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Rating depth structure for largemouth bass.
Shared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.
142-acre lake near Alger 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. Every species below gets its seasonal read from the same numbers driving the chart.
Traced from the shoreline, Perch Lake runs 156 acres with 2.7 miles of edge. Index 1.5 on the shoreline: a few honest points and pockets, nothing labyrinthine. About 58% of the surface sits shallower than 15 ft — that's the weed-and-bait zone. End to end it runs roughly 1 mi, about 0.4 mi across. The water lies in Alger County. For a second option, Otter Lake lies 6 mi south.
Start shallow in spring: brook trout sit in 2 to 15 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 10 to 30 ft; cold water stacks them in 3 to 20 ft. Top water on the chart: Deep basin, a deep basin in the 30 ft range, prime in summer. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. Throw a small spoon fished deep or a trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Secondary point (4 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 | Secondary point (4 ft) | Small spoon (orange), Spinner |
| Winter | 3 to 20 ft | dawn | Break off the point (16 ft) | Small jigging spoon, Tungsten jig + plastic |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: rainbow trout in 5 to 20 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 8 to 30 ft before dropping to 6 to 30 ft for winter. The spot to know is Break off the point, a drop-off in about 16 ft of water that rates prime for rainbow trout in winter. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. Summer baits: a dodger + spoon (deep troll) or a flutter spoon gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Secondary point (4 ft) | Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon |
| Summer | 8 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (16 ft) | Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon |
| Fall | 9 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (16 ft) | Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals |
| Winter | 6 to 30 ft | dawn | Break off the point (16 ft) | Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white) |
Early season brown trout use the shallows, holding in 3 to 25 ft. Summer is a 9 to 30 ft game here, winter a 4 to 30 ft one. The chart's best answer is Break off the point — drop-off, 16 ft, prime for summer. Best bite is after dark and early morning. Tie on a spoon at the thermocline or a deep stickbait (night) and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Secondary point (4 ft) | Stickbait off planer boards (shallow), Small spoon along mud lines |
| Summer | 9 to 30 ft | night & dawn | Break off the point (16 ft) | Spoon at the thermocline, Deep stickbait (night) |
| Fall | 5 to 30 ft | dusk & dawn | Secondary point (4 ft) | Jerkbait over gravel, Casting spoon |
| Winter | 4 to 30 ft | dawn | Break off the point (16 ft) | Jigging spoon, Small stickbait (slow) |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: chinook salmon in 4 to 30 ft. The depth story barely changes: 9 to 30 ft through summer, 9 to 30 ft in winter. Top water on the chart: Deep basin, a deep basin in the 30 ft range, prime in summer. Time it for early morning and the evening. Summer baits: a flasher + fly (green/white) or a magnum spoon on downrigger gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (16 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 | Break off the point (16 ft) | J-plug (glow), Flasher + fly |
| Winter | 9 to 30 ft | midday | Deep basin (30 ft) | Small spoon on a slow troll, Stickbait deep |
In spring, coho salmon run shallow here, mostly 3 to 25 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 9 to 30 ft, and winter fish settle into 9 to 30 ft. Deep basin is the standout, a deep basin at roughly 30 ft, rated prime for summer coho salmon. Time it for early morning and the evening. You won't need more than a dodger + fly or a medium spoon above the thermocline most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Secondary point (4 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 | Break off the point (16 ft) | Casting spoon, Spinner (chartreuse) |
| Winter | 9 to 30 ft | midday | Deep basin (30 ft) | Small spoon, slow troll |
When the water first warms, cisco (lake herring) slide up into 8 to 30 ft. There's no big seasonal slide here — summer means 9 to 30 ft, winter 9 to 30 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Deep basin: a deep basin around 30 ft that scores prime in spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning. Keep a vertical flutter spoon (small) or a drop-shot micro plastic rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 8 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Deep basin (30 ft) | Small silver spoon, Tiny swim jig (white) |
| Summer | 9 to 30 ft | dawn | Deep basin (30 ft) | Vertical flutter spoon (small), Drop-shot micro plastic |
| Fall | 5 to 25 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (16 ft) | Small casting spoon, Inline spinner (silver) |
| Winter | 9 to 30 ft | dawn | Deep basin (30 ft) | Small jigging spoon (glow/silver), Tungsten jig + minnow head |
Perch Lake also holds yellow perch (10 to 30 ft in summer), 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), 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.
6 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 Perch Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Michigan fishing regulations →
Perch 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, cisco (lake herring), yellow perch, northern pike, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, rock bass, bluegill, pumpkinseed, brown bullhead, burbot on Perch 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 Perch 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.
Otter Lake 6 mi · Au Train Lake 6 mi · Sixteenmile Lake 7 mi · Powell Lake 7 mi · Lost Lake 7 mi · Joe Lake 8 mi · Mirror Lake 8 mi · Echo Lake 8 mi · Ready Lake 9 mi · Wheelbarrow Lake 9 mi · Bunting Lake 9 mi · Little Round Lake 10 mi
See how Perch Lake stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in Michigan · best smallmouth bass lakes in Michigan · best northern pike lakes in Michigan · best bluegill lakes in Michigan
More water nearby: Alger County fishing maps (46 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.