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Fishing Shafer Lake: what the data says
62-acre lake near Van Buren County. The lake tops out around 70 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. Below is the species-by-species picture, pulled from the same data the map uses.
Brook Trout fishing at Shafer Lake
Start shallow in spring: brook trout sit in 2 to 15 ft that time of year. They move out to 10 to 30 ft in summer and finish the year down in 3 to 20 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Main-lake point: a point around 11 ft that scores prime in spring. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. A small spoon fished deep or a trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Small inline spinner (gold), Tiny spoon |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Small spoon fished deep, Trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm |
| Fall | 2 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Small spoon (orange), Spinner |
| Winter | 3 to 20 ft | dawn | Small jigging spoon, Tungsten jig + plastic |
Lake Trout fishing at Shafer Lake
Spring lake trout on Shafer Lake hold shallow, usually 10 to 40 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 21 to 70 ft, and winter fish settle into 18 to 70 ft. The spot to know is Deep basin, a deep basin in about 70 ft of water that rates prime for lake trout in summer. Best bite is early morning. Summer baits: a white tube jig (deep) or a magnum spoon on downrigger gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 10 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Casting spoon over shoals, Jerkbait (shallow) |
| Summer | 21 to 70 ft | dawn | White tube jig (deep), Magnum spoon on downrigger |
| Fall | 10 to 50 ft | dusk & dawn | Heavy casting spoon, Jigging rap over reefs |
| Winter | 18 to 70 ft | dawn | White tube jig, Airplane jig |
Brown Trout fishing at Shafer Lake
In spring, brown trout run shallow here, mostly 3 to 25 ft. By summer they slide out to 25 to 60 ft, and by winter most fish are in 5 to 35 ft. Break off the point is the standout, a drop-off at roughly 46 ft, rated prime for summer brown trout. In summer the feeding windows fall in after dark and early morning. Tie on a spoon at the thermocline or a deep stickbait (night) and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Stickbait off planer boards (shallow), Small spoon along mud lines |
| Summer | 25 to 60 ft | night & dawn | Spoon at the thermocline, Deep stickbait (night) |
| Fall | 5 to 30 ft | dusk & dawn | Jerkbait over gravel, Casting spoon |
| Winter | 5 to 35 ft | dawn | Jigging spoon, Small stickbait (slow) |
Chinook Salmon fishing at Shafer Lake
Start shallow in spring: chinook salmon sit in 5 to 40 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 21 to 70 ft, and winter fish settle into 21 to 70 ft. The spot to know is Deep basin, a deep basin in about 70 ft of water that rates prime for chinook salmon in summer. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Summer baits: a flasher + fly (green/white) or a magnum spoon on downrigger gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Trolled spoon (orange/gold), Stickbait off planer boards |
| Summer | 21 to 70 ft | dawn & dusk | Flasher + fly (green/white), Magnum spoon on downrigger |
| Fall | 10 to 50 ft | dawn & dusk | J-plug (glow), Flasher + fly |
| Winter | 21 to 70 ft | midday | Small spoon on a slow troll, Stickbait deep |
Coho Salmon fishing at Shafer Lake
In spring, coho salmon run shallow here, mostly 3 to 25 ft. They move out to 30 to 70 ft in summer and finish the year down in 20 to 60 ft. Deep basin is the standout, a deep basin at roughly 70 ft, rated prime for summer coho salmon. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. Tie on a dodger + fly or a medium spoon above the thermocline and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Small orange dodger + peanut fly, Thin spoon (orange/silver) |
| Summer | 30 to 70 ft | dawn & dusk | Dodger + fly, Medium spoon above the thermocline |
| Fall | 8 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Casting spoon, Spinner (chartreuse) |
| Winter | 20 to 60 ft | midday | Small spoon, slow troll |
Lake Whitefish fishing at Shafer Lake
In spring, lake whitefish run shallow here, mostly 15 to 45 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 21 to 70 ft, and winter fish settle into 25 to 70 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Deep basin: a deep basin around 70 ft that scores prime in summer. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning. A blade bait vertical or a small jigging spoon covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 15 to 45 ft | midday & dawn | Small jig + waxworm, Blade bait (small) |
| Summer | 21 to 70 ft | dawn | Blade bait vertical, Small jigging spoon |
| Fall | 8 to 30 ft | dusk | Small spoon (gold), Jig + plastic larva |
| Winter | 25 to 70 ft | midday & dawn | Jigging spoon + bead chain, Tungsten jig + waxie |
Shafer Lake also holds cisco (lake herring) (21 to 70 ft in summer), walleye (15 to 35 ft in summer), yellow perch (10 to 30 ft in summer), 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), white perch (15 to 40 ft in summer), crappie (10 to 25 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), channel catfish (8 to 25 ft in summer), burbot (21 to 70 ft in summer), freshwater drum (8 to 30 ft in summer), common carp (3 to 15 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
Notable structure
- Deep basin: deep basin, around 70 ft
- Break off the point: drop-off, around 46 ft
- Secondary point: point, around 14 ft
- Back-bay flat: weed flat, around 14 ft
- Main-lake point: point, around 11 ft
- Shallow bay flat: weed flat, around 6 ft
Common questions
How deep is Shafer Lake?
Shafer Lake is about 70 ft at its deepest point. The depth chart here comes from real state fisheries GPS surveys, so the contours reflect measured depths.
What fish are in Shafer Lake?
Anglers target largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, walleye, northern pike, crappie, bluegill, channel catfish, yellow perch, freshwater drum, common carp, chinook salmon, coho salmon, lake trout, brown trout, brook trout, lake whitefish, burbot, rock bass, white perch, cisco (lake herring), pumpkinseed, brown bullhead on Shafer 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.
Where is the best fishing spot on Shafer Lake?
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 70 ft of water that rates prime for lake trout in summer. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.
When is the best time to fish Shafer Lake?
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.
Nearby waters
Christie Lake · Van Auken Lake · Rush Lake · Cora, Lake · Eagle Lake · Woods, Lake of the
See how Shafer Lake stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in Michigan · best smallmouth bass lakes in Michigan · best walleye lakes in Michigan · best northern pike lakes in Michigan
Browse all Michigan fishing maps or every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: state fisheries survey programs. How we build these maps. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.