Lake Independence
depth
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Depth scale
The state-record Yellow Perch — 3.75 lb — was caught here in 1947. 21″
Survey readout
Lake Independence is mapped to a depth of 30 ft on the Michigan DNR survey and covers about 1,861 acres in Marquette 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
- 30 ft
- Mean depth
- 15.9 ft · estimated
- Surface area
- 1,861 acres
- Estimated volume
- 29,614 acre-ft · 9,650M gal
- Shoreline
- 9.19 mi · irregular
- Aquatic vegetation
- 1% of surface · NDVI estimate
- Public access
- Boat Launch
Additional depth details6 contours
- Contour depths
- 0–30 ft
- Recorded point soundings
- 30 ft
Other waters with a public launch on this map: Lake Superior. Their launches are not marked on the model — only Lake Independence’s own are.
32.7% of the surface sits over water shallower than 10 ft; 44.3% 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 Depth, area and volume are estimated from the interpolated survey surface — historical reference, not measurement.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
- 46.80656, -87.70218
- MI DNR lake ID
- L40507
- Vertical exaggeration
- 12.0× below the waterline; land at true scale
- Basemap
- USDA NAIP · public domain
- Model size
- 2.5 MB
Paddling
Paddling Index methodology v1.0 · calculated 2026-08-21Lake Independence has a partly natural setting, notable open-water exposure, some nearby classified 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 | Good | 15.6 of 35 | 50% natural land cover within 150 m of shore (30% forest, 18% wetland; 19% developed) |
| Geometric wind exposure | Mixed | 5.4 of 29 | mean fetch 2,901 m · 1% of sampled water within 500 m of shelter · long fetch in some directions |
| Watercraft controls | None identified | 8.8 of 18 | No special watercraft restriction identified in the current DNR source. Motors permitted, subject to general law. |
| Public access | Not listed | — | No DNR-listed access site. Township, county and road-end launches are not in this source, so this is not evidence that access is poor — the component is excluded and the remaining weights are renormalized. |
| Road isolation | Good | 8.0 of 18 | some nearby classified roads · 22 MDOT-classified segments within 1.2 km, peak 1,777 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 — 30% forest and 18% wetland cover within 150 m of shore
Compare Michigan lakes by Paddling Index →
Fish you might catch
from angler catches, DNR surveys & active stocking10 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
Walleyestocked
Longnose Sucker
Redhorse Sucker
White Sucker
Smallmouth Bass
Black Crappiestocked
Yellow Perch
Bluegillstocked
Rock BassFishing rules for this lake Beta
Size and daily limits for the 10 species found here — 8 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
“protected slot limit on Walleye from 18 – 23 inches; with no more than one (1) greater than 23-inches. This regulation will expire on April 1, 2038.” — 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 · 1947–2025Trophy-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 species7 species
Biggest on record
Bait: smelt (9) · live bait (8) · minnow (7)
Method: ice fishing (17) · still fishing (11) · spincasting (9) · trolling (6)
DNR stocking
state stocking record · 1991–2022Fish 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 recordFish
- Brown Trout
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 distanceLake Independence — common questions
How deep is Lake Independence?
The deepest contour on the Michigan DNR bathymetric survey of Lake Independence is 30 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 Independence?
Lake Independence covers about 1,861 acres in Marquette County, Michigan.
What is the average depth of Lake Independence?
The estimated mean depth of Lake Independence is 15.9 ft, calculated from the survey contours.
What fish are in Lake Independence?
Species with survey, catch or recent-stocking evidence include northern pike, smallmouth bass, walleye, black crappie, bluegill, rock bass. The page lists all 10 species and the evidence behind each.
Is there public access to Lake Independence?
No public launch for Lake Independence appears in the Michigan DNR access data. That is not the same as the lake being private -- municipal and private ramps are not in that source.
