Lake depth chart
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Recent public catches load as you reach this section.
348-acre lake near Lyon County. The lake tops out around 10 ft. The depth chart comes from Minnesota Department of Natural Resources bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled. What the data behind the map says about each species, season by season:
The drawn water covers 348 acres wrapped in 5 miles of bank. With a 1.9 development index there's bank structure worth casting at, in moderation. Every acre of it sits shallower than ~15 ft: one big littoral zone, cover and forage throughout. Figure 1.4 mi of water from one end to the other, 1 mi at the beam. Lyon County claims this one. Its nearest charted neighbour, Lady Slipper, is 2 mi to the northwest.
Spring puts walleye in skinny water — 3 to 10 ft is the zone. Summer fish stay in 3 to 10 ft, and winter fish hold in 3 to 10 ft. Fall walleye concentrate at Break off the point, a prime-rated drop-off around 8 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around the evening and early morning. A crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) 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 | 3 to 10 ft chart-limited; documented 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (3 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 3 to 10 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 35 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (8 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 3 to 10 ft chart-limited; documented 12 to 40 ft | dusk & night | Break off the point (8 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 3 to 10 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 40 ft | dusk & dawn | Deep basin (10 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
Start shallow in spring: yellow perch sit in 3 to 10 ft that time of year. They don't go far with the seasons — 3 to 10 ft covers summer, 3 to 10 ft covers winter. The spot to know is Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in about 3 ft of water that rates prime for yellow perch in spring. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning. Throw a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm until the fish tell you otherwise.
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 10 ft chart-limited; documented 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 3 to 10 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Deep basin (10 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 3 to 10 ft chart-limited; documented 12 to 35 ft | midday | Deep basin (10 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 3 to 10 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (10 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Come spring, look for crappie tight to the bank in 2 to 8 ft. Expect a summer slide to 3 to 10 ft, then a winter hold in 3 to 10 ft. Start at Deep basin. It's a deep basin holding about 10 ft of water and rates prime come winter. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. A jig trolled/spider-rigged or a small crankbait (trolled) is the honest summer answer here.
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 | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | 1/16 oz jig + tube, Curly-tail grub |
| Summer | 3 to 10 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Jig trolled/spider-rigged, Small crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 3 to 10 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 20 ft | dawn | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Jig + minnow combo, Small swimbait (1.5-2") |
| Winter | 3 to 10 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 35 ft | midday | Deep basin (10 ft) | Tungsten jig + soft plastic, Tiny jigging spoon |
Early season common carp use the shallows, holding in 2 to 10 ft. Even in summer they hold at 2 to 10 ft; winter keeps them in 3 to 10 ft. The chart's best answer is Shallow bay flat — weed flat, 3 ft, prime for spring. Best bite is early morning 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 | 2 to 10 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | |
| Summer | 2 to 10 ft chart-limited; documented 3 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | |
| Fall | 3 to 10 ft chart-limited; documented 5 to 18 ft | midday | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | |
| Winter | 3 to 10 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 30 ft | midday | Deep basin (10 ft) |
When the water first warms, bluegill slide up into 1 to 6 ft. Summer is a 3 to 10 ft game here, winter a 3 to 10 ft one. Start at Shallow bay flat. It's a weed flat holding about 3 ft of water and rates prime come spring. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. Keep a small sponge spider (fly) or a micro tube jig 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 6 ft | midday & dusk | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | 1/32 oz jig + micro plastic, Tiny popper (evenings) |
| Summer | 3 to 10 ft chart-limited; documented 4 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Small sponge spider (fly), Micro tube jig |
| Fall | 3 to 10 ft chart-limited; documented 6 to 18 ft | midday | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 3 to 10 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 25 ft | midday | Deep basin (10 ft) | Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon |
When the water first warms, channel catfish slide up into 3 to 10 ft. There's no big seasonal slide here — summer means 3 to 10 ft, winter 3 to 10 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Deep basin: a deep basin around 10 ft that scores prime in winter. In summer the feeding windows fall in 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 10 ft chart-limited; documented 3 to 12 ft | dusk | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | |
| Summer | 3 to 10 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 25 ft | night & dusk | Deep basin (10 ft) | |
| Fall | 3 to 10 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 30 ft | dusk | Deep basin (10 ft) | |
| Winter | 3 to 10 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 40 ft | midday | Deep basin (10 ft) |
School Grove also holds muskellunge (3 to 10 ft in summer), northern pike (3 to 10 ft in summer), pumpkinseed (2 to 10 ft in summer), black bullhead (2 to 10 ft in summer), green sunfish (2 to 10 ft in summer), yellow bullhead (2 to 10 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
The chart marks 6 structure features on School Grove; the deepest is Deep basin at about 10 ft.
Access data: MN DNR Water Access Sites (struc_water_access_sites), Minnesota Geospatial Commons. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
| Date | Species | Count | Size |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025* | Walleye (fry) | 124,769 | — |
| 2024* | Walleye (fry) | 101,934 | — |
* Approximate date (agency reports month or season only). Source: Minnesota DNR LakeFinder stocking reports, retrieved 2026-09-23.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Minnesota waters are set by the Minnesota DNR — and special regulations can apply to School Grove specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Minnesota fishing regulations →
School Grove is about 10 ft (3 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart comes from Minnesota Department of Natural Resources bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled.
Anglers target walleye, yellow perch, crappie, common carp, bluegill, channel catfish, muskellunge, northern pike, pumpkinseed, black bullhead, green sunfish, yellow bullhead on School Grove.
Break off the point is the top-rated area: a drop-off in about 8 ft of water that rates prime for walleye in fall. The map above holds the full rated-spot list for every 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.
Yes — per Minnesota DNR LakeFinder stocking reports records, School Grove was most recently stocked 2025 with 124,769 walleye (fry). The full stocking history is listed above.
Fishing on School Grove 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.
Lady Slipper 2 mi · Cottonwood 6 mi · Tyson 6 mi · Curtis 7 mi · Wood 10 mi · Brawner 21 mi · Island 23 mi · Clear 23 mi · Redwood 24 mi · Laura 24 mi · Goose 24 mi · Yankton 24 mi
See how School Grove stacks up: best walleye lakes in Minnesota · best northern pike lakes in Minnesota · best crappie lakes in Minnesota · best bluegill lakes in Minnesota
More water nearby: Lyon County fishing maps (13 charts). Browse all Minnesota fishing maps. 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.