Ford Lake
depth
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Depth scale
Survey readout
Ford Lake is mapped to a depth of 84 ft on the Michigan DNR survey and covers about 183 acres in Mason County, Michigan.
Measured from the Michigan DNR inland-lake contour survey.
- Deepest sounding
- 84 ft
- Mean depth
- 35.5 ft · estimated
- Surface area
- 183 acres
- Estimated volume
- 6,472 acre-ft · 2,109M gal
- Shoreline
- 3.03 mi · irregular
- Aquatic vegetation
- 1% of surface · NDVI estimate
- Public access
- Boat Launch
Additional depth details18 contours
- Contour depths
- 0–84 ft
- Recorded point soundings
- 84 ft
19.1% 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 Depth, area and volume are estimated from the interpolated survey surface — historical reference, not measurement.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
- 44.04926, -86.12329
- MI DNR lake ID
- L14202
- Vertical exaggeration
- 1.4×
- Basemap
- USDA NAIP · public domain
- Model size
- 2.6 MB
Watercraft rules
county-enforced local controls · MI DNROfficial rule details1 rule
Paddling
Paddling Index methodology v1.0 · calculated 2026-08-21Ford Lake has a partly natural setting, generally sheltered geometry, limited nearby major-road exposure. Watercraft controls: Restricted hours.
Why this score?5 components
Included in the index
| Component | Rating | Points of weight | Measurement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Natural setting | Good | 13.9 of 30 | 57% natural land cover within 150 m of shore (43% forest, 10% wetland; 30% developed) |
| Geometric wind exposure | Very Good | 16.6 of 25 | mean fetch 909 m · 2% 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 · 6 trailer spaces |
| Road isolation | Very Good | 9.8 of 15 | limited nearby major-road exposure · 25 MDOT-classified segments within 1.2 km, peak 199 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 1% 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 — 43% forest and 10% wetland cover within 150 m of shore
Compare Michigan lakes by Paddling Index →
Fish you might catch
from angler catches & active stocking7 species with recent evidence in this lake — sized relative to each other. Illustrations are AI-generated representative adults in everyday colours, not photographs (provenance).
Walleyestocked
Largemouth Bass
Bullhead
Black CrappieCrappie
Bluegill
Hybrid SunfishstockedHistorically stocked, no recent evidence: Fathead Minnow (last planted 2009), Rainbow Trout (last planted 1984) — not shown above.
Fishing rules for this lake Beta
Size and daily limits for the 7 species found here — 7 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 · 2003–2025Trophy-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) · flies (1)
Method: still fishing (3) · spincasting (2) · ice fishing (2) · fly fishing (1)
DNR stocking
state stocking record · 1979–2019Fish the Michigan DNR has planted in this lake — what was added, distinct from what a survey netted above.
Complete stocking history3 older species
Non-native species records
1 recordMussels & snails
- Zebra Mussel
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.
Bait & tackle nearby
licensed retail bait dealers · straight-line distanceFord Lake — common questions
How deep is Ford Lake?
The deepest contour on the Michigan DNR bathymetric survey of Ford Lake is 84 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 Ford Lake?
Ford Lake covers about 183 acres in Mason County, Michigan.
What is the average depth of Ford Lake?
The estimated mean depth of Ford Lake is 35.5 ft, calculated from the survey contours.
What fish are in Ford Lake?
Species with survey, catch or recent-stocking evidence include largemouth bass, walleye, black crappie, bluegill, bullhead, crappie. The page lists all 7 species and the evidence behind each.
Is there public access to Ford Lake?
Yes. The Michigan DNR boat-launch data identifies 1 public access site on Ford Lake, including Ford Lake.
