Sign inSign up free Sign inSign up free Sign inSign up freeLake depth chart
Today's read
Rating depth structure for largemouth bass.
Shared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.
135-acre lake near Schoolcraft County. The lake tops out around 55 ft. The depth chart comes from published agency bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled. Species by species, here's what the data says the year looks like.
The drawn water covers 142 acres wrapped in 2.1 miles of bank. The basin is a simple one (shoreline index 1.2) — close to a bowl, so the structure on the chart matters more than the bank. About 42% of the surface sits shallower than 15 ft — that's the weed-and-bait zone. The basin spans about 0.7 mi end to end and 0.4 mi across at its widest. Schoolcraft County claims this one. If the bite dies, East Lake is 2 mi to the south.
Early season brook trout use the shallows, holding in 2 to 15 ft. Summer is a 10 to 30 ft game here, winter a 3 to 20 ft one. The chart's best answer is Break off the point — drop-off, 27 ft, prime for summer. Best bite is early morning and the evening. Tie on a small spoon fished deep or a trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (3 ft) | Small inline spinner (gold), Tiny spoon |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (27 ft) | Small spoon fished deep, Trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm |
| Fall | 2 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (3 ft) | Small spoon (orange), Spinner |
| Winter | 3 to 20 ft | dawn | Back-bay flat (4 ft) | Small jigging spoon, Tungsten jig + plastic |
In spring, brown trout run shallow here, mostly 3 to 25 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 17 to 55 ft, and winter fish settle into 5 to 35 ft. Break off the point is the standout, a drop-off at roughly 27 ft, rated prime for summer brown trout. Time it for after dark and early morning. You won't need more than a spoon at the thermocline or a deep stickbait (night) most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (3 ft) | Stickbait off planer boards (shallow), Small spoon along mud lines |
| Summer | 17 to 55 ft | night & dawn | Break off the point (27 ft) | Spoon at the thermocline, Deep stickbait (night) |
| Fall | 5 to 30 ft | dusk & dawn | Secondary point (5 ft) | Jerkbait over gravel, Casting spoon |
| Winter | 5 to 35 ft | dawn | Break off the point (27 ft) | Jigging spoon, Small stickbait (slow) |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: yellow perch in 3 to 12 ft. As the season builds they drop to 10 to 30 ft, wintering in 15 to 35 ft. Top water on the chart: Back-bay flat, a weed flat in the 4 ft range, prime in spring. Time it for early morning. Summer baits: a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Back-bay flat (4 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Break off the point (27 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 12 to 35 ft | midday | Break off the point (27 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (27 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
When the water first warms, northern pike slide up into 2 to 8 ft. By summer they slide out to 8 to 20 ft, and by winter most fish are in 5 to 15 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Shallow bay flat: a weed flat around 2 ft that scores prime in spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Keep a bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Back-bay flat (4 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Back-bay flat (4 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Back-bay flat (4 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
Come spring, look for largemouth bass tight to the bank in 2 to 10 ft. Expect a summer slide to 8 to 20 ft, then a winter hold in 15 to 35 ft. Start at Shallow bay flat. It's a weed flat holding about 2 ft of water and rates prime come spring. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. A texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Secondary point (5 ft) | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Secondary point (5 ft) | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday | Break off the point (27 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
Start shallow in spring: rock bass sit in 2 to 10 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 5 to 20 ft; cold water stacks them in 12 to 30 ft. Top water on the chart: Secondary point, a point in the 5 ft range, prime in summer. Fish it in the evening and you'll meet the bite. Throw a ned rig (small) or a marabou jig until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (3 ft) | 1/16 oz jig + grub, Small inline spinner |
| Summer | 5 to 20 ft | dusk | Secondary point (5 ft) | Ned rig (small), Marabou jig |
| Fall | 8 to 22 ft | midday | Secondary point (5 ft) | Small tube jig, Inline spinner |
| Winter | 12 to 30 ft | midday | Break off the point (27 ft) | Tungsten jig + plastic, Small spoon + spike |
Steuben Lake also holds bluegill (4 to 15 ft in summer), pumpkinseed (2 to 10 ft in summer), burbot (17 to 55 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
The chart marks 6 structure features on Steuben Lake; the deepest is Deep basin at about 55 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 Steuben Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Michigan fishing regulations →
Steuben Lake is about 55 ft (17 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart comes from published agency bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled.
Anglers target brook trout, brown trout, yellow perch, northern pike, largemouth bass, rock bass, bluegill, pumpkinseed, burbot on Steuben 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.
Back-bay flat is the top-rated area: a weed flat in about 4 ft of water that rates prime for yellow perch in spring. The interactive chart above rates every spot for each species and season.
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.
Fishing on Steuben Lake 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.
East Lake 2 mi · Colwell Lake 2 mi · Beaton Lake 2 mi · Byers Lake 3 mi · Clear Lake 3 mi · Bass Lake 3 mi · NO NAME Lake 4 mi · Minerva Lake 5 mi · Triangle Lake 5 mi · Muleshoe Lake, North 5 mi · Boot Lake 5 mi · Murphy Lake 5 mi
See how Steuben Lake stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in Michigan · best northern pike lakes in Michigan · best bluegill lakes in Michigan · best yellow perch lakes in Michigan
More water nearby: Schoolcraft County fishing maps (54 charts). Browse all Michigan fishing maps or 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.