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Rating depth structure for largemouth bass.
Shared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.
29-acre lake near Grand Traverse County. The lake tops out around 30 ft. The depth chart comes from published agency bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled. Every species below gets its seasonal read from the same numbers driving the chart.
Drawn out, this is 25 acres of water rimmed by 1.1 miles of bank. The shoreline is moderately structured (index 1.6) — enough points and pockets to pattern. Littoral water — the productive band under ~15 ft — makes up 74% of this chart. The basin spans about 0.4 mi end to end and 0.2 mi across at its widest. The water lies in Grand Traverse County. Closest neighbour on DepthScout: Smith Lake, 1 mi northeast of here.
Spring puts brook trout in skinny water — 2 to 15 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 10 to 30 ft; cold water stacks them in 3 to 20 ft. Deep basin is the standout, a deep basin at roughly 28 ft, rated prime for summer brook trout. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. A small spoon fished deep or a trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (9 ft) | Small inline spinner (gold), Tiny spoon |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Deep basin (28 ft) | Small spoon fished deep, Trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm |
| Fall | 2 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (9 ft) | Small spoon (orange), Spinner |
| Winter | 3 to 20 ft | dawn | Break off the point (6 ft) | Small jigging spoon, Tungsten jig + plastic |
In spring, rainbow trout run shallow here, mostly 5 to 20 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 8 to 30 ft before dropping to 6 to 30 ft for winter. Winter rainbow trout concentrate at Break off the point, a prime-rated drop-off around 6 ft. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a dodger + spoon (deep troll) or a flutter spoon most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (9 ft) | Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon |
| Summer | 8 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (6 ft) | Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon |
| Fall | 9 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (9 ft) | Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals |
| Winter | 6 to 30 ft | dawn | Break off the point (6 ft) | Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white) |
When the water first warms, brown trout slide up into 3 to 25 ft. Summer is a 9 to 30 ft game here, winter a 4 to 30 ft one. Start at Deep basin. It's a deep basin holding about 28 ft of water and rates prime come summer. The feeding windows run after dark and early morning. Keep a spoon at the thermocline or a deep stickbait (night) rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (9 ft) | Stickbait off planer boards (shallow), Small spoon along mud lines |
| Summer | 9 to 30 ft | night & dawn | Deep basin (28 ft) | Spoon at the thermocline, Deep stickbait (night) |
| Fall | 5 to 30 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (9 ft) | Jerkbait over gravel, Casting spoon |
| Winter | 4 to 30 ft | dawn | Break off the point (6 ft) | Jigging spoon, Small stickbait (slow) |
Spring puts chinook salmon in skinny water — 4 to 30 ft is the zone. Summer fish stay in 9 to 30 ft, and winter fish hold in 9 to 30 ft. Summer chinook salmon concentrate at Deep basin, a prime-rated deep basin around 28 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. A flasher + fly (green/white) or a magnum spoon on downrigger covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (6 ft) | Trolled spoon (orange/gold), Stickbait off planer boards |
| Summer | 9 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Deep basin (28 ft) | Flasher + fly (green/white), Magnum spoon on downrigger |
| Fall | 6 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (6 ft) | J-plug (glow), Flasher + fly |
| Winter | 9 to 30 ft | midday | Deep basin (28 ft) | Small spoon on a slow troll, Stickbait deep |
Start shallow in spring: coho salmon sit in 3 to 25 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 9 to 30 ft, and winter fish settle into 9 to 30 ft. The spot to know is Deep basin, a deep basin in about 28 ft of water that rates prime for coho salmon in summer. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. Throw a dodger + fly or a medium spoon above the thermocline until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (9 ft) | Small orange dodger + peanut fly, Thin spoon (orange/silver) |
| Summer | 9 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Deep basin (28 ft) | Dodger + fly, Medium spoon above the thermocline |
| Fall | 6 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (9 ft) | Casting spoon, Spinner (chartreuse) |
| Winter | 9 to 30 ft | midday | Deep basin (28 ft) | Small spoon, slow troll |
Spring cisco (lake herring) on Truax Lake hold shallow, usually 8 to 30 ft. Depth-wise the year is flat: 9 to 30 ft in summer, 9 to 30 ft once it turns cold. The chart's best answer is Deep basin — deep basin, 28 ft, prime for spring. Prime time lands in early morning. The summer box starts with a vertical flutter spoon (small) or a drop-shot micro plastic.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 8 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Deep basin (28 ft) | Small silver spoon, Tiny swim jig (white) |
| Summer | 9 to 30 ft | dawn | Deep basin (28 ft) | Vertical flutter spoon (small), Drop-shot micro plastic |
| Fall | 5 to 25 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (6 ft) | Small casting spoon, Inline spinner (silver) |
| Winter | 9 to 30 ft | dawn | Deep basin (28 ft) | Small jigging spoon (glow/silver), Tungsten jig + minnow head |
Truax Lake also holds walleye (9 to 30 ft in summer), yellow perch (10 to 30 ft in summer), northern pike (8 to 20 ft in summer), muskellunge (8 to 25 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), brown bullhead (3 to 12 ft in summer), channel catfish (8 to 25 ft in summer), burbot (9 to 30 ft in summer), common carp (3 to 15 ft in summer), longnose gar (1 to 12 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
Truax Lake carries 4 mapped structure features, topping out (or rather bottoming out) at Deep basin, about 28 ft down.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Michigan waters are set by the Michigan DNR — and special regulations can apply to Truax Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Michigan fishing regulations →
Truax Lake is about 30 ft (9 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), walleye, yellow perch, northern pike, muskellunge, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, rock bass, bluegill, pumpkinseed, brown bullhead, channel catfish, burbot, common carp, longnose gar on Truax 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 28 ft of water that rates prime for chinook salmon in summer. The map above holds the full rated-spot list for every 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 Truax 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.
Smith Lake 1 mi · Haynes Lake 1 mi · Guernsey Lake 3 mi · Island Lake 3 mi · Lake Skegemog 4 mi · Dollar Lake 6 mi · Elk Lake 8 mi · Indian Lake 8 mi · Rennie Lake 8 mi · High Lake 9 mi · Bass Lake 10 mi · Log Lake 10 mi
See how Truax Lake stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in Michigan · best smallmouth bass lakes in Michigan · best walleye lakes in Michigan · best northern pike lakes in Michigan
More water nearby: Grand Traverse County fishing maps (23 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.