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633-acre lake near Waterford. The lake tops out around 34 ft. The depth chart is built from real state fisheries GPS surveys, so the humps, channels and drop-offs you see are measured, not guessed. Here's the year, species by species, as the scoring engine sees it.
On the chart, Pontiac Lake draws 700 acres inside 10.3 miles of shoreline. An index of 2.8 puts the bank firmly in maze territory: point after pocket after cove, every one a casting target. The shallow band under 15 ft claims about 93% of the surface — that's where the groceries are. End to end it runs roughly 2.2 mi, about 0.8 mi across. The water lies in Oakland County. For a second option, Oxbow Lake lies 2 mi southwest.
In spring, largemouth bass run shallow here, mostly 2 to 10 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 8 to 20 ft, and winter fish settle into 10 to 34 ft. Old creek channel is the standout, a creek channel at roughly 5 ft, rated prime for fall largemouth bass. Time it for early morning and the evening. You won't need more than a texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow feeding flat (20 ft) | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Old creek channel (5 ft) | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 10 to 34 ft | midday | Deep basin (31 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
Spring puts crappie in skinny water — 2 to 8 ft is the zone. As the season builds they drop to 10 to 25 ft, wintering in 10 to 34 ft. Winter crappie concentrate at Deep basin, a prime-rated deep basin around 31 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. A jig trolled/spider-rigged or a small crankbait (trolled) covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Dock / pier line (4 ft) | 1/16 oz jig + tube, Curly-tail grub |
| Summer | 10 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow feeding flat (20 ft) | Jig trolled/spider-rigged, Small crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 8 to 20 ft | dawn | Old creek channel (5 ft) | Jig + minnow combo, Small swimbait (1.5-2") |
| Winter | 10 to 34 ft | midday | Deep basin (31 ft) | Tungsten jig + soft plastic, Tiny jigging spoon |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: bluegill in 1 to 6 ft. As the season builds they drop to 4 to 15 ft, wintering in 10 to 25 ft. Top water on the chart: Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in the 1 ft range, prime in spring. Time it for early morning and the evening. Summer baits: a small sponge spider (fly) or a micro tube jig gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 6 ft | midday & dusk | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | 1/32 oz jig + micro plastic, Tiny popper (evenings) |
| Summer | 4 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Dock / pier line (4 ft) | Small sponge spider (fly), Micro tube jig |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday | Shallow feeding flat (20 ft) | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 10 to 25 ft | midday | Shallow feeding flat (20 ft) | Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon |
Early season walleye use the shallows, holding in 4 to 15 ft. Summer is a 10 to 34 ft game here, winter a 10 to 34 ft one. The chart's best answer is Deep basin — deep basin, 31 ft, prime for winter. Best bite is the evening and early morning. Tie on a crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | Old creek channel (5 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 10 to 34 ft | dusk & dawn | Deep basin (31 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 10 to 34 ft | dusk & night | Deep basin (31 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 10 to 34 ft | dusk & dawn | Deep basin (31 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
Structure-wise the chart holds 11 features, led in depth by Deep basin at roughly 31 ft.
Access data: Michigan DNR — Michigan Boating Access Sites. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
| Date | Species | Count | Size |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 9 | Walleye | 15,163 | ~4.4" |
| Jul 8 | Walleye | 25,968 | ~4.4" |
| Nov 3, 2025 | Walleye | 35 | ~19.4" |
Source: Michigan DNR fish-stocking database, retrieved 2026-08-18.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Michigan waters are set by the Michigan DNR — and special regulations can apply to Pontiac Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Michigan fishing regulations →
Pontiac Lake is about 34 ft (10 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart here comes from real state fisheries GPS surveys, so the contours reflect measured depths.
Anglers target largemouth bass, crappie, bluegill, walleye on Pontiac Lake.
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 31 ft of water that rates prime for crappie in winter. The map above holds the full rated-spot list for every species and season.
For largemouth bass, 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.
Yes — per Michigan DNR fish-stocking database records, Pontiac Lake was most recently stocked Jul 9 with 15,163 walleye. The full stocking history is listed above.
Fishing on Pontiac 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.
Oxbow Lake 2 mi · Williams Lake 2 mi · no name Lake 2 mi · Pleasant Lake 2 mi · Cedar Island Lake 3 mi · Maceday Lake 3 mi · Greens Lake 4 mi · Sugden Lake 4 mi · Long Lake 4 mi · Carroll Lake 4 mi · Bogie Lake 4 mi · Townsend Lake 4 mi
See how Pontiac Lake stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in Michigan · best walleye lakes in Michigan · best crappie lakes in Michigan · best bluegill lakes in Michigan
More water nearby: Oakland County fishing maps (78 charts). Browse all Michigan fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: state fisheries survey programs. 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.