Lake Charlevoix
depth
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Depth scale
Survey readout
Lake Charlevoix is mapped to a depth of 122 ft on the Michigan DNR survey and covers about 16,904 acres in Charlevoix County, Michigan.
Measured from the Michigan DNR inland-lake contour survey.
- Deepest sounding
- 122 ft
- Mean depth
- 55.1 ft · estimated
- Surface area
- 16,904 acres
- Estimated volume
- 930,294 acre-ft · 303,137M gal
- Shoreline
- 55.85 mi · irregular
- Aquatic vegetation
- 5% of surface · NDVI estimate
- Public access
- Boat Launch
Additional depth details17 contours
- Contour depths
- 0–122 ft
- Recorded point soundings
- 122 ft, 52 ft, 42 ft, 31 ft
Other waters with a public launch on this map: Jordan River, Wilson Lake, Susan Lake, Sixmile Lake, Adams Lake, Deer Lake and 9 more. Their launches are not marked on the model — only Lake Charlevoix’s own are.
9.4% of the surface sits over water shallower than 10 ft; 79.1% 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 Depth, area and volume are estimated from the interpolated survey surface — historical reference, not measurement.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
- 45.25578, -85.13918
- MI DNR lake ID
- L1620
- Vertical exaggeration
- 9.97× below the waterline; land at true scale
- Basemap
- USDA NAIP · public domain
- Model size
- 2.3 MB
Watercraft rules
county-enforced local controls · MI DNROfficial rule details1 rule
Paddling
Paddling Index methodology v1.0 · calculated 2026-08-21Lake Charlevoix has a mixed natural and developed setting, long open-water fetch, substantial nearby higher-volume roads. Watercraft controls: Slow-no-wake zones.
Why this score?5 components
Included in the index
| Component | Rating | Points of weight | Measurement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Natural setting | Mixed | 8.4 of 30 | 43% natural land cover within 150 m of shore (22% forest, 16% wetland; 28% developed) |
| Geometric wind exposure | Modest | 1.2 of 25 | mean fetch 7,436 m · 0% of sampled water within 500 m of shelter · long open-water fetch |
| Watercraft controls | Slow-no-wake zones | 10.2 of 15 | Slow — no wake — designated zones only |
| Public access | Good | 12.8 of 15 | 13 sites with DNR boating-facility records · 24 ramp lanes · 309 trailer spaces |
| Road isolation | Modest | 0.8 of 15 | substantial nearby higher-volume roads · 654 MDOT-classified segments within 1.2 km, peak 14,704 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
- Limited — 22% forest and 16% wetland cover within 150 m of shore
Compare Michigan lakes by Paddling Index →
Fish you might catch
from angler catches & active stocking25 species with recent evidence in this lake — sized relative to each other. Illustrations are AI-generated representative adults in everyday colours, not photographs (provenance).
Chinook Salmon
Longnose Gar
Northern Pike
Common Carp
Channel Catfish
Coho Salmon
Lake Trout
Walleye
Burbot
Pink Salmon
Brown Trout
Rainbow Trout
Redhorse Sucker
Freshwater Drum
White Sucker
Smallmouth Bass
Menominee Whitefish
Cisco
Bullhead
Crappie
White Perch
Yellow Perch
Bluegill
Rock Bass
PumpkinseedHistorically stocked, no recent evidence: Atlantic Salmon (last planted 1986) — not shown above.
Fishing rules for this lake Beta
Size and daily limits for the 25 species found here — 24 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.
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 species25 species
Biggest on record
Bait: artificial lure (118) · live bait (22) · minnow (13)
Method: ice fishing (125) · spincasting (53) · trolling (49) · still fishing (48)
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 history4 older species
Non-native species records
7 recordsMussels & snails
- Zebra Mussel
Plants & algae
- Purple Loosestrife
- Reed Canarygrass
- White Cattail
Fish
- Brown TroutMichigan DNR stocking records also document Brown Trout stocking in this lake.
- Round Goby
- Sea Lamprey
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.
Public fishing access
MI DNR family-friendly fishingState-managed · Free · Modern restrooms · Paved parking
“This large lake has multiple public access points.”
At the lake
community-mapped amenities · straight-line distanceBait & tackle nearby
licensed retail bait dealers · straight-line distanceLake Charlevoix — common questions
How deep is Lake Charlevoix?
The deepest contour on the Michigan DNR bathymetric survey of Lake Charlevoix is 122 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 Lake Charlevoix?
Lake Charlevoix covers about 16,904 acres in Charlevoix County, Michigan.
What is the average depth of Lake Charlevoix?
The estimated mean depth of Lake Charlevoix is 55.1 ft, calculated from the survey contours.
What fish are in Lake Charlevoix?
Species with survey, catch or recent-stocking evidence include brown trout, burbot, channel catfish, chinook salmon, coho salmon, lake trout. The page lists all 25 species and the evidence behind each.
Is there public access to Lake Charlevoix?
Yes. The Michigan DNR boat-launch data identifies 7 public access sites on Lake Charlevoix, including Dutchman's Bay.
