Sign inSign up free Sign inSign up free Sign inSign up freeLake depth chart
Today's read
Rating depth structure for yellow perch.
Recent public catches load as you reach this section.
76-acre lake near Marquette County. The lake tops out around 5 ft. The depth chart comes from Michigan Department of Natural Resources bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled. The rest of this page walks each species through its year, using the map's own scoring.
Drawn out, this is 88 acres of water rimmed by 1.5 miles of bank. A shoreline index of 1.1 says round and simple: fish relate to depth changes here, not shoreline features. Nothing on this chart breaks 15 ft, which makes the whole surface littoral: weeds, bait and ambush cover everywhere. Figure 0.5 mi of water from one end to the other, 0.4 mi at the beam. You'll find it in Marquette County. The nearest mapped water is Bass Lake, 1 mi to the east.
Spring yellow perch on Rice Lake hold shallow, usually 1 to 5 ft. Depth-wise the year is flat: 2 to 5 ft in summer, 2 to 5 ft once it turns cold. Put Shallow bay flat first on the milk run — a weed flat near 1 ft that grades prime for spring. The feeding windows run early morning. The summer box starts with a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 5 ft chart-limited; documented 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 2 to 5 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Deep basin (5 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 2 to 5 ft chart-limited; documented 12 to 35 ft | midday | Deep basin (5 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 2 to 5 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (5 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Spring puts smallmouth bass in skinny water — 1 to 5 ft is the zone. Summer fish stay in 2 to 5 ft, and winter fish hold in 2 to 5 ft. Break off the point is the standout, a drop-off at roughly 4 ft, rated prime for winter smallmouth bass. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. A drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig covers the summer program.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 5 ft chart-limited; documented 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (1 ft) | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 2 to 5 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (4 ft) | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 2 to 5 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (4 ft) | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 2 to 5 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 45 ft | midday | Break off the point (4 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
In spring, largemouth bass run shallow here, mostly 1 to 5 ft. Summer keeps them at 2 to 5 ft, and they winter in 2 to 5 ft. Spring largemouth bass concentrate at Shallow bay flat, a prime-rated weed flat around 1 ft. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait most summer days.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 5 ft chart-limited; documented 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 2 to 5 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (4 ft) | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 1 to 5 ft chart-limited; documented 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (1 ft) | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 2 to 5 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 35 ft | midday | Break off the point (4 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
When the water first warms, pumpkinseed slide up into 1 to 5 ft. There's no big seasonal slide here — summer means 1 to 5 ft, winter 2 to 5 ft. Start at Shallow bay flat. It's a weed flat holding about 1 ft of water and rates prime come spring. The feeding windows run the evening and early morning. Keep a micro tube or a sponge spider (fly) rigged through the warm months.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 5 ft chart-limited; documented 1 to 8 ft | midday & dusk | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | Micro jig under a float, Tiny beetle-spin |
| Summer | 1 to 5 ft chart-limited; documented 2 to 10 ft | dusk & dawn | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | Micro tube, Sponge spider (fly) |
| Fall | 1 to 5 ft chart-limited; documented 4 to 14 ft | dusk & dawn | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 2 to 5 ft chart-limited; documented 6 to 18 ft | dawn | Deep basin (5 ft) | Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon |
Count 6 structure marks on this chart. The deepest, Deep basin, sits near 5 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 Rice Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Michigan fishing regulations →
Rice Lake is about 5 ft (2 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart comes from Michigan Department of Natural Resources bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled.
Anglers target yellow perch, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, pumpkinseed on Rice 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.
Shallow bay flat is the top-rated area: a weed flat in about 1 ft of water that rates prime for yellow perch in spring. Every other rated spot, per species and season, is on the map above.
For yellow perch, the summer bite is best in early morning. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.
Fishing on Rice 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.
Bass Lake 1 mi · Bertraud Lake 1 mi · Johnson Lake 1 mi · Little Lake 3 mi · Stump Lake 4 mi · Farmer Lake 5 mi · Anderson Lake 5 mi · Shag Lake 5 mi · Sporley Lake 6 mi · Engman Lake 7 mi · Mud Lake 7 mi · Escanaba River 8 mi
See how Rice Lake stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in Michigan · best smallmouth bass lakes in Michigan · best yellow perch lakes in Michigan · best pumpkinseed lakes in Michigan
More water nearby: Marquette County fishing maps (49 charts). Browse all Michigan fishing maps. See every water on DepthScout. Depth data: Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Inland lake maps. 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.