Sign inSign up free Sign inSign up free Sign inSign up freeLake depth chart
Today's read
Rating depth structure for largemouth bass.
Shared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.
44-acre lake near Newaygo County. The lake tops out around 40 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.
The drawn water covers 47 acres wrapped in 1.3 miles of bank. Its 1.4 shoreline index means few bank features; the contours below do the pattern work. The shallow band under 15 ft claims about 63% of the surface — that's where the groceries are. The basin spans about 0.4 mi end to end and 0.3 mi across at its widest. It sits in Newaygo County. If the bite dies, Lilley Lake is 2 mi to the northwest.
Come spring, look for brook trout tight to the bank in 2 to 15 ft. Expect a summer slide to 10 to 30 ft, then a winter hold in 3 to 20 ft. Start at Break off the point. It's a drop-off holding about 13 ft of water and rates prime come summer. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. A small spoon fished deep or a trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (5 ft) | Small inline spinner (gold), Tiny spoon |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (13 ft) | Small spoon fished deep, Trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm |
| Fall | 2 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (5 ft) | Small spoon (orange), Spinner |
| Winter | 3 to 20 ft | dawn | Break off the point (13 ft) | Small jigging spoon, Tungsten jig + plastic |
When the water first warms, rainbow trout slide up into 5 to 20 ft. By summer they slide out to 8 to 30 ft, and by winter most fish are in 8 to 40 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Break off the point: a drop-off around 13 ft that scores prime in winter. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Keep a dodger + spoon (deep troll) or a flutter spoon rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (5 ft) | Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon |
| Summer | 8 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (13 ft) | Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon |
| Fall | 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (13 ft) | Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals |
| Winter | 8 to 40 ft | dawn | Break off the point (13 ft) | Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white) |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: brown trout in 3 to 25 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 12 to 40 ft before dropping to 5 to 35 ft for winter. The spot to know is Break off the point, a drop-off in about 13 ft of water that rates prime for brown trout in summer. Plan around after dark and early morning in the warm months. Summer baits: a spoon at the thermocline or a deep stickbait (night) gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (5 ft) | Stickbait off planer boards (shallow), Small spoon along mud lines |
| Summer | 12 to 40 ft | night & dawn | Break off the point (13 ft) | Spoon at the thermocline, Deep stickbait (night) |
| Fall | 5 to 30 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (5 ft) | Jerkbait over gravel, Casting spoon |
| Winter | 5 to 35 ft | dawn | Break off the point (13 ft) | Jigging spoon, Small stickbait (slow) |
Early season chinook salmon use the shallows, holding in 5 to 40 ft. Even in summer they hold at 12 to 40 ft; winter keeps them in 12 to 40 ft. Put Deep basin first on the milk run — a deep basin near 38 ft that grades prime for summer. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Tie on a flasher + fly (green/white) or a magnum spoon on downrigger and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (13 ft) | Trolled spoon (orange/gold), Stickbait off planer boards |
| Summer | 12 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Deep basin (38 ft) | Flasher + fly (green/white), Magnum spoon on downrigger |
| Fall | 8 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (13 ft) | J-plug (glow), Flasher + fly |
| Winter | 12 to 40 ft | midday | Deep basin (38 ft) | Small spoon on a slow troll, Stickbait deep |
Spring coho salmon on Pettibone Lake hold shallow, usually 3 to 25 ft. They move out to 12 to 40 ft in summer and finish the year down in 12 to 40 ft. Put Deep basin first on the milk run — a deep basin near 38 ft that grades prime for summer. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a dodger + fly or a medium spoon above the thermocline.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (5 ft) | Small orange dodger + peanut fly, Thin spoon (orange/silver) |
| Summer | 12 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Deep basin (38 ft) | Dodger + fly, Medium spoon above the thermocline |
| Fall | 8 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (13 ft) | Casting spoon, Spinner (chartreuse) |
| Winter | 12 to 40 ft | midday | Deep basin (38 ft) | Small spoon, slow troll |
In spring, yellow perch run shallow here, mostly 3 to 12 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 10 to 30 ft before dropping to 15 to 35 ft for winter. Spring yellow perch concentrate at Shallow bay flat, a prime-rated weed flat around 8 ft. Fish it in early morning and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (8 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Break off the point (13 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 12 to 35 ft | midday | Break off the point (13 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (38 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Pettibone 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 (12 to 40 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
Pettibone Lake carries 5 mapped structure features, topping out (or rather bottoming out) at Deep basin, about 38 ft down.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Michigan waters are set by the Michigan DNR — and special regulations can apply to Pettibone Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Michigan fishing regulations →
Pettibone Lake is about 40 ft (12 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 Pettibone 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 38 ft of water that rates prime for chinook salmon in summer. Scroll up to the map for the complete spot list by 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 Pettibone 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.
Lilley Lake 2 mi · Pickerel Lake 2 mi · Bitely Lake 3 mi · Amaung Lake 4 mi · Highbank Lake 4 mi · Little Lake Number One 4 mi · Woodland Lake 5 mi · Nichols Lake 6 mi · North Lake 6 mi · Webinguaw Lake 7 mi · Benton Lake 8 mi · Idlewild Lake 8 mi
See how Pettibone 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: Newaygo County fishing maps (28 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.