Pickerel Lake
depth
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Depth scale
Survey readout
Pickerel Lake is mapped to a depth of 72 ft on the Michigan DNR survey and covers about 101 acres in Kalkaska County, Michigan.
Measured from the Michigan DNR inland-lake contour survey.
- Deepest sounding
- 72 ft
- Mean depth
- 26.3 ft · estimated
- Surface area
- 101 acres
- Estimated volume
- 2,648 acre-ft · 863M gal
- Shoreline
- 1.76 mi · lobed
- Aquatic vegetation
- 1% of surface · NDVI estimate
- Trophic state
- Mesotrophic · satellite estimate · details
- Public access
- Boat Launch
Additional depth details10 contours
- Contour depths
- 0–72 ft
- Recorded point soundings
- 72 ft
38.5% of the surface sits over water shallower than 10 ft; 55% 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 Depth, area and volume are estimated from the interpolated survey surface — historical reference, not measurement.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. Color shows surveyed depth; dark lines are the survey's own isobaths.
- Coordinates
- 44.80006, -84.97604
- MI DNR lake ID
- L5979
- Vertical exaggeration
- 1.4×
- Basemap
- USDA NAIP · public domain
- Model size
- 2.5 MB
Lake productivity & trophic state
Satellite estimateSatellite-estimated classification: Mesotrophic. Moderate nutrient levels and biological productivity. Based on satellite estimates of summer chlorophyll-a (LAGOS-US LANDSAT, 2020). No lake-specific measurement is available in this dataset.
Trophic state describes how biologically productive a lake is, based on indicators such as nutrients, algae and water clarity. It is not a swimming-safety or overall water-quality rating.
What do the categories mean?
- Oligotrophic≤ 2 µg/L · lower nutrient and algae levels, often clearer water and lower biological productivity.
- Mesotrophic · this lake2–7 µg/L · moderate nutrient levels and biological productivity.
- Eutrophic7–30 µg/L · higher nutrient levels and biological productivity, often with more algae or aquatic plant growth.
- Hypereutrophic> 30 µg/L · very high nutrient levels and biological productivity, with a greater potential for heavy algae growth and low water clarity.
Bands are summer (June–August) mean chlorophyll-a, the green pigment in algae, at the EPA 2012 National Lakes Assessment thresholds. Trophic condition can change over time and by measurement method. Source: Midwest Glacial Lakes Partnership Conservation Planner; satellite chlorophyll-a estimates from LAGOS-US LANDSAT.
Watercraft rules
county-enforced local controls · MI DNROfficial rule details1 rule
Paddling
Paddling Index methodology v1.0 · calculated 2026-09-23Pickerel Lake has a partly natural setting, generally sheltered geometry, little nearby major-road exposure. Watercraft controls: Restricted hours.
Why this score?5 components
Included in the index
| Component | Rating | Points of weight | Measurement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Natural setting | Good | 15.3 of 30 | 60% natural land cover within 150 m of shore (49% forest, 8% wetland; 30% developed) |
| Geometric wind exposure | Very Good | 18.9 of 25 | mean fetch 733 m · 4% of sampled water within 500 m of shelter · generally short fetch |
| Watercraft controls | Restricted hours | 9.3 of 15 | Restricted hours |
| Public access | Good | 12.8 of 15 | 1 site with DNR boating-facility records · 1 ramp lane · 6 trailer spaces |
| Road isolation | Excellent | 13.5 of 15 | relatively isolated from major roads · 6 MDOT-classified segments within 1.2 km, peak 24 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 — 49% forest and 8% wetland cover within 150 m of shore
Compare Michigan lakes by Paddling Index →
Fish you might catch
from angler catches, DNR surveys & active stocking16 species with recent evidence in this lake — sized relative to each other. Illustrations are AI-generated representative adults in everyday colors, not photographs (provenance).
Walleyestocked
White Sucker
Golden Shiner
Banded Killifish
Bluntnose Minnow
Central Mudminnow
Blacknose Shiner
Iowa Darter
Mimic Shiner
Sand ShinerAbout these fish → the Fish of Michigan guide
Fishing rules for this lake Beta
Size and daily limits for the 16 species found here — 16 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 2026-09-15. Regulations can change — Michigan DNR rules are the controlling source; verify current regulations before fishing. Official regulations
Notable catches
Master Angler program · 1998–2025Trophy-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.
Biggest on record
Bait: live bait (5) · crawler (3) · artificial lure (2) · worm (2)
Method: spincasting (8) · still fishing (7) · drift fishing (2)
Fishery
surveyed 2023All survey species9 species
Forage & nongame
DNR stocking
state stocking record · 1990–2024Fish the Michigan DNR has planted in this lake — what was added, distinct from what a survey netted above.
Non-native species records
1 recordMussels & snails
How to identify invasive species in Michigan lakes →
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 distancePickerel Lake — common questions
How deep is Pickerel Lake?
The deepest contour on the Michigan DNR bathymetric survey of Pickerel Lake is 72 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 Pickerel Lake?
Pickerel Lake covers about 101 acres in Kalkaska County, Michigan.
What is the average depth of Pickerel Lake?
The estimated mean depth of Pickerel Lake is 26.3 ft, calculated from the survey contours.
What fish are in Pickerel Lake?
Species with survey, catch or recent-stocking evidence include largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, walleye, bluegill, crappie, pumpkinseed. The page lists all 16 species and the evidence behind each.
Is there public access to Pickerel Lake?
Yes. The Michigan DNR boat-launch data identifies 1 public access site on Pickerel Lake, including Pickerel Lake SFCG.
