Bear Lake
depth
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Survey readout
Bear Lake is mapped to a depth of 50 ft on the Michigan DNR survey and covers about 320 acres in Kalkaska County, Michigan.
Measured from the Michigan DNR inland-lake contour survey (depths read from the survey's isobath field; this lake's summary-depth column is blank in the source).
- Deepest mapped contour
- 50 ft
- Mean depth
- 28.5 ft · estimated
- Surface area
- 320 acres
- Estimated volume
- 9,128 acre-ft · 2,974M gal
- Shoreline
- 2.74 mi · round
- Aquatic vegetation
- 2% of surface · NDVI estimate
- Public access
- Boat Launch
Additional depth details7 contours
- Contour depths
- 0–50 ft
- Recorded point soundings
- 50 ft
Other waters with a public launch on this map: Cub Lake. Their launches are not marked on the model — only Bear Lake’s own are.
21.2% of the surface sits over water shallower than 10 ft; 67.8% is deeper than 20 ft. Depth, area and volume are estimated from the interpolated survey surface — historical reference, not measurement.
Compare with another lakeProvenance
Sources: MI DNR inland lake contours, USGS 3DEP, USDA NAIP (public domain), OpenStreetMap (ODbL), MI DNR Boat Launches.
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Map details & sources5 sources
All layers registered to one bounding box; positions in WGS 84.
Survey-derived depth contours drape over USGS 3DEP elevation, with a USDA NAIP aerial basemap and OpenStreetMap shoreline. Colour shows surveyed depth; dark lines are the survey's own isobaths.
- Coordinates
- 44.72896, -84.94356
- MI DNR lake ID
- L647
- Vertical exaggeration
- 1.98×
- Basemap
- USDA NAIP · public domain
- Model size
- 2.4 MB
Watercraft rules
county-enforced local controls · MI DNROfficial rule details1 rule
Paddling
Paddling Index methodology v1.0 · calculated 2026-08-21Bear Lake has a mixed natural and developed setting, generally sheltered geometry, limited nearby major-road exposure. Watercraft controls: High-speed boating prohibited.
Why this score?5 components
Included in the index
| Component | Rating | Points of weight | Measurement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Natural setting | Mixed | 8.0 of 30 | 44% natural land cover within 150 m of shore (37% forest, 4% wetland; 44% developed) |
| Geometric wind exposure | Very Good | 14.1 of 25 | mean fetch 1,154 m · 1% of sampled water within 500 m of shelter · generally short fetch |
| Watercraft controls | High-speed boating prohibited | 12.8 of 15 | High-speed boating prohibited |
| Public access | Good | 12.8 of 15 | 1 site with DNR boating-facility records · 1 ramp lane · 10 trailer spaces |
| Road isolation | Very Good | 9.4 of 15 | limited nearby major-road exposure · 14 MDOT-classified segments within 1.2 km, peak 5,785 vehicles/day |
Additional paddling considerations
These describe the lake but are not part of the v1 Paddling Index and do not change the number above.
- Wake sensitivity
- Low — wide enough that wakes disperse over most of the lake
- Aquatic vegetation
- Low — approximately 2% mapped coverage · NAIP aerial imagery (NDVI)
- Observed motorized activity
- Unknown — No lake-level measurement of boat traffic is available. Legal permission to operate motors is not evidence of use.
- Wildlife habitat potential
- Limited — 37% forest and 4% wetland cover within 150 m of shore
Compare Michigan lakes by Paddling Index →
Fish you might catch
from angler catches, DNR surveys & active stocking9 species with recent evidence in this lake — sized relative to each other. Illustrations are AI-generated representative adults in everyday colours, not photographs (provenance).
Brown Troutstocked
Rainbow Troutstocked
Largemouth Bass
Smallmouth Bass
Brook Troutstocked
Yellow Perch
Bluegill
Rock Bass
PumpkinseedFishing rules for this lake Beta
Size and daily limits for the 9 species found here — 9 open to harvest.
These are hook-and-line size, daily limit and season rules. Gear, spearing and bow fishing, spawning closures and rod limits are set by other Fisheries Orders and are not shown here.
From FO-206.26 (eff. 2026-04-01) / FO-215.23A (eff. 2023-09-15) / FO-254.25 (eff. 2025-10-10), checked against the 2026 Michigan Fishing Regulations digest · verified 2026-08-24. Regulations can change — Michigan DNR rules are the controlling source; verify current regulations before fishing. Official regulations
Notable catches
Master Angler program · 2009–2024Trophy-size fish anglers caught here and registered with the DNR — what people have actually caught, distinct from what a survey netted or the state stocked below.
Biggest on record
Bait: live bait (4) · artificial lure (3) · worm (1)
Method: spincasting (5) · still fishing (4) · ice fishing (1) · trolling (1)
DNR stocking
state stocking record · 1979–2026Fish the Michigan DNR has planted in this lake — what was added, distinct from what a survey netted above.
Non-native species records
No non-native species recorded in the available dataset. This does not confirm that no non-native species are present.
Source: Midwest Glacial Lakes Partnership Conservation Planner; underlying nonindigenous species records from the USGS Nonindigenous Aquatic Species database.
Bait & tackle nearby
licensed retail bait dealers · straight-line distanceBear Lake — common questions
How deep is Bear Lake?
The deepest contour on the Michigan DNR bathymetric survey of Bear Lake is 50 ft. That is the deepest depth the historical survey map records, which may differ from the deepest point of the lake itself.
How big is Bear Lake?
Bear Lake covers about 320 acres in Kalkaska County, Michigan.
What is the average depth of Bear Lake?
The estimated mean depth of Bear Lake is 28.5 ft, calculated from the survey contours.
What fish are in Bear Lake?
Species with survey, catch or recent-stocking evidence include brook trout, brown trout, largemouth bass, rainbow trout, smallmouth bass, bluegill. The page lists all 9 species and the evidence behind each.
Is there public access to Bear Lake?
Yes. The Michigan DNR boat-launch data identifies 1 public access site on Bear Lake, including Bear Lake.
