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Rating depth structure for largemouth bass.
Shared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.
20-acre lake near Houghton County. The lake tops out around 40 ft. The depth chart comes from published agency bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled. The rest of this page walks each species through its year, using the map's own scoring.
The drawn water covers 16 acres wrapped in 0.8 miles of bank. With a 1.5 development index there's bank structure worth casting at, in moderation. About 47% of the surface sits shallower than 15 ft — that's the weed-and-bait zone. Figure 0.3 mi of water from one end to the other. Houghton County claims this one. Its nearest charted neighbour, Thirteenmile Lake, is 3 mi to the east.
Spring brook trout on Toivola Lake (West) hold shallow, usually 2 to 15 ft. They move out to 10 to 30 ft in summer and finish the year down in 3 to 20 ft. Put Break off the point first on the milk run — a drop-off near 12 ft that grades prime for summer. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a small spoon fished deep or a trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (11 ft) | Small inline spinner (gold), Tiny spoon |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (12 ft) | Small spoon fished deep, Trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm |
| Fall | 2 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (11 ft) | Small spoon (orange), Spinner |
| Winter | 3 to 20 ft | dawn | Break off the point (12 ft) | Small jigging spoon, Tungsten jig + plastic |
Early season rainbow trout use the shallows, holding in 5 to 20 ft. Summer is an 8 to 30 ft game here, winter an 8 to 40 ft one. The chart's best answer is Break off the point — drop-off, 12 ft, prime for winter. Best bite is early morning and the evening. Tie on a dodger + spoon (deep troll) or a flutter spoon and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (11 ft) | Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon |
| Summer | 8 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (12 ft) | Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon |
| Fall | 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (11 ft) | Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals |
| Winter | 8 to 40 ft | dawn | Break off the point (12 ft) | Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white) |
Spring puts brown trout in skinny water — 3 to 25 ft is the zone. As the season builds they drop to 12 to 40 ft, wintering in 5 to 35 ft. Summer brown trout concentrate at Break off the point, a prime-rated drop-off around 12 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around after dark and early morning. A spoon at the thermocline or a deep stickbait (night) covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (11 ft) | Stickbait off planer boards (shallow), Small spoon along mud lines |
| Summer | 12 to 40 ft | night & dawn | Break off the point (12 ft) | Spoon at the thermocline, Deep stickbait (night) |
| Fall | 5 to 30 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (11 ft) | Jerkbait over gravel, Casting spoon |
| Winter | 5 to 35 ft | dawn | Break off the point (12 ft) | Jigging spoon, Small stickbait (slow) |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: cisco (lake herring) in 10 to 40 ft. The depth story barely changes: 12 to 40 ft through summer, 12 to 40 ft in winter. The spot to know is Deep basin, a deep basin in about 36 ft of water that rates prime for cisco (lake herring) in spring. Plan around early morning in the warm months. Summer baits: a vertical flutter spoon (small) or a drop-shot micro plastic gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 10 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Deep basin (36 ft) | Small silver spoon, Tiny swim jig (white) |
| Summer | 12 to 40 ft | dawn | Deep basin (36 ft) | Vertical flutter spoon (small), Drop-shot micro plastic |
| Fall | 5 to 25 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (12 ft) | Small casting spoon, Inline spinner (silver) |
| Winter | 12 to 40 ft | dawn | Deep basin (36 ft) | Small jigging spoon (glow/silver), Tungsten jig + minnow head |
In spring, sauger run shallow here, mostly 4 to 18 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 10 to 30 ft before dropping to 12 to 40 ft for winter. Winter sauger concentrate at Deep basin, a prime-rated deep basin around 36 ft. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a bottom bouncer + crawler or a 3-way rig with stickbait most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 18 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (11 ft) | 3/8 oz jig + ringworm, Hair jig + minnow |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (12 ft) | Bottom bouncer + crawler, 3-way rig with stickbait |
| Fall | 12 to 35 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (12 ft) | Jig + big minnow, Blade bait |
| Winter | 12 to 40 ft | dusk | Deep basin (36 ft) | Heavy jigging spoon, Jig + minnow (vertical) |
Start shallow in spring: yellow perch sit in 3 to 12 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 10 to 30 ft, and winter fish settle into 15 to 35 ft. The spot to know is Deep basin, a deep basin in about 36 ft of water that rates prime for yellow perch in fall. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning. Throw a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | open water | 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 | Deep basin (36 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (36 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Toivola Lake (West) also holds 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), brown bullhead (3 to 12 ft in summer), burbot (12 to 40 ft in summer), lake sturgeon (15 to 40 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
Structure-wise the chart holds 3 features, led in depth by Deep basin at roughly 36 ft.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Michigan waters are set by the Michigan DNR — and special regulations can apply to Toivola Lake (West) specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Michigan fishing regulations →
Toivola Lake (West) is about 40 ft (12 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, cisco (lake herring), sauger, yellow perch, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, rock bass, bluegill, pumpkinseed, brown bullhead, burbot, lake sturgeon on Toivola Lake (West). 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 36 ft of water that rates prime for cisco (lake herring) in spring. 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.
Fishing on Toivola Lake (West) 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.
Thirteenmile Lake 3 mi · Lake Perrault 4 mi · Lake Gerald 6 mi · Lake Roland 7 mi · Emily Lake 9 mi · Sandy Lake 10 mi · Pike Lake 11 mi · Clear Lake 11 mi · Otter Lake 12 mi · Sturgeon River (UP) 16 mi · Portage Lake (UP) 17 mi · Courtney Lake 17 mi
See how Toivola Lake (West) stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in Michigan · best smallmouth bass lakes in Michigan · best sauger lakes in Michigan · best bluegill lakes in Michigan
More water nearby: Houghton County fishing maps (21 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.