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Rating depth structure for largemouth bass.
Shared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.
118-acre lake near Newaygo County. The lake tops out around 43 ft. The depth chart comes from published agency bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled. Here's the year, species by species, as the scoring engine sees it.
The drawn water covers 131 acres wrapped in 2.1 miles of bank. Its 1.3 shoreline index means few bank features; the contours below do the pattern work. 35% of the surface is littoral (under ~15 ft) — cover, weeds and forage water. Tip to tip the water measures near 0.8 mi with a 0.4-mi widest point. It sits in Newaygo County. Lilley Lake sits 1 mi northeast — the closest neighbouring chart.
Spring brook trout on Pickerel Lake hold shallow, usually 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. The chart's best answer is Break off the point — drop-off, 13 ft, prime for summer. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a small spoon fished deep or a trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (2 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 (2 ft) | Small spoon (orange), Spinner |
| Winter | 3 to 20 ft | dawn | Break off the point (13 ft) | Small jigging spoon, Tungsten jig + plastic |
Early season rainbow trout use the shallows, holding in 5 to 20 ft. Expect a summer slide to 8 to 30 ft, then a winter hold in 8 to 40 ft. Put Break off the point first on the milk run — a drop-off near 13 ft that grades prime for winter. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Tie on a dodger + spoon (deep troll) or a flutter spoon and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Secondary point (9 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 | Secondary point (9 ft) | Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals |
| Winter | 8 to 40 ft | dawn | Break off the point (13 ft) | Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white) |
Spring puts brown trout in skinny water — 3 to 25 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 13 to 43 ft; cold water stacks them in 5 to 35 ft. Break off the point is the standout, a drop-off at roughly 13 ft, rated prime for summer brown trout. Plan around after dark and early morning in the warm months. A spoon at the thermocline or a deep stickbait (night) covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Secondary point (9 ft) | Stickbait off planer boards (shallow), Small spoon along mud lines |
| Summer | 13 to 43 ft | night & dawn | Break off the point (13 ft) | Spoon at the thermocline, Deep stickbait (night) |
| Fall | 5 to 30 ft | dusk & dawn | Secondary point (9 ft) | Jerkbait over gravel, Casting spoon |
| Winter | 5 to 35 ft | dawn | Break off the point (13 ft) | Jigging spoon, Small stickbait (slow) |
When the water first warms, chinook salmon slide up into 5 to 40 ft. By summer they slide out to 13 to 43 ft, and by winter most fish are in 13 to 43 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Deep basin: a deep basin around 43 ft that scores prime in summer. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Keep a flasher + fly (green/white) or a magnum spoon on downrigger rigged through the warm months.
| 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 | 13 to 43 ft | dawn & dusk | Deep basin (43 ft) | Flasher + fly (green/white), Magnum spoon on downrigger |
| Fall | 9 to 43 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (13 ft) | J-plug (glow), Flasher + fly |
| Winter | 13 to 43 ft | midday | Deep basin (43 ft) | Small spoon on a slow troll, Stickbait deep |
When the water first warms, coho salmon slide up into 3 to 25 ft. Summer is a 13 to 43 ft game here, winter a 13 to 43 ft one. Start at Deep basin. It's a deep basin holding about 43 ft of water and rates prime come summer. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. Keep a dodger + fly or a medium spoon above the thermocline rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Secondary point (9 ft) | Small orange dodger + peanut fly, Thin spoon (orange/silver) |
| Summer | 13 to 43 ft | dawn & dusk | Deep basin (43 ft) | Dodger + fly, Medium spoon above the thermocline |
| Fall | 8 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Secondary point (9 ft) | Casting spoon, Spinner (chartreuse) |
| Winter | 13 to 43 ft | midday | Deep basin (43 ft) | Small spoon, slow troll |
Start shallow in spring: yellow perch sit in 3 to 12 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 10 to 30 ft; cold water stacks them in 15 to 35 ft. Top water on the chart: Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in the 4 ft range, prime in spring. Fish it in early morning and you'll meet the bite. Throw a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (4 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 | Back-bay flat (16 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Pickerel 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), bluegill (4 to 15 ft in summer), pumpkinseed (2 to 10 ft in summer), brown bullhead (3 to 12 ft in summer), burbot (13 to 43 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
The chart marks 14 structure features on Pickerel Lake; the deepest is Deep basin at about 43 ft.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Michigan waters are set by the Michigan DNR — and special regulations can apply to Pickerel Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Michigan fishing regulations →
Pickerel Lake is about 43 ft (13 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, bluegill, pumpkinseed, brown bullhead, burbot on Pickerel 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 43 ft of water that rates prime for chinook salmon in summer. The map above holds the full rated-spot list for every 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 Pickerel 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 1 mi · Pettibone Lake 2 mi · Amaung Lake 2 mi · Highbank Lake 3 mi · Bitely Lake 3 mi · Little Lake Number One 3 mi · Nichols Lake 5 mi · Woodland Lake 5 mi · North Lake 6 mi · Big Star Lake 7 mi · Gifford Lake 7 mi · Cecilia Lake 7 mi
See how Pickerel 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: 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.