Chicagon Lake
depth
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Depth scale
Survey readout
Chicagon Lake is mapped to a depth of 110 ft on the Michigan DNR survey and covers about 1,118 acres in Iron 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
- 110 ft
- Mean depth
- 35.9 ft · estimated
- Surface area
- 1,118 acres
- Estimated volume
- 40,166 acre-ft · 13,088M gal
- Shoreline
- 9.88 mi · irregular
- Aquatic vegetation
- 5% of surface · NDVI estimate
- Public access
- Boat Launch
Additional depth details11 contours
- Contour depths
- 0–110 ft
- Recorded point soundings
- 110 ft, 30 ft
Other waters with a public launch on this map: Indian Lake. Their launches are not marked on the model — only Chicagon Lake’s own are.
25.5% of the surface sits over water shallower than 10 ft; 59.7% 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 Depth, area and volume are estimated from the interpolated survey surface — historical reference, not measurement.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
- 46.06150, -88.49961
- MI DNR lake ID
- L46155
- Vertical exaggeration
- 1.4×
- Basemap
- USDA NAIP · public domain
- Model size
- 2.6 MB
Paddling
Paddling Index methodology v1.0 · calculated 2026-08-21Chicagon Lake has a mostly natural, lightly developed setting, notable open-water exposure, some nearby classified roads. No special watercraft restriction is identified in the current source.
Why this score?5 components
Included in the index
| Component | Rating | Points of weight | Measurement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Natural setting | Very Good | 21.6 of 30 | 75% natural land cover within 150 m of shore (42% forest, 32% wetland; 17% developed) |
| Geometric wind exposure | Mixed | 6.6 of 25 | mean fetch 2,389 m · 0% of sampled water within 500 m of shelter · long fetch in some directions |
| Watercraft controls | None identified | 7.5 of 15 | No special watercraft restriction identified in the current DNR source. Motors permitted, subject to general law. |
| Public access | Good | 12.8 of 15 | 1 site with DNR boating-facility records · 1 ramp lane · 5 trailer spaces |
| Road isolation | Good | 7.7 of 15 | some nearby classified roads · 18 MDOT-classified segments within 1.2 km, peak 593 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 5% 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
- High — 42% forest and 32% wetland cover within 150 m of shore
Compare Michigan lakes by Paddling Index →
Fish you might catch
from angler catches, DNR surveys & active stocking12 species with recent evidence in this lake — sized relative to each other. Illustrations are AI-generated representative adults in everyday colours, not photographs (provenance).
Muskellunge
Lake Troutstocked
Walleye
Lake Whitefish
White Sucker
Cisco
Crappie
Bluegill
Hornyhead Chub
Bluntnose Minnow
Central Mudminnow
Iowa DarterHistorically stocked, no recent evidence: Splake (last planted 2008), Brown Trout (last planted 1987), Rainbow Trout (last planted 1987) — not shown above.
Fishing rules for this lake Beta
Size and daily limits for the 12 species found here — 11 open to harvest, 1 with a special rule or closed season.
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.
Official rule text for this lake
“the minimum size limit for Muskellunge is 50-inches. Lake Ottawa the daily possession limit for Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass is zero (0).” — FO-206
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 · 1994–2024Trophy-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 (3) · sucker (3)
Method: spincasting (4) · ice fishing (3) · still fishing (3) · trolling (2)
Fishery
surveyed 2022 · DNR SFR 2023-342Forage & nongame
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.
Complete stocking history5 older species
Non-native species records
3 recordsMussels & snails
- Banded Mysterysnail
- Zebra Mussel
Plants & algae
- Eurasian Watermilfoil
What does non-native mean?
USGS records identify non-native species that have been documented for this lake or its shoreline. Non-native does not necessarily mean invasive, and historical records do not confirm current presence.
Source: Midwest Glacial Lakes Partnership Conservation Planner; underlying nonindigenous species records from the USGS Nonindigenous Aquatic Species database.
At the lake
community-mapped amenities · straight-line distanceBait & tackle nearby
licensed retail bait dealers · straight-line distanceChicagon Lake — common questions
How deep is Chicagon Lake?
The deepest contour on the Michigan DNR bathymetric survey of Chicagon Lake is 110 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 Chicagon Lake?
Chicagon Lake covers about 1,118 acres in Iron County, Michigan.
What is the average depth of Chicagon Lake?
The estimated mean depth of Chicagon Lake is 35.9 ft, calculated from the survey contours.
What fish are in Chicagon Lake?
Species with survey, catch or recent-stocking evidence include lake trout, lake whitefish, muskellunge, walleye, bluegill, crappie. The page lists all 12 species and the evidence behind each.
Is there public access to Chicagon Lake?
Yes. The Michigan DNR boat-launch data identifies 1 public access site on Chicagon Lake, including Pentoga County Park.
