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Rating depth structure for smallmouth bass.
Recent public catches load as you reach this section.
Fond du Lac dam to Duluth harbor (estuary walleye) The river tops out around 37 ft. The depth chart is built from real NOAA hydrographic survey soundings, so the humps, channels and drop-offs you see are measured, not guessed. What follows comes from the same scoring engine that paints the spots above.
On the chart, Saint Louis River draws 2,265 acres inside 32.7 miles of shoreline — 3 islands included. That shoreline is heavily fingered (development index 4.9) — bays, points and pockets everywhere, which multiplies the fishable edge. Littoral water — the productive band under ~15 ft — makes up 95% of this chart. Figure 10.7 mi of water from one end to the other, 2.9 mi at the beam. The water lies in Douglas County. For a second option, St. Louis River Estuary lies 6 mi northeast.
When the water first warms, walleye slide up into 4 to 15 ft. Summer is a 15 to 35 ft game here, winter an 11 to 37 ft one. Start at Channel bar / point (mile 7.4). It's a point holding about 16 ft of water and rates prime come fall. The feeding windows run the evening and early morning. Keep a crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) 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 | 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6) (6 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 15 to 35 ft | dusk & dawn | Channel bar / point (mile 7.4) (16 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 11 to 37 ft chart-limited; documented 12 to 40 ft | dusk & night | Channel bar / point (mile 7.4) (16 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 11 to 37 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 40 ft | dusk & dawn | Outside-bend hole (mile 5.6) (13 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
Spring puts muskellunge in skinny water — 3 to 12 ft is the zone. As the season builds they drop to 8 to 25 ft, wintering in 15 to 35 ft. Summer muskellunge concentrate at Channel bar / point (mile 7.4), a prime-rated point around 16 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around the evening and early morning. A double-10 bucktail or a topwater (walk-the-dog / creeper) covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dusk | Current seam (mile 3.1) (10 ft) | Smaller bucktail (#8 blades), 6" glide bait |
| Summer | 8 to 25 ft | dusk & dawn | Channel bar / point (mile 7.4) (16 ft) | Double-10 bucktail, Topwater (walk-the-dog / creeper) |
| Fall | 8 to 30 ft | midday & dusk | Channel bar / point (mile 7.4) (16 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), 10"+ glide bait |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday | Outside-bend hole (mile 5.6) (13 ft) | Large rubber, crawled slow |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: smallmouth bass in 3 to 12 ft. As the season builds they drop to 10 to 30 ft, wintering in 11 to 37 ft. Top water on the chart: Channel bar / point (mile 7.4), a point in the 16 ft range, prime in fall. Time it for early morning and the evening. Summer baits: a drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig gets it done.
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 | 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Current seam (mile 3.1) (10 ft) | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Current seam (mile 3.1) (10 ft) | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 8 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Channel bar / point (mile 7.4) (16 ft) | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 11 to 37 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 45 ft | midday | Current seam (mile 3.1) (10 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: northern pike in 2 to 8 ft. As the season builds they drop to 8 to 20 ft, wintering in 5 to 15 ft. Top water on the chart: Channel bar / point (mile 7.4), a point in the 16 ft range, prime in fall. Time it for early morning and the evening. Summer baits: a bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | open water | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Channel bar / point (mile 7.4) (16 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Channel bar / point (mile 7.4) (16 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Channel bar / point (mile 7.4) (16 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
Start shallow in spring: channel catfish sit in 3 to 12 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 8 to 25 ft, and winter fish settle into 11 to 37 ft. The spot to know is Outside-bend hole (mile 5.6), a creek channel in about 13 ft of water that rates prime for channel catfish in summer. Warm-month bites cluster around after dark and the evening.
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 | 3 to 12 ft | dusk | Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6) (6 ft) | |
| Summer | 8 to 25 ft | night & dusk | Outside-bend hole (mile 5.6) (13 ft) | |
| Fall | 10 to 30 ft | dusk | Outside-bend hole (mile 5.6) (13 ft) | |
| Winter | 11 to 37 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 40 ft | midday | Outside-bend hole (mile 5.6) (13 ft) |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: crappie in 2 to 8 ft. As the season builds they drop to 10 to 25 ft, wintering in 15 to 35 ft. Top water on the chart: Outside-bend hole (mile 5.6), a creek channel in the 13 ft range, prime in fall. Time it for early morning and the evening. Summer baits: a jig trolled/spider-rigged or a small crankbait (trolled) gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6) (6 ft) | 1/16 oz jig + tube, Curly-tail grub |
| Summer | 10 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Outside-bend hole (mile 5.6) (13 ft) | Jig trolled/spider-rigged, Small crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 8 to 20 ft | dawn | Outside-bend hole (mile 5.6) (13 ft) | Jig + minnow combo, Small swimbait (1.5-2") |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday | Outside-bend hole (mile 5.6) (13 ft) | Tungsten jig + soft plastic, Tiny jigging spoon |
Saint Louis River also holds common carp (3 to 15 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
The chart marks 10 structure features on Saint Louis River; the deepest is Channel bar / point (mile 7.4) at about 16 ft.
Access data: MN DNR Water Access Sites (struc_water_access_sites), Minnesota Geospatial Commons. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Minnesota waters are set by the Minnesota DNR — and special regulations can apply to Saint Louis River specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Minnesota fishing regulations →
Saint Louis River is about 37 ft (11 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart here comes from real NOAA hydrographic surveys, so the contours reflect measured depths.
Anglers target walleye, muskellunge, smallmouth bass, northern pike, channel catfish, crappie, common carp on Saint Louis River.
Channel bar / point (mile 7.4) is the top-rated area: a point in about 16 ft of water that rates prime for smallmouth bass in fall. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.
For walleye, the summer bite is best in the evening and 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 Saint Louis River is regulated by the Minnesota DNR. Check the official Minnesota regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
St. Louis River Estuary 6 mi, MN · Fond du Lac Reservoir 6 mi, MN · Forbay 8 mi, MN · Thomson Reservoir 10 mi, MN · Scanlon Reservoir 11 mi, MN · Knife Falls Reservoir 12 mi, MN · Pike 13 mi, MN · Venoah 13 mi, MN · Wild Rice 13 mi, MN · Mud 14 mi, MN · Cloquet Res. 14 mi, MN · Chub 14 mi, MN
See how Saint Louis River stacks up: best smallmouth bass lakes in Minnesota · best walleye lakes in Minnesota · best northern pike lakes in Minnesota · best crappie lakes in Minnesota
More water nearby: Douglas County fishing maps (103 charts). Browse all Minnesota fishing maps. See every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: NOAA hydrographic surveys. 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.