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Rating depth structure for largemouth bass.
Recent public catches load as you reach this section.
323-acre lake near Oceana County. The lake tops out around 43 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.
Stony Lake maps at 282 acres behind 4.1 miles of shoreline. A middling shoreline index (1.7) gives it some bays to work without being a maze. About 31% of the surface sits shallower than 15 ft — that's the weed-and-bait zone. Tip to tip the water measures near 1.6 mi with a 0.5-mi widest point. Oceana County claims this one. Lake Michigan - Michigan Central Shore sits 2 mi northeast — the closest neighbouring chart.
Spring puts yellow perch in skinny water — 3 to 12 ft is the zone. As the season builds they drop to 10 to 30 ft, wintering in 15 to 35 ft. Summer yellow perch concentrate at Break off the point, a prime-rated drop-off around 12 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning. A drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Break off the point (12 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 12 to 35 ft | midday | Break off the point (12 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (41 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Spring smallmouth bass on Stony Lake hold shallow, usually 3 to 12 ft. By summer they slide out to 10 to 30 ft, and by winter most fish are in 13 to 43 ft. The chart's best answer is Break off the point — drop-off, 12 ft, prime for winter. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig.
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 | Main-lake point (1 ft) | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (12 ft) | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 8 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (12 ft) | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 13 to 43 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 45 ft | midday | Break off the point (12 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
Early season largemouth bass use the shallows, holding in 2 to 10 ft. Expect a summer slide to 8 to 20 ft, then a winter hold in 15 to 35 ft. Put Break off the point first on the milk run — a drop-off near 12 ft that grades prime for summer. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Tie on a texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (12 ft) | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (1 ft) | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday | Break off the point (12 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
Spring crappie on Stony Lake hold shallow, usually 2 to 8 ft. By summer they slide out to 10 to 25 ft, and by winter most fish are in 15 to 35 ft. The chart's best answer is Dock / pier line — dock line, 4 ft, prime for spring. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a jig trolled/spider-rigged or a small crankbait (trolled).
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Dock / pier line (4 ft) | 1/16 oz jig + tube, Curly-tail grub |
| Summer | 10 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (12 ft) | Jig trolled/spider-rigged, Small crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 8 to 20 ft | dawn | Break off the point (12 ft) | Jig + minnow combo, Small swimbait (1.5-2") |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday | Deep basin (41 ft) | Tungsten jig + soft plastic, Tiny jigging spoon |
Spring bluegill on Stony Lake hold shallow, usually 1 to 6 ft. They move out to 4 to 15 ft in summer and finish the year down in 10 to 25 ft. Put Shallow bay flat first on the milk run — a weed flat near 1 ft that grades prime for spring. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a small sponge spider (fly) or a micro tube jig.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 6 ft | midday & dusk | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | 1/32 oz jig + micro plastic, Tiny popper (evenings) |
| Summer | 4 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Dock / pier line (4 ft) | Small sponge spider (fly), Micro tube jig |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday | Break off the point (12 ft) | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 10 to 25 ft | midday | Break off the point (12 ft) | Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon |
Start shallow in spring: brown trout sit in 3 to 25 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 13 to 43 ft, and winter fish settle into 5 to 35 ft. The spot to know is Break off the point, a drop-off in about 12 ft of water that rates prime for brown trout in summer. Warm-month bites cluster around after dark and early morning. Throw a spoon at the thermocline or a deep stickbait (night) until the fish tell you otherwise.
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 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (1 ft) | Stickbait off planer boards (shallow), Small spoon along mud lines |
| Summer | 13 to 43 ft chart-limited; documented 25 to 60 ft | night & dawn | Break off the point (12 ft) | Spoon at the thermocline, Deep stickbait (night) |
| Fall | 5 to 30 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (12 ft) | Jerkbait over gravel, Casting spoon |
| Winter | 5 to 35 ft | dawn | Break off the point (12 ft) | Jigging spoon, Small stickbait (slow) |
Stony Lake also holds northern pike (8 to 20 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
8 pieces of structure are mapped here — Deep basin, around 41 ft, is the deepest of them.
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 Stony Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Michigan fishing regulations →
Stony Lake is about 43 ft (13 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 yellow perch, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, crappie, bluegill, brown trout, northern pike on Stony Lake. This isn't a survey of the water — none is published for it — but an informed estimate from the species common to the region, narrowed by this water's depth, size and each species' range.
Shallow bay flat is the top-rated area: a weed flat in about 1 ft of water that rates prime for bluegill in spring. The map above holds the full rated-spot list for every species and season.
For yellow perch, the summer bite is best in early morning. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.
Fishing on Stony 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.
Lake Michigan - Michigan Central Shore 2 mi · Silver Lake (Dunes) 8 mi · Crystal Lake 8 mi · Wyckoff Lake 10 mi · Hart Lake 12 mi · White Lake 13 mi · Pentwater Lake 15 mi · Britton Lake 16 mi · Bass Lake 19 mi · Campbell Lake 20 mi · Twin Lake (west) 20 mi · Twin Lake (east) 20 mi
See how Stony Lake stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in Michigan · best smallmouth bass lakes in Michigan · best northern pike lakes in Michigan · best crappie lakes in Michigan
More water nearby: Oceana County fishing maps (11 charts). Browse all Michigan fishing maps. 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.