Dodge Lake
depth
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Depth scale
The state-record Northern Pike — 39 lb — was caught here in 1961. 51.5″ · Spear
Survey readout
Dodge Lake is mapped to a depth of 55 ft on the Michigan DNR survey and covers about 80 acres in Schoolcraft 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
- 55 ft
- Mean depth
- 22.2 ft · estimated
- Surface area
- 80 acres
- Estimated volume
- 1,776 acre-ft · 579M gal
- Shoreline
- 1.82 mi · lobed
- Aquatic vegetation
- 2% of surface · NDVI estimate
- Public access
- Boat Launch
Additional depth details11 contours
- Contour depths
- 0–55 ft
- Recorded point soundings
- 55 ft
26.4% of the surface sits over water shallower than 10 ft; 51.8% is deeper than 20 ft; the survey shows 2 distinct basins. Depth, area and volume are estimated from the interpolated survey surface — historical reference, not measurement.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
- 46.11316, -86.26863
- MI DNR lake ID
- L48215
- Vertical exaggeration
- 1.81×
- 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 2026-08-21Dodge Lake has a partly natural setting, generally sheltered geometry, some nearby classified roads. Watercraft controls: Restricted hours.
Why this score?5 components
Included in the index
| Component | Rating | Points of weight | Measurement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Natural setting | Good | 18.3 of 30 | 68% natural land cover within 150 m of shore (55% forest, 8% wetland; 18% developed) |
| Geometric wind exposure | Very Good | 18.8 of 25 | mean fetch 735 m · 3% of sampled water within 500 m of shelter · generally short fetch |
| Watercraft controls | Restricted hours | 9.3 of 15 | Restricted hours |
| Public access | Good | 12.8 of 15 | 1 site with DNR boating-facility records · 1 ramp lane · 8 trailer spaces |
| Road isolation | Good | 8.0 of 15 | some nearby classified roads · 9 MDOT-classified segments within 1.2 km, peak 1,036 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
- Moderate — 55% forest and 8% wetland cover within 150 m of shore
Compare Michigan lakes by Paddling Index →
Fish you might catch
from angler catches, DNR surveys & active stocking5 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
Black Crappie
Bluegill
Rock BassHistorically stocked, no recent evidence: Rainbow Trout (last planted 1997), Splake (last planted 1997) — not shown above.
Fishing rules for this lake Beta
Size and daily limits for the 5 species found here — 5 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 · 1961–2025Trophy-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 (2) · combination (1)
Method: ice fishing (2) · still fishing (2) · spincasting (2)
Fishery
surveyed 2022Panfish
DNR stocking
state stocking record · 1979–1997Fish the Michigan DNR has planted in this lake — what was added, distinct from what a survey netted above.
No stockings recorded since 1997 — shown as history.
Bait & tackle nearby
licensed retail bait dealers · straight-line distanceDodge Lake — common questions
How deep is Dodge Lake?
The deepest contour on the Michigan DNR bathymetric survey of Dodge Lake is 55 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 Dodge Lake?
Dodge Lake covers about 80 acres in Schoolcraft County, Michigan.
What is the average depth of Dodge Lake?
The estimated mean depth of Dodge Lake is 22.2 ft, calculated from the survey contours.
What fish are in Dodge Lake?
Species with survey, catch or recent-stocking evidence include largemouth bass, northern pike, black crappie, bluegill, rock bass. The page shows the evidence behind each.
Is there public access to Dodge Lake?
Yes. The Michigan DNR boat-launch data identifies 1 public access site on Dodge Lake, including Dodge.lake.
