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Fishing Skinner Lake: what the data says
40-acre lake near Charlevoix County. The lake tops out around 27 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. What follows comes from the same scoring engine that paints the spots above.
Walleye fishing at Skinner Lake
Spring walleye on Skinner Lake hold shallow, usually 4 to 15 ft. They move out to 8 to 27 ft in summer and finish the year down in 8 to 27 ft. The spot to know is Break off the point, a drop-off in about 15 ft of water that rates prime for walleye in fall. Plan around the evening and early morning in the warm months. Tie on a crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 8 to 27 ft | dusk & dawn | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 8 to 27 ft | dusk & night | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 8 to 27 ft | dusk & dawn | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
Yellow Perch fishing at Skinner Lake
In spring, yellow perch run shallow here, mostly 3 to 12 ft. They move out to 8 to 27 ft in summer and finish the year down in 8 to 27 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Shallow bay flat: a weed flat around 3 ft that scores prime in spring. Plan around early morning in the warm months. A drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 8 to 27 ft | dawn | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 8 to 27 ft | midday | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 8 to 27 ft | midday & dawn | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Northern Pike fishing at Skinner Lake
In spring, northern pike run shallow here, mostly 2 to 8 ft. They move out to 8 to 20 ft in summer and finish the year down in 5 to 15 ft. Shallow bay flat is the standout, a weed flat at roughly 3 ft, rated prime for spring northern pike. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. Tie on a bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
Smallmouth Bass fishing at Skinner Lake
Start shallow in spring: smallmouth bass sit in 3 to 12 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 8 to 27 ft, and winter fish settle into 8 to 27 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Break off the point: a drop-off around 15 ft that scores prime in winter. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. Tie on a drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 8 to 27 ft | dawn & dusk | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 8 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 8 to 27 ft | midday | Blade bait, Hair jig |
Largemouth Bass fishing at Skinner Lake
Spring largemouth bass on Skinner Lake hold shallow, usually 2 to 10 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 8 to 20 ft, and winter fish settle into 8 to 27 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Shallow bay flat: a weed flat around 3 ft that scores prime in spring. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. Tie on a texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 8 to 27 ft | midday | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
Rock Bass fishing at Skinner Lake
Spring rock bass on Skinner Lake hold shallow, usually 2 to 10 ft. By summer they slide out to 5 to 20 ft, and by winter most fish are in 8 to 27 ft. The spot to know is Break off the point, a drop-off in about 15 ft of water that rates prime for rock bass in fall. In summer the feeding windows fall in the evening. Summer baits: a ned rig (small) or a marabou jig gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | midday & dawn | 1/16 oz jig + grub, Small inline spinner |
| Summer | 5 to 20 ft | dusk | Ned rig (small), Marabou jig |
| Fall | 8 to 22 ft | midday | Small tube jig, Inline spinner |
| Winter | 8 to 27 ft | midday | Tungsten jig + plastic, Small spoon + spike |
Skinner Lake also holds white perch (8 to 27 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), freshwater drum (7 to 27 ft in summer), common carp (3 to 15 ft in summer), longnose gar (1 to 12 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
Notable structure
- Deep basin: deep basin, around 26 ft
- Break off the point: drop-off, around 15 ft
- Secondary point: point, around 4 ft
- Main-lake point: point, around 3 ft
- Shallow bay flat: weed flat, around 3 ft
Common questions
How deep is Skinner Lake?
Skinner Lake is about 27 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 Skinner Lake?
Anglers target largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, walleye, northern pike, crappie, bluegill, channel catfish, yellow perch, freshwater drum, common carp, longnose gar, rock bass, white perch, pumpkinseed, brown bullhead on Skinner 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 Skinner Lake?
Break off the point is the top-rated area: a drop-off in about 15 ft of water that rates prime for walleye in fall. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.
When is the best time to fish Skinner Lake?
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.
Nearby waters
Matchett Lake · Carpenter Lake · Little Torch Lake · Marion, Lake · Harwood Lake · Mud Lake
See how Skinner 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.