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Rating depth structure for largemouth bass.
Shared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.
61-acre lake near Lake County. The lake tops out around 30 ft. The depth chart comes from published agency bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled. Here is how the season plays out for each species, straight from the data behind the map.
Nugent Lake maps at 54 acres behind 1.5 miles of shoreline. A shoreline index of 1.4 says round and simple: fish relate to depth changes here, not shoreline features. Roughly 38% of the water is 15 ft or less, the band where the food chain lives. End to end it runs roughly 0.5 mi, about 0.3 mi across. It sits in Lake County. Its nearest charted neighbour, Little Star Lake, is 5 mi to the east.
When the water first warms, brook trout slide up into 2 to 15 ft. By summer they slide out to 10 to 30 ft, and by winter most fish are in 3 to 20 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Deep basin: a deep basin around 30 ft that scores prime in summer. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Keep a small spoon fished deep or a trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (15 ft) | Small inline spinner (gold), Tiny spoon |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Deep basin (30 ft) | Small spoon fished deep, Trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm |
| Fall | 2 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (15 ft) | Small spoon (orange), Spinner |
| Winter | 3 to 20 ft | dawn | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | Small jigging spoon, Tungsten jig + plastic |
Come spring, look for rainbow trout tight to the bank in 5 to 20 ft. Expect a summer slide to 8 to 30 ft, then a winter hold in 6 to 30 ft. Start at Main-lake point. It's a point holding about 15 ft of water and rates prime come spring. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. A dodger + spoon (deep troll) or a flutter spoon is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (15 ft) | Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon |
| Summer | 8 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (15 ft) | Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon |
| Fall | 9 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (15 ft) | Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals |
| Winter | 6 to 30 ft | dawn | Deep basin (30 ft) | Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white) |
Start shallow in spring: brown trout sit in 3 to 25 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 9 to 30 ft; cold water stacks them in 4 to 30 ft. Top water on the chart: Deep basin, a deep basin in the 30 ft range, prime in summer. Fish it in after dark and early morning and you'll meet the bite. Throw a spoon at the thermocline or a deep stickbait (night) until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (15 ft) | Stickbait off planer boards (shallow), Small spoon along mud lines |
| Summer | 9 to 30 ft | night & dawn | Deep basin (30 ft) | Spoon at the thermocline, Deep stickbait (night) |
| Fall | 5 to 30 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (15 ft) | Jerkbait over gravel, Casting spoon |
| Winter | 4 to 30 ft | dawn | Deep basin (30 ft) | Jigging spoon, Small stickbait (slow) |
Spring chinook salmon on Nugent Lake hold shallow, usually 4 to 30 ft. Depth-wise the year is flat: 9 to 30 ft in summer, 9 to 30 ft once it turns cold. The chart's best answer is Deep basin — deep basin, 30 ft, prime for summer. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a flasher + fly (green/white) or a magnum spoon on downrigger.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Deep basin (30 ft) | Trolled spoon (orange/gold), Stickbait off planer boards |
| Summer | 9 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Deep basin (30 ft) | Flasher + fly (green/white), Magnum spoon on downrigger |
| Fall | 6 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (15 ft) | J-plug (glow), Flasher + fly |
| Winter | 9 to 30 ft | midday | Deep basin (30 ft) | Small spoon on a slow troll, Stickbait deep |
Early season coho salmon use the shallows, holding in 3 to 25 ft. Summer is a 9 to 30 ft game here, winter a 9 to 30 ft one. The chart's best answer is Deep basin — deep basin, 30 ft, prime for summer. Best bite is early morning and the evening. Tie on a dodger + fly or a medium spoon above the thermocline and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (15 ft) | Small orange dodger + peanut fly, Thin spoon (orange/silver) |
| Summer | 9 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Deep basin (30 ft) | Dodger + fly, Medium spoon above the thermocline |
| Fall | 6 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (15 ft) | Casting spoon, Spinner (chartreuse) |
| Winter | 9 to 30 ft | midday | Deep basin (30 ft) | Small spoon, slow troll |
Spring puts yellow perch in skinny water — 3 to 12 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 10 to 30 ft; cold water stacks them in 9 to 30 ft. Deep basin is the standout, a deep basin at roughly 30 ft, rated prime for fall yellow perch. Plan around early morning in the warm months. A drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Deep basin (30 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 9 to 30 ft | midday | Deep basin (30 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 9 to 30 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (30 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Nugent Lake also holds northern pike (8 to 20 ft in summer), smallmouth bass (10 to 30 ft in summer), largemouth bass (8 to 20 ft in summer), rock bass (5 to 20 ft in summer), crappie (10 to 25 ft in summer), bluegill (4 to 15 ft in summer), pumpkinseed (2 to 10 ft in summer), brown bullhead (3 to 12 ft in summer), burbot (9 to 30 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
4 pieces of structure are mapped here — Deep basin, around 30 ft, is the deepest of them.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Michigan waters are set by the Michigan DNR — and special regulations can apply to Nugent Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Michigan fishing regulations →
Nugent Lake is about 30 ft (9 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.
Anglers target brook trout, rainbow trout, brown trout, chinook salmon, coho salmon, yellow perch, northern pike, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, rock bass, crappie, bluegill, pumpkinseed, brown bullhead, burbot on Nugent 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.
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 30 ft of water that rates prime for chinook salmon in summer. The interactive chart above rates every spot for each species and season.
For brook trout, 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 Nugent 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.
Little Star Lake 5 mi · Gifford Lake 5 mi · Reed Lake 5 mi · Cecilia Lake 5 mi · Whalen Lake 6 mi · Rainbow Lake 6 mi · Pere Marquette River 6 mi · Orchard Lake 6 mi · North Lake 6 mi · Foreman Lakes 7 mi · Big Star Lake 7 mi · Idlewild Lake 8 mi
See how Nugent 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
More water nearby: Lake County fishing maps (22 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.