Big Fish Lake
depth
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Depth scale
Survey readout
Big Fish Lake is mapped to a depth of 60 ft on the Michigan DNR survey and covers about 101 acres in Lapeer 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
- 60 ft
- Mean depth
- 16.4 ft · estimated
- Surface area
- 101 acres
- Estimated volume
- 1,651 acre-ft · 538M gal
- Shoreline
- 2.56 mi · irregular
- Aquatic vegetation
- 13% of surface · NDVI estimate
- Public access
- Boat Launch · Rec Passport
Additional depth details8 contours
- Contour depths
- 0–60 ft
- Recorded point soundings
- 60 ft
43.7% of the surface sits over water shallower than 10 ft; 28.5% 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 Depth, area and volume are estimated from the interpolated survey surface — historical reference, not measurement.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
- 42.88700, -83.39094
- MI DNR lake ID
- L10968
- Vertical exaggeration
- 1.64×
- Basemap
- USDA NAIP · public domain
- Model size
- 2.5 MB
Watercraft rules
county-enforced local controls · MI DNROfficial rule details1 rule
Paddling
Paddling Index methodology v1.0 · calculated 2026-08-21Big Fish Lake has a partly natural setting, generally sheltered geometry, some nearby classified roads. Watercraft controls: High-speed boating prohibited in zones.
Why this score?5 components
Included in the index
| Component | Rating | Points of weight | Measurement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Natural setting | Good | 14.7 of 30 | 58% natural land cover within 150 m of shore (36% forest, 21% wetland; 27% developed) |
| Geometric wind exposure | Very Good | 19.6 of 25 | mean fetch 690 m · 7% of sampled water within 500 m of shelter · generally short fetch |
| Watercraft controls | High-speed boating prohibited in zones | 9.3 of 15 | High-speed boating prohibited — designated zones only |
| Public access | Good | 12.8 of 15 | 1 site with DNR boating-facility records · 2 ramp lanes · 20 trailer spaces |
| Road isolation | Good | 7.5 of 15 | some nearby classified roads · 18 MDOT-classified segments within 1.2 km, peak 3,305 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 13% 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
- Moderate — 36% forest and 21% wetland cover within 150 m of shore
Compare Michigan lakes by Paddling Index →
Fish you might catch
from angler catches, DNR surveys & active stocking18 species with recent evidence in this lake — sized relative to each other. Illustrations are AI-generated representative adults in everyday colours, not photographs (provenance).
Northern Pike
Largemouth Bass
Brown Bullhead
Black CrappieCrappie
Grass Pickerel
Yellow Bullhead
Lake Chubsucker
Yellow Perch
Bluegill
Warmouth
Hybrid Sunfish
Pumpkinseed
Green Sunfish
Bluntnose Minnow
Spotfin Shiner
Tadpole Madtom
Blackchin ShinerHistorically stocked, no recent evidence: Brown Trout (last planted 1993), Rainbow Trout (last planted 1979) — not shown above.
Fishing rules for this lake Beta
Size and daily limits for the 18 species found here — 18 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 · 2000–2024Trophy-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: artificial lure (3) · worm (1)
Method: still fishing (4) · spincasting (1)
Fishery
surveyed 2017 · DNR SFR 2018-249Gamefish Largemouth Bass 76 · Northern Pike 6 · Grass Pickerel 5
Panfish Bluegill 1,130 · Pumpkinseed 348 · Black Crappie 69
All survey species17 species
Gamefish
Panfish
Bullhead & catfish
Forage & nongame
DNR stocking
state stocking record · 1979–1993Fish the Michigan DNR has planted in this lake — what was added, distinct from what a survey netted above.
No stockings recorded since 1993 — shown as history.
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.
Public fishing access
MI DNR family-friendly fishingState-managed · Yes, Rec Passport · Modern & rustic bathrooms restrooms · Paved parking
Amenities: Animal-friendly, beach, boat launch, grills, picnic tables, playground, shelter, swimming access, water pump
“This is a natural spring-fed all-sport lake. Approximately 2/3 of the lake is surrounded by the Ortonville State Recreation Area.”
At the lake
community-mapped amenities · straight-line distanceBait & tackle nearby
licensed retail bait dealers · straight-line distanceBig Fish Lake — common questions
How deep is Big Fish Lake?
The deepest contour on the Michigan DNR bathymetric survey of Big Fish Lake is 60 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 Big Fish Lake?
Big Fish Lake covers about 101 acres in Lapeer County, Michigan.
What is the average depth of Big Fish Lake?
The estimated mean depth of Big Fish Lake is 16.4 ft, calculated from the survey contours.
What fish are in Big Fish Lake?
Species with survey, catch or recent-stocking evidence include largemouth bass, northern pike, black crappie, bluegill, brown bullhead, crappie. The page lists all 18 species and the evidence behind each.
Is there public access to Big Fish Lake?
Yes. The Michigan DNR boat-launch data identifies 1 public access site on Big Fish Lake, including Big Fish Lake.
