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Recent public catches load as you reach this section.
96-acre lake near Lake County. The lake tops out around 18 ft. The chart is a model: real shoreline, published maximum depth, interpolated in between. A planning tool, never a navigation product. Below is the species-by-species picture, pulled from the same data the map uses.
Traced from the shoreline, Thunderbird runs 96 acres with 2.2 miles of edge. Index 1.6 on the shoreline: a few honest points and pockets, nothing labyrinthine. Nothing on this chart breaks 15 ft, which makes the whole surface littoral: weeds, bait and ambush cover everywhere. End to end it runs roughly 0.9 mi, about 0.4 mi across. You'll find it in Lake County. For a second option, Shoepack lies 1 mi west.
Start shallow in spring: brook trout sit in 2 to 15 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 5 to 18 ft, and winter fish settle into 3 to 18 ft. The spot to know is Deep basin, a deep basin in about 15 ft of water that rates prime for brook trout in summer. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. Throw a small spoon fished deep or a trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm 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 | 2 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (8 ft) | Small inline spinner (gold), Tiny spoon |
| Summer | 5 to 18 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Deep basin (15 ft) | Small spoon fished deep, Trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm |
| Fall | 2 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (8 ft) | Small spoon (orange), Spinner |
| Winter | 3 to 18 ft chart-limited; documented 3 to 20 ft | dawn | Deep basin (15 ft) | Small jigging spoon, Tungsten jig + plastic |
Early season walleye use the shallows, holding in 4 to 15 ft. Expect a summer slide to 5 to 18 ft, then a winter hold in 5 to 18 ft. Put Break off the point first on the milk run — a drop-off near 8 ft that grades prime for fall. In summer the feeding windows fall in 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 | 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (8 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 5 to 18 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 35 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (8 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 5 to 18 ft chart-limited; documented 12 to 40 ft | dusk & night | Break off the point (8 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 5 to 18 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 40 ft | dusk & dawn | Deep basin (15 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
Spring yellow perch on Thunderbird hold shallow, usually 3 to 12 ft. They move out to 5 to 18 ft in summer and finish the year down in 5 to 18 ft. Put Shallow bay flat first on the milk run — a weed flat near 3 ft that grades prime for spring. The feeding windows run 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 | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 5 to 18 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Deep basin (15 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 5 to 18 ft chart-limited; documented 12 to 35 ft | midday | Deep basin (15 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 5 to 18 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (15 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Spring puts northern pike in skinny water — 2 to 8 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 5 to 18 ft; cold water stacks them 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. 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 | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 5 to 18 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (8 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (8 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
When the water first warms, pumpkinseed slide up into 1 to 8 ft. Summer is a 2 to 10 ft game here, winter a 6 to 18 ft one. Start at Shallow bay flat. It's a weed flat holding about 3 ft of water and rates prime come spring. The feeding windows run the evening and early morning. Keep a micro tube or a sponge spider (fly) rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 8 ft | midday & dusk | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Micro jig under a float, Tiny beetle-spin |
| Summer | 2 to 10 ft | dusk & dawn | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Micro tube, Sponge spider (fly) |
| Fall | 4 to 14 ft | dusk & dawn | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 6 to 18 ft | dawn | Deep basin (15 ft) | Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon |
The chart marks 6 structure features on Thunderbird; the deepest is Deep basin at about 15 ft.
| Date | Species | Count | Size |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025* | Walleye (fry) | 88,000 | — |
| 2024* | Walleye (fry) | 88,000 | — |
* Approximate date (agency reports month or season only). Source: Minnesota DNR LakeFinder stocking reports, retrieved 2026-09-11.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Minnesota waters are set by the Minnesota DNR — and special regulations can apply to Thunderbird specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Minnesota fishing regulations →
Thunderbird is about 18 ft (5 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 brook trout, walleye, yellow perch, northern pike, pumpkinseed on Thunderbird.
Break off the point is the top-rated area: a drop-off in about 8 ft of water that rates prime for walleye in fall. Open the map above to see every rated 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.
Yes — per Minnesota DNR LakeFinder stocking reports records, Thunderbird was most recently stocked 2025 with 88,000 walleye (fry). The full stocking history is listed above.
Fishing on Thunderbird is regulated by the Minnesota DNR. Check the official Minnesota regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Shoepack 1 mi · Crooked (East Bay) 1 mi · Ninemile 1 mi · Goldeneye 1 mi · Echo 2 mi · Hare 2 mi · Artlip 3 mi · Moose 3 mi · Lupus 3 mi · Scarp 3 mi · Alger 3 mi · Cabin 3 mi
See how Thunderbird stacks up: best walleye lakes in Minnesota · best northern pike lakes in Minnesota · best yellow perch lakes in Minnesota · best brook trout lakes in Minnesota
More water nearby: Lake County fishing maps (313 charts). Browse all Minnesota 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.