Hamilton Lake
depth
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Depth scale
Survey readout
Hamilton Lake is mapped to a depth of 31 ft on the Michigan DNR survey and covers about 75 acres in Dickinson County, Michigan.
Measured from the Michigan DNR inland-lake contour survey.
- Deepest sounding
- 31 ft
- Mean depth
- 11.4 ft · estimated
- Surface area
- 75 acres
- Estimated volume
- 854 acre-ft · 278M gal
- Shoreline
- 3.09 mi · irregular
- Aquatic vegetation
- 10% of surface · NDVI estimate
- Public access
- Boat Launch
Additional depth details9 contours
- Contour depths
- 0–31 ft
- Recorded point soundings
- 31 ft, 30 ft, 27 ft, 26 ft, 12 ft
46.4% of the surface sits over water shallower than 10 ft; 15.5% is deeper than 20 ft; the survey shows 3 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 Depth, area and volume are estimated from the interpolated survey surface — historical reference, not measurement.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
- 45.75528, -87.78518
- MI DNR lake ID
- L43908
- Vertical exaggeration
- 2.63×
- Basemap
- USDA NAIP · public domain
- Model size
- 2.4 MB
Paddling
Paddling Index methodology v1.0 · calculated 2026-08-21Hamilton Lake has a mostly natural, lightly developed setting, generally sheltered geometry, limited nearby major-road exposure. 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 | 23.4 of 30 | 80% natural land cover within 150 m of shore (44% forest, 32% wetland; 12% developed) |
| Geometric wind exposure | Very Good | 20.1 of 25 | mean fetch 693 m · 33% of sampled water within 500 m of shelter · generally short fetch |
| 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 · 4 trailer spaces |
| Road isolation | Very Good | 10.1 of 15 | limited nearby major-road exposure · 11 MDOT-classified segments within 1.2 km, peak 3,629 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
- Moderate — narrow in places — wakes would carry across parts of the lake
- Aquatic vegetation
- Low — approximately 10% 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 — 44% forest and 32% wetland cover within 150 m of shore
Compare Michigan lakes by Paddling Index →
Fish you might catch
from angler catches & active stocking4 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
Crappie
BluegillFishing rules for this lake Beta
Size and daily limits for the 4 species found here — 4 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.
Official rule text for this lake
“no size limit on Northern Pike and up to five (5) Northern Pike may be retained in the daily possession limit with only one (1) 24-inches or greater. (Norway Lake and Rock Lake waters shall expire on September 15, 2028).” — 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 · 2017–2022Master Angler catches recorded on this lake — too few to show a pattern, so they are listed individually.
DNR stocking
state stocking record · 1984–2025Fish the Michigan DNR has planted in this lake — what was added, distinct from what a survey netted above.
Non-native species records
3 recordsPlants & algae
- Eurasian Watermilfoil
- Purple Loosestrife
- Reed Canarygrass
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 distanceHamilton Lake — common questions
How deep is Hamilton Lake?
The deepest contour on the Michigan DNR bathymetric survey of Hamilton Lake is 31 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 Hamilton Lake?
Hamilton Lake covers about 75 acres in Dickinson County, Michigan.
What is the average depth of Hamilton Lake?
The estimated mean depth of Hamilton Lake is 11.4 ft, calculated from the survey contours.
What fish are in Hamilton Lake?
Species with survey, catch or recent-stocking evidence include largemouth bass, walleye, bluegill, crappie. The page shows the evidence behind each.
Is there public access to Hamilton Lake?
Yes. The Michigan DNR boat-launch data identifies 1 public access site on Hamilton Lake, including Hamilton Lake.
