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A large warmwater river winding ~40 miles from the Owosso and Corunna millpond reaches down through Chesaning to the Saginaw River confluence. A smallmouth bass, northern pike and channel-catfish stream that also draws a spring walleye run up from Saginaw Bay. The river tops out around 12 ft. The chart is a model: real shoreline, published maximum depth, interpolated in between. A planning tool, never a navigation product. What the data behind the map says about each species, season by season:
On the chart, Shiawassee River draws 1,255 acres inside 73.1 miles of shoreline. The 14.7 development index tells the story — a convoluted bank whose fishable edge far outruns the acreage. All of it is shallow-zone water — under ~15 ft across the entire basin, so the food chain has the run of the place. The basin spans about 23.8 mi end to end and 4.5 mi across at its widest. The water lies in Saginaw County. Closest neighbour on DepthScout: Mott Lake, 25 mi east of here.
Spring puts smallmouth bass in skinny water — 3 to 12 ft is the zone. Summer fish stay in 4 to 12 ft, and winter fish hold in 4 to 12 ft. Spring smallmouth bass concentrate at Riffle & run (mile 24.8), a prime-rated rock pile around 4 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. 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 | 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Riffle & run (mile 24.8) (4 ft) | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 4 to 12 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Riffle & run (mile 24.8) (4 ft) | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 4 to 12 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Riffle & run (mile 24.8) (4 ft) | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 4 to 12 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 45 ft | midday | Current seam (mile 34.7) (7 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
Early season walleye use the shallows, holding in 3 to 12 ft. Even in summer they hold at 4 to 12 ft; winter keeps them in 4 to 12 ft. The chart's best answer is Riffle & run (mile 24.8) — rock pile, 4 ft, prime for spring. 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.
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 chart-limited; documented 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | Riffle & run (mile 24.8) (4 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 4 to 12 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 35 ft | dusk & dawn | Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6) (9 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 4 to 12 ft chart-limited; documented 12 to 40 ft | dusk & night | Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6) (9 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 4 to 12 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 40 ft | dusk & dawn | Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6) (9 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
Spring puts northern pike in skinny water — 2 to 8 ft is the zone. As the season builds they drop to 4 to 12 ft, wintering in 4 to 12 ft. Fall northern pike concentrate at Current seam (mile 34.7), a prime-rated current seam around 7 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. A bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage 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 | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | open water | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 4 to 12 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Current seam (mile 34.7) (7 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 4 to 12 ft chart-limited; documented 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Current seam (mile 34.7) (7 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 4 to 12 ft chart-limited; documented 5 to 15 ft | midday | Current seam (mile 34.7) (7 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
In spring, channel catfish run shallow here, mostly 3 to 12 ft. Summer keeps them at 4 to 12 ft, and they winter in 4 to 12 ft. Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6) is the standout, a creek channel at roughly 9 ft, rated prime for summer channel catfish. Time it for 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) (9 ft) | |
| Summer | 4 to 12 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 25 ft | night & dusk | Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6) (9 ft) | |
| Fall | 4 to 12 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 30 ft | dusk | Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6) (9 ft) | |
| Winter | 4 to 12 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 40 ft | midday | Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6) (9 ft) |
When the water first warms, rock bass slide up into 2 to 10 ft. By summer they slide out to 3 to 12 ft, and by winter most fish are in 4 to 12 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Riffle & run (mile 24.8): a rock pile around 4 ft that scores prime in spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in the evening. Keep a ned rig (small) or a marabou 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 | 2 to 10 ft | midday & dawn | Riffle & run (mile 24.8) (4 ft) | 1/16 oz jig + grub, Small inline spinner |
| Summer | 3 to 12 ft chart-limited; documented 5 to 20 ft | dusk | Riffle & run (mile 24.8) (4 ft) | Ned rig (small), Marabou jig |
| Fall | 4 to 12 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 22 ft | midday | Riffle & run (mile 24.8) (4 ft) | Small tube jig, Inline spinner |
| Winter | 4 to 12 ft chart-limited; documented 12 to 30 ft | midday | Riffle & run (mile 24.8) (4 ft) | Tungsten jig + plastic, Small spoon + spike |
Spring yellow perch on Shiawassee River hold shallow, usually 3 to 12 ft. Depth-wise the year is flat: 4 to 12 ft in summer, 4 to 12 ft once it turns cold. The chart's best answer is Current seam (mile 34.7) — current seam, 7 ft, prime for summer. Prime time lands in 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 | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | open water | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 4 to 12 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Current seam (mile 34.7) (7 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 4 to 12 ft chart-limited; documented 12 to 35 ft | midday | Current seam (mile 34.7) (7 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 4 to 12 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Current seam (mile 34.7) (7 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Shiawassee River also holds bluegill (3 to 12 ft in summer), common carp (2 to 12 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
The chart marks 15 structure features on Shiawassee River; the deepest is Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6) at about 9 ft.
Access data: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) — community-mapped launches. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Michigan waters are set by the Michigan DNR — and special regulations can apply to Shiawassee River specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Michigan fishing regulations →
Shiawassee River is about 12 ft (4 m) deep at its deepest point. The contours here are modeled from the water's real shape and maximum depth, so treat them as a rough guide.
Anglers target smallmouth bass, walleye, northern pike, channel catfish, rock bass, yellow perch, bluegill, common carp on Shiawassee River.
Riffle & run (mile 24.8) is the top-rated area: a rock pile in about 4 ft of water that rates prime for smallmouth bass in spring. Scroll up to the map for the complete spot list by species and season.
For smallmouth 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.
Fishing on Shiawassee River 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.
Mott Lake 25 mi · Lake Ovid 27 mi · Kawkawlin River 30 mi · Myers Lake 31 mi · Otter Lake 31 mi · Murphy Lake 31 mi · Copneconic Lake 32 mi · North Lake 33 mi · Lake Fenton 33 mi · Byram Lake 33 mi · Holloway Reservoir 33 mi · Lake Ponemah 33 mi
See how Shiawassee River stacks up: best smallmouth bass lakes in Michigan · best walleye lakes in Michigan · best northern pike lakes in Michigan · best bluegill lakes in Michigan
Browse all Michigan fishing maps. See every water on DepthScout. 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.