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Rating depth structure for largemouth bass.
Shared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.
26-acre lake near Marquette County. The lake tops out around 15 ft. The depth chart comes from published agency bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled. What follows comes from the same scoring engine that paints the spots above.
The outline encloses 27 acres, worked by 1 miles of shoreline. The basin is a simple one (shoreline index 1.4) — close to a bowl, so the structure on the chart matters more than the bank. The basin spans about 0.3 mi end to end and 0.2 mi across at its widest. It sits in Marquette County. Its nearest charted neighbour, Van Riper Lakes (west), is 1 mi to the south.
In spring, walleye run shallow here, mostly 4 to 15 ft. Summer keeps them at 5 to 15 ft, and they winter in 5 to 15 ft. Winter walleye concentrate at Deep basin, a prime-rated deep basin around 14 ft. Fish it in the evening and early morning and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (3 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 5 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (4 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 5 to 15 ft | dusk & night | Break off the point (4 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | Deep basin (14 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: yellow perch in 3 to 12 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 5 to 15 ft before dropping to 5 to 15 ft for winter. The spot to know is Deep basin, a deep basin in about 14 ft of water that rates prime for yellow perch in fall. Plan around early morning in the warm months. Summer baits: a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm gets it done.
| 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 | 5 to 15 ft | dawn | Deep basin (14 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Deep basin (14 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (14 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
When the water first warms, northern pike slide up into 2 to 8 ft. Summer is a 5 to 15 ft game here, winter a 5 to 15 ft one. Start at Break off the point. It's a drop-off holding about 4 ft of water and rates prime come fall. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. Keep a bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | open water | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 5 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (4 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 5 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (4 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Break off the point (4 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
When the water first warms, smallmouth bass slide up into 3 to 12 ft. Summer is a 5 to 15 ft game here, winter a 5 to 15 ft one. Start at Break off the point. It's a drop-off holding about 4 ft of water and rates prime come winter. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. Keep a drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (3 ft) | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 5 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (4 ft) | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 5 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (4 ft) | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Break off the point (4 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
Come spring, look for largemouth bass tight to the bank in 2 to 10 ft. They move out to 5 to 15 ft in summer and finish the year down in 5 to 15 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Main-lake point: a point around 3 ft that scores prime in fall. Best bite is early morning and the evening. A texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (3 ft) | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 5 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (4 ft) | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (3 ft) | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Break off the point (4 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
Start shallow in spring: rock bass sit in 2 to 10 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 4 to 15 ft, and winter fish settle into 5 to 15 ft. The spot to know is Deep basin, a deep basin in about 14 ft of water that rates prime for rock bass in winter. Warm-month bites cluster around the evening. Throw a ned rig (small) or a marabou jig until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (3 ft) | 1/16 oz jig + grub, Small inline spinner |
| Summer | 4 to 15 ft | dusk | Main-lake point (3 ft) | Ned rig (small), Marabou jig |
| Fall | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Break off the point (4 ft) | Small tube jig, Inline spinner |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Deep basin (14 ft) | Tungsten jig + plastic, Small spoon + spike |
Van Riper Lake (NW) also holds bluegill (4 to 15 ft in summer), pumpkinseed (2 to 10 ft in summer), brown bullhead (3 to 12 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
Van Riper Lake (NW) carries 3 mapped structure features, topping out (or rather bottoming out) at Deep basin, about 14 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 Van Riper Lake (NW) specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Michigan fishing regulations →
Van Riper Lake (NW) is about 15 ft (5 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 walleye, yellow perch, northern pike, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, rock bass, bluegill, pumpkinseed, brown bullhead on Van Riper Lake (NW). 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 14 ft of water that rates prime for walleye in winter. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.
For walleye, the summer bite is best in the evening and 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 Van Riper Lake (NW) 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.
Van Riper Lakes (west) 1 mi · Hasseib Lake 2 mi · Clear Lake 3 mi · Lake Arfelin 3 mi · Little White Goat Lake 3 mi · Log Lake 4 mi · Lake Keewaydin 5 mi · Lake Alice 7 mi · Lake Michigamme 7 mi · Trembath Lake 7 mi · Fish Lake 8 mi · Craig Lake 8 mi
See how Van Riper Lake (NW) 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: Marquette County fishing maps (49 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.