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Rating depth structure for largemouth bass.
Shared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.
30-acre lake near Benzie County. The lake tops out around 50 ft. The depth chart comes from published agency bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled. Here's the year, species by species, as the scoring engine sees it.
Traced from the shoreline, Stevens Lake runs 39 acres with 1.1 miles of edge. Nearly circular (index 1.2), so the story is the bottom, not the bank. Littoral water — the productive band under ~15 ft — makes up 34% of this chart. Tip to tip the water measures near 0.4 mi with a 0.2-mi widest point. You'll find it in Benzie County. For a second option, Herendeene Lake lies 1 mi south.
The spring pattern is a shallow one: brook trout in 2 to 15 ft. As the season builds they drop to 10 to 30 ft, wintering in 3 to 20 ft. Top water on the chart: Main-lake point, a point in the 13 ft range, prime in spring. Time it for early morning and the evening. Summer baits: a small spoon fished deep or a trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (13 ft) | Small inline spinner (gold), Tiny spoon |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Small spoon fished deep, Trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm |
| Fall | 2 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (13 ft) | Small spoon (orange), Spinner |
| Winter | 3 to 20 ft | dawn | open water | Small jigging spoon, Tungsten jig + plastic |
Start shallow in spring: rainbow trout sit in 5 to 20 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 8 to 30 ft, and winter fish settle into 8 to 40 ft. The spot to know is Main-lake point, a point in about 13 ft of water that rates prime for rainbow trout in spring. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. Throw a dodger + spoon (deep troll) or a flutter spoon until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (13 ft) | Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon |
| Summer | 8 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (13 ft) | Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon |
| Fall | 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (13 ft) | Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals |
| Winter | 8 to 40 ft | dawn | Break off the point (43 ft) | Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white) |
Spring brown trout on Stevens Lake hold shallow, usually 3 to 25 ft. By summer they slide out to 15 to 50 ft, and by winter most fish are in 5 to 35 ft. The chart's best answer is Break off the point — drop-off, 43 ft, prime for summer. Prime time lands in after dark and early morning. The summer box starts with a spoon at the thermocline or a deep stickbait (night).
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (13 ft) | Stickbait off planer boards (shallow), Small spoon along mud lines |
| Summer | 15 to 50 ft | night & dawn | Break off the point (43 ft) | Spoon at the thermocline, Deep stickbait (night) |
| Fall | 5 to 30 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (13 ft) | Jerkbait over gravel, Casting spoon |
| Winter | 5 to 35 ft | dawn | Break off the point (43 ft) | Jigging spoon, Small stickbait (slow) |
Start shallow in spring: chinook salmon sit in 5 to 40 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 15 to 50 ft; cold water stacks them in 15 to 50 ft. Top water on the chart: Deep basin, a deep basin in the 50 ft range, prime in summer. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. Throw a flasher + fly (green/white) or a magnum spoon on downrigger until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (43 ft) | Trolled spoon (orange/gold), Stickbait off planer boards |
| Summer | 15 to 50 ft | dawn & dusk | Deep basin (50 ft) | Flasher + fly (green/white), Magnum spoon on downrigger |
| Fall | 10 to 50 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (43 ft) | J-plug (glow), Flasher + fly |
| Winter | 15 to 50 ft | midday | Deep basin (50 ft) | Small spoon on a slow troll, Stickbait deep |
Spring puts coho salmon in skinny water — 3 to 25 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 15 to 50 ft; cold water stacks them in 15 to 50 ft. Deep basin is the standout, a deep basin at roughly 50 ft, rated prime for summer coho salmon. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. A dodger + fly or a medium spoon above the thermocline covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (13 ft) | Small orange dodger + peanut fly, Thin spoon (orange/silver) |
| Summer | 15 to 50 ft | dawn & dusk | Deep basin (50 ft) | Dodger + fly, Medium spoon above the thermocline |
| Fall | 8 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (13 ft) | Casting spoon, Spinner (chartreuse) |
| Winter | 15 to 50 ft | midday | Deep basin (50 ft) | Small spoon, slow troll |
Come spring, look for cisco (lake herring) tight to the bank in 10 to 40 ft. They move out to 15 to 50 ft in summer and finish the year down in 15 to 50 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Deep basin: a deep basin around 50 ft that scores prime in summer. Best bite is early morning. A vertical flutter spoon (small) or a drop-shot micro plastic is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 10 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Deep basin (50 ft) | Small silver spoon, Tiny swim jig (white) |
| Summer | 15 to 50 ft | dawn | Deep basin (50 ft) | Vertical flutter spoon (small), Drop-shot micro plastic |
| Fall | 5 to 25 ft | dusk & dawn | open water | Small casting spoon, Inline spinner (silver) |
| Winter | 15 to 50 ft | dawn | Deep basin (50 ft) | Small jigging spoon (glow/silver), Tungsten jig + minnow head |
Stevens Lake also holds yellow perch (10 to 30 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), bluegill (4 to 15 ft in summer), pumpkinseed (2 to 10 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
Structure-wise the chart holds 4 features, led in depth by Deep basin at roughly 50 ft.
Access data: Michigan DNR — Michigan Boating Access Sites. 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 Stevens Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Michigan fishing regulations →
Stevens Lake is about 50 ft (15 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, rainbow trout, brown trout, chinook salmon, coho salmon, cisco (lake herring), yellow perch, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, rock bass, bluegill, pumpkinseed on Stevens 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.
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 50 ft of water that rates prime for chinook salmon in summer. Scroll up to the map for the complete spot list by 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 Stevens 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.
Herendeene Lake 1 mi · Lime Lake 3 mi · Garey Lake 3 mi · Lake Ann 3 mi · Upper Woodcock Lake 4 mi · Cedar Lake 4 mi · Bellows Lake 4 mi · Bronson Lake 5 mi · Long Lake 7 mi · Coffield Lake 7 mi · Cedar Hedge Lake 8 mi · Glen Lake 9 mi
See how Stevens Lake stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in Michigan · best smallmouth bass lakes in Michigan · best bluegill lakes in Michigan · best rainbow trout lakes in Michigan
More water nearby: Benzie County fishing maps (14 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.