North Lake Depth Map & Fishing Spots (Tuscola County, MI)

Lake depth chart

North Lake, MI

Max 46 ft

Today's read

Where to start

Fall shiner run window is on — see the hatch outlook

Target species

Species estimated from nearby surveyed lakes. No fish-species survey is on record for this water, so these species aren't a confirmed catch list. They're an informed estimate: the species listed for the nearest surveyed lakes in the same region, kept only where they fit this lake's depth and habitat. Treat them as what's likely present. (The depth chart itself is real surveyed bathymetry.) How we estimate species →

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

Spring crawfish emergence · forageApr 1 – Jun 15 · in ~7 months

Bluegill spawn (bream-bed bass) · forageMay 15 – Aug 10 · in ~9 months

Hex (giant mayfly) · mayflyJun 15 – Aug 15 · in ~10 months

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 North 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 North Lake on the board.

Fishing North Lake: what the data says

61-acre lake in Tuscola County, Michigan. The lake tops out around 46 ft. The depth chart comes from published agency bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled. What the data behind the map says about each species, season by season:

Traced from the shoreline, North Lake runs 57 acres with 1.6 miles of edge. The shoreline is moderately structured (index 1.5) — enough points and pockets to pattern. 71% of the surface is littoral (under ~15 ft) — cover, weeds and forage water. Call it 0.6 mi long by 0.2 mi wide at the broadest reach. The water lies in Tuscola County. The nearest mapped water is Otter Lake, 2 mi to the southwest.

Yellow Perch fishing at North Lake

Come spring, look for yellow perch tight to the bank in 3 to 12 ft. Expect a summer slide to 10 to 30 ft, then a winter hold in 15 to 35 ft. Start at Shallow bay flat. It's a weed flat holding about 5 ft of water and rates prime come spring. Prime time lands in early morning. A drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm is the honest summer answer here.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	3 to 12 ft	midday & dawn	Shallow bay flat (5 ft)	Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank
Summer	10 to 30 ft	dawn	Break off the point (5 ft)	Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm
Fall	12 to 35 ft	midday	Deep basin (42 ft)	Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader
Winter	15 to 35 ft	midday & dawn	Deep basin (42 ft)	Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small)

Northern Pike fishing at North Lake

Start shallow in spring: northern pike sit in 2 to 8 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 8 to 20 ft, and winter fish settle into 5 to 15 ft. The spot to know is Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in about 5 ft of water that rates prime for northern pike in spring. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. Throw a bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage until the fish tell you otherwise.

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

Smallmouth Bass fishing at North Lake

Start shallow in spring: smallmouth bass sit in 3 to 12 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 10 to 30 ft, and winter fish settle into 20 to 45 ft. The spot to know is Main-lake point, a point in about 5 ft of water that rates prime for smallmouth bass in fall. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. Throw a drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig until the fish tell you otherwise.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	3 to 12 ft	dawn & dusk	Main-lake point (5 ft)	Ned rig, Tube jig
Summer	10 to 30 ft	dawn & dusk	Break off the point (5 ft)	Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig
Fall	8 to 25 ft	midday & dawn	Main-lake point (5 ft)	Jerkbait, Blade bait
Winter	20 to 45 ft	midday	Deep basin (42 ft)	Blade bait, Hair jig

Largemouth Bass fishing at North Lake

The spring pattern is a shallow one: largemouth bass in 2 to 10 ft. As the season builds they drop to 8 to 20 ft, wintering in 15 to 35 ft. Top water on the chart: Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in the 5 ft range, prime in spring. Time it for early morning and the evening. Summer baits: a texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait gets it done.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	2 to 10 ft	dawn & dusk	Shallow bay flat (5 ft)	Spinnerbait, Chatterbait
Summer	8 to 20 ft	dawn & dusk	Shallow bay flat (5 ft)	Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait
Fall	4 to 15 ft	midday & dawn	Main-lake point (5 ft)	Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait
Winter	15 to 35 ft	midday	Break off the point (5 ft)	Blade bait, Jigging spoon

Rock Bass fishing at North Lake

Early season rock bass use the shallows, holding in 2 to 10 ft. Expect a summer slide to 5 to 20 ft, then a winter hold in 12 to 30 ft. Put Main-lake point first on the milk run — a point near 5 ft that grades prime for summer. In summer the feeding windows fall in the evening. Tie on a ned rig (small) or a marabou jig and you're in the game.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	2 to 10 ft	midday & dawn	Main-lake point (5 ft)	1/16 oz jig + grub, Small inline spinner
Summer	5 to 20 ft	dusk	Main-lake point (5 ft)	Ned rig (small), Marabou jig
Fall	8 to 22 ft	midday	Break off the point (5 ft)	Small tube jig, Inline spinner
Winter	12 to 30 ft	midday	Break off the point (5 ft)	Tungsten jig + plastic, Small spoon + spike

Crappie fishing at North Lake

Start shallow in spring: crappie sit in 2 to 8 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 10 to 25 ft, and winter fish settle into 15 to 35 ft. The spot to know is Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in about 5 ft of water that rates prime for crappie in spring. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. Throw a jig trolled/spider-rigged or a small crankbait (trolled) until the fish tell you otherwise.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	2 to 8 ft	midday & dawn	Shallow bay flat (5 ft)	1/16 oz jig + tube, Curly-tail grub
Summer	10 to 25 ft	dawn & dusk	Shallow bay flat (5 ft)	Jig trolled/spider-rigged, Small crankbait (trolled)
Fall	8 to 20 ft	dawn	Shallow bay flat (5 ft)	Jig + minnow combo, Small swimbait (1.5-2")
Winter	15 to 35 ft	midday	Deep basin (42 ft)	Tungsten jig + soft plastic, Tiny jigging spoon

North Lake also holds bluegill (4 to 15 ft in summer), pumpkinseed (2 to 10 ft in summer), common carp (3 to 15 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.

Notable structure

Count 6 structure marks on this chart. The deepest, Deep basin, sits near 42 ft.

Deep basin: deep basin, around 42 ft
Main-lake point: point, around 5 ft
Secondary point: point, around 5 ft
Shallow bay flat: weed flat, around 5 ft
Break off the point: drop-off, around 5 ft
Back-bay flat: weed flat, around 3 ft

North 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 North Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.

Check the official Michigan fishing regulations →

Common questions

How deep is North Lake?

North Lake is about 46 ft (14 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 North Lake?

Anglers target yellow perch, northern pike, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, rock bass, crappie, bluegill, pumpkinseed, common carp on North 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 North Lake?

Shallow bay flat is the top-rated area: a weed flat in about 5 ft of water that rates prime for yellow perch in spring. Every other rated spot, per species and season, is on the map above.

When is the best time to fish North Lake?

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.

What are the fishing regulations for North Lake?

Fishing on North 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

Otter Lake 2 mi · Murphy Lake 4 mi · Holloway Reservoir 6 mi · Millers Lake 7 mi · West Lake 9 mi · Skinner Lake 10 mi · Cat Lake 11 mi · Davis Lake 12 mi · Spear Lake 12 mi · Mott Lake 14 mi · Long Lake 14 mi · Nepessing Lake 15 mi

See how North Lake stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in Michigan · best smallmouth bass lakes in Michigan · best northern pike lakes in Michigan · best crappie lakes in Michigan

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.

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