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Rating depth structure for northern pike.
Shared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.
31-acre lake near Chippewa County. The lake tops out around 20 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.
Drawn out, this is 25 acres of water rimmed by 0.9 miles of bank. The basin is a simple one (shoreline index 1.3) — close to a bowl, so the structure on the chart matters more than the bank. Littoral water — the productive band under ~15 ft — makes up 93% of this chart. End to end it runs roughly 0.4 mi. You'll find it in Chippewa County. The nearest mapped water is Mud Lake, 3 mi to the west.
Come spring, look for yellow perch tight to the bank in 3 to 12 ft. They move out to 6 to 20 ft in summer and finish the year down in 6 to 20 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Deep basin: a deep basin around 19 ft that scores prime in fall. Best bite is early morning. A drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm is the honest summer answer here.
| 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 | 6 to 20 ft | dawn | Deep basin (19 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 6 to 20 ft | midday | Deep basin (19 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 6 to 20 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (19 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Start shallow in spring: northern pike sit in 2 to 8 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 8 to 20 ft; cold water stacks them in 5 to 15 ft. Top water on the chart: Break off the point, a drop-off in the 6 ft range, prime in fall. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. Throw a bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage until the fish tell you otherwise.
| 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 | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (6 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (6 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Secondary point (5 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
Early season rock bass use the shallows, holding in 2 to 10 ft. Summer is a 5 to 20 ft game here, winter a 6 to 20 ft one. The chart's best answer is Secondary point — point, 5 ft, prime for summer. Best bite is the evening. Tie on a ned rig (small) or a marabou jig and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (4 ft) | 1/16 oz jig + grub, Small inline spinner |
| Summer | 5 to 20 ft | dusk | Secondary point (5 ft) | Ned rig (small), Marabou jig |
| Fall | 6 to 20 ft | midday | Break off the point (6 ft) | Small tube jig, Inline spinner |
| Winter | 6 to 20 ft | midday | Deep basin (19 ft) | Tungsten jig + plastic, Small spoon + spike |
Count 4 structure marks on this chart. The deepest, Deep basin, sits near 19 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 Williams Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Michigan fishing regulations →
Williams Lake is about 20 ft (6 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, northern pike, rock bass on Williams 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 19 ft of water that rates prime for yellow perch in fall. The interactive chart above rates every spot for each 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 Williams 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.
Mud Lake 3 mi · Betchler Lakes 6 mi · Betchler Lake, Little 6 mi · Piatt Lake 8 mi · Crego Lake 8 mi · Bobbygay Lake 9 mi · Trout Lake 9 mi · Frenchman Lake 9 mi · Soldier Lake 9 mi · McNearney Lake 9 mi · Strouble Lake 13 mi · Rexton Lake 13 mi
See how Williams Lake stacks up: best northern pike lakes in Michigan · best yellow perch lakes in Michigan · best rock bass lakes in Michigan
More water nearby: Chippewa County fishing maps (18 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.