Mott Lake hold shallow, usually 2 to 10 ft. By summer they slide out to 5 to 20 ft, and by winter most fish are in 6 to 20 ft. The chart's best answer is Main-lake point — point, 8 ft, prime for summer. Prime time lands in 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 (8 ft) | 1/16 oz jig + grub, Small inline spinner |
| Summer | 5 to 20 ft | dusk | Main-lake point (8 ft) | Ned rig (small), Marabou jig |
| Fall | 6 to 20 ft | midday | Break off the point (9 ft) | Small tube jig, Inline spinner |
| Winter | 6 to 20 ft | midday | Deep basin (17 ft) | Tungsten jig + plastic, Small spoon + spike |
When the water first warms, walleye slide up into 4 to 15 ft. Summer is a 6 to 20 ft game here, winter a 6 to 20 ft one. Start at Flint River inflow. It's an inflow / creek mouth holding about 4 ft of water and rates prime come spring. The feeding windows run 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 15 ft | dusk & dawn | Flint River inflow (4 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 6 to 20 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (9 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 6 to 20 ft | dusk & night | Break off the point (9 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 6 to 20 ft | dusk & dawn | Deep basin (17 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
Mott Lake also holds yellow perch (6 to 20 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
The chart marks 9 structure features on Mott Lake; the deepest is Deep basin at about 17 ft.
Access data: Michigan DNR — Michigan Boating Access Sites. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Michigan waters are set by the Michigan DNR — and special regulations can apply to Mott Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Michigan fishing regulations →
Mott Lake is about 20 ft (6 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 crappie, bluegill, channel catfish, northern pike, rock bass, walleye, yellow perch on Mott Lake.
Old creek channel is the top-rated area: a creek channel in about 10 ft of water that rates prime for crappie in fall. Scroll up to the map for the complete spot list by species and season.
For crappie, 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 Mott 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.
Holloway Reservoir 10 mi · West Lake 10 mi · Skinner Lake 11 mi · Spear Lake 12 mi · Otter Lake 12 mi · Davis Lake 13 mi · North Lake 14 mi · Nepessing Lake 14 mi · Shinanguag Lake 15 mi · Murphy Lake 16 mi · Millers Lake 16 mi · Copneconic Lake 16 mi
See how Mott Lake stacks up: best walleye lakes in Michigan · best northern pike lakes in Michigan · best crappie lakes in Michigan · best bluegill lakes in Michigan
More water nearby: Genesee County fishing maps (8 charts). Browse all Michigan fishing maps or 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.