Lake Sapphire
depth
Get directions
Depth scale
Survey readout
Lake Sapphire is mapped to a depth of 8 ft on the Michigan DNR survey and covers about 254 acres in Missaukee County, Michigan.
Measured from the Michigan DNR inland-lake contour survey.
- Deepest sounding
- 8 ft
- Mean depth
- 3.4 ft · estimated
- Surface area
- 254 acres
- Estimated volume
- 850 acre-ft · 277M gal
- Shoreline
- 5.28 mi · irregular
- Aquatic vegetation
- 19% of surface · NDVI estimate
- Public access
- Boat Launch
Additional depth details5 contours
- Contour depths
- 0–8 ft
- Recorded point soundings
- 8 ft, 6 ft, 4 ft, 4 ft, 4 ft, 4 ft
100% of the surface sits over water shallower than 10 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 Depth, area and volume are estimated from the interpolated survey surface — historical reference, not measurement.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.
⚠ Not for navigationSpot an error? Send a correction
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
- 44.31635, -85.26920
- MI DNR lake ID
- L15468
- Vertical exaggeration
- 12.0× below the waterline; land at true scale
- Basemap
- USDA NAIP · public domain
- Model size
- 2.2 MB
Paddling
Paddling Index methodology v1.0 · calculated 2026-08-21Lake Sapphire has a partly natural setting, generally sheltered geometry, 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 | Good | 14.8 of 30 | 59% natural land cover within 150 m of shore (32% forest, 26% wetland; 29% developed) |
| Geometric wind exposure | Very Good | 18.7 of 25 | mean fetch 770 m · 17% 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 · 6 trailer spaces |
| Road isolation | Mixed | 5.7 of 15 | nearby higher-volume roads · 9 MDOT-classified segments within 1.2 km, peak 4,384 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
- Moderate — approximately 19% 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 — 32% forest and 26% 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).
Channel Catfishstocked
Largemouth Bassstocked
Rock Bass
PumpkinseedHistorically stocked, no recent evidence: Walleye (last planted 1993) — not shown above.
Fishing 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.
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 · 2007–2025Master Angler catches recorded on this lake — too few to show a pattern, so they are listed individually.
DNR stocking
state stocking record · 1987–2025Fish the Michigan DNR has planted in this lake — what was added, distinct from what a survey netted above.
Non-native species records
No non-native species recorded in the available dataset. This does not confirm that no non-native species are present.
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 Sapphire — common questions
How deep is Lake Sapphire?
The deepest contour on the Michigan DNR bathymetric survey of Lake Sapphire is 8 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 Sapphire?
Lake Sapphire covers about 254 acres in Missaukee County, Michigan.
What is the average depth of Lake Sapphire?
The estimated mean depth of Lake Sapphire is 3.4 ft, calculated from the survey contours.
What fish are in Lake Sapphire?
Species with survey, catch or recent-stocking evidence include channel catfish, largemouth bass, pumpkinseed, rock bass. The page shows the evidence behind each.
Is there public access to Lake Sapphire?
Yes. The Michigan DNR boat-launch data identifies 1 public access site on Lake Sapphire, including Lake Sapphire.
