Lower Herring Lake
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Depth scale
Survey readout
Lower Herring Lake is mapped to a depth of 50 ft on the Michigan DNR survey and covers about 463 acres in Benzie 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
- 50 ft
- Mean depth
- 32.2 ft · estimated
- Surface area
- 463 acres
- Estimated volume
- 14,899 acre-ft · 4,855M gal
- Shoreline
- 3.79 mi · lobed
- Aquatic vegetation
- 1% of surface · NDVI estimate
- Public access
- Boat Launch
Additional depth details3 contours
- Contour depths
- 0–50 ft
- Recorded point soundings
- 50 ft
17.6% of the surface sits over water shallower than 10 ft; 74.1% 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 Depth, area and volume are estimated from the interpolated survey surface — historical reference, not measurement.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
- 44.56458, -86.21326
- MI DNR lake ID
- L38301
- Vertical exaggeration
- 1.98×
- Basemap
- USDA NAIP · public domain
- Model size
- 2.2 MB
Paddling
Paddling Index methodology v1.0 · calculated 2026-08-21Lower Herring Lake has a partly natural setting, moderate 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 | 17.6 of 30 | 67% natural land cover within 150 m of shore (64% forest, 1% wetland; 18% developed) |
| Geometric wind exposure | Good | 10.5 of 25 | mean fetch 1,628 m · 0% of sampled water within 500 m of shelter · moderate open-water 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 | Good | 7.2 of 15 | some nearby classified roads · 28 MDOT-classified segments within 1.2 km, peak 1,117 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 — 64% forest and 1% wetland cover within 150 m of shore
Compare Michigan lakes by Paddling Index →
Fish you might catch
from angler catches, DNR surveys & active stocking17 species with recent evidence in this lake — sized relative to each other. Illustrations are AI-generated representative adults in everyday colours, not photographs (provenance).
Longnose Gar
Bowfin
Channel Catfish
Walleye
Silver Redhorse
Freshwater Drum
White Sucker
Quillback
Shorthead Redhorse
Smallmouth Bass
Rock Bass
Round Goby
Bluntnose Minnow
Spottail Shiner
Iowa Darter
Johnny Darter
Mimic ShinerFishing rules for this lake Beta
Size and daily limits for the 17 species found here — 16 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 · 1995–2024Trophy-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.
Biggest on record
Bait: artificial lure (2) · minnow (1)
Method: trolling (4) · spincasting (1) · ice fishing (1)
Fishery
surveyed 2015 · DNR SFR 2015-211Gamefish Bowfin 1
All survey species13 species
Gamefish
Forage & nongame
DNR stocking
state stocking record · 1990–2025Fish the Michigan DNR has planted in this lake — what was added, distinct from what a survey netted above.
Non-native species records
3 recordsMussels & snails
- Zebra Mussel
Plants & algae
- Narrow-leaved Cattail
- 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 distanceLower Herring Lake — common questions
How deep is Lower Herring Lake?
The deepest contour on the Michigan DNR bathymetric survey of Lower Herring Lake is 50 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 Lower Herring Lake?
Lower Herring Lake covers about 463 acres in Benzie County, Michigan.
What is the average depth of Lower Herring Lake?
The estimated mean depth of Lower Herring Lake is 32.2 ft, calculated from the survey contours.
What fish are in Lower Herring Lake?
Species with survey, catch or recent-stocking evidence include channel catfish, smallmouth bass, walleye, bowfin, freshwater drum, longnose gar. The page lists all 17 species and the evidence behind each.
Is there public access to Lower Herring Lake?
Yes. The Michigan DNR boat-launch data identifies 2 public access sites on Lower Herring Lake, including Lower Herring Lake.
