Gun Lake
depth
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Depth scale
Survey readout
Gun Lake is mapped to a depth of 68 ft on the Michigan DNR survey and covers about 2,724 acres in Barry County, Michigan.
Measured from the Michigan DNR inland-lake contour survey.
- Deepest sounding
- 68 ft
- Mean depth
- 9.3 ft · estimated
- Surface area
- 2,724 acres
- Estimated volume
- 25,278 acre-ft · 8,237M gal
- Shoreline
- 19.42 mi · irregular
- Aquatic vegetation
- 2% of surface · NDVI estimate
- Public access
- Boat Launch
Additional depth details17 contours
- Contour depths
- 0–68 ft
- Recorded point soundings
- 68 ft, 50 ft, 48 ft, 45 ft, 43 ft, 42 ft
Other waters with a public launch on this map: Mcdonald Lake, Long Lake, Chief Noonday Lake, Williams Lake, Hall Lake, Payne Lake. Their launches are not marked on the model — only Gun Lake’s own are.
78.1% of the surface sits over water shallower than 10 ft; 16.4% 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 Depth, area and volume are estimated from the interpolated survey surface — historical reference, not measurement.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
- 42.59705, -85.51682
- MI DNR lake ID
- L19268
- Vertical exaggeration
- 6.59× below the waterline; land at true scale
- Basemap
- USDA NAIP · public domain
- Model size
- 2.4 MB
Paddling
Paddling Index methodology v1.0 · calculated 2026-08-21Gun Lake has a substantially developed setting, notable open-water exposure, substantial nearby higher-volume 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 | Modest | 0.6 of 30 | 30% natural land cover within 150 m of shore (8% forest, 20% wetland; 52% developed) |
| Geometric wind exposure | Mixed | 5.8 of 25 | mean fetch 2,580 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 | 4 sites with DNR boating-facility records · 8 ramp lanes · 113 trailer spaces |
| Road isolation | Modest | 2.0 of 15 | substantial nearby higher-volume roads · 62 MDOT-classified segments within 1.2 km, peak 11,451 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 — 8% forest and 20% wetland cover within 150 m of shore
Compare Michigan lakes by Paddling Index →
Fish you might catch
from angler catches, DNR surveys & active stocking34 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
Flathead Catfish
Longnose Gar
Northern Pike
Common Carp
Bowfin
Channel Catfish
Walleye
Redhorse Sucker
Freshwater Drum
Largemouth Bass
White Sucker
Smallmouth Bass
Brown BullheadBullhead
Black CrappieCrappie
Yellow Bullhead
Yellow Perch
Bluegill
Rock Bass
Warmouth
Hybrid Sunfish
Pumpkinseed
Creek Chub
Brook Silverside
Logperch
Banded Killifish
Bluntnose Minnow
Central Mudminnow
Blacknose Shiner
Iowa Darter
Johnny Darter
Mimic ShinerFishing rules for this lake Beta
Size and daily limits for the 34 species found here — 32 open to harvest, 2 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 46-inches.” — 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 · 1994–2025Trophy-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.
Catch details by species18 species
Biggest on record
Bait: live bait (65) · artificial lure (16) · minnow (16)
Method: still fishing (76) · spincasting (56) · trolling (16) · bowfishing (15)
Fishery
DNR SFR 2017-236Gamefish Largemouth Bass 78 · Northern Pike 51 · Walleye 21 · Bowfin 9
Panfish Bluegill 831 · Rock Bass 139 · Yellow Perch 106
All survey species26 species
Gamefish
Panfish
Bullhead & catfish
Forage & 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.
Non-native species records
6 recordsMussels & snails
- Zebra Mussel
Plants & algae
- Starry Stonewort
Other invertebrates
- Freshwater Jellyfish
Fish
- Atlantic Salmon
- Common Carp
- Flathead Catfish
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 distanceGun Lake — common questions
How deep is Gun Lake?
The deepest contour on the Michigan DNR bathymetric survey of Gun Lake is 68 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 Gun Lake?
Gun Lake covers about 2,724 acres in Barry County, Michigan.
What is the average depth of Gun Lake?
The estimated mean depth of Gun Lake is 9.3 ft, calculated from the survey contours.
What fish are in Gun Lake?
Species with survey, catch or recent-stocking evidence include channel catfish, flathead catfish, largemouth bass, muskellunge, northern pike, smallmouth bass. The page lists all 34 species and the evidence behind each.
Is there public access to Gun Lake?
Yes. The Michigan DNR boat-launch data identifies 3 public access sites on Gun Lake, including Gun Lake County Park.
