Rush Lake
depth
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Depth scale
Survey readout
Rush Lake is mapped to a depth of 33 ft on the Michigan DNR survey and covers about 235 acres in Montmorency County, Michigan.
Measured from the Michigan DNR inland-lake contour survey.
- Deepest sounding
- 33 ft
- Mean depth
- 7.5 ft · estimated
- Surface area
- 235 acres
- Estimated volume
- 1,756 acre-ft · 572M gal
- Shoreline
- 3.41 mi · irregular
- Aquatic vegetation
- 3% of surface · NDVI estimate
- Public access
- Boat Launch
Additional depth details8 contours
- Contour depths
- 0–33 ft
- Recorded point soundings
- 33 ft, 29 ft, 24 ft, 11 ft
72.3% of the surface sits over water shallower than 10 ft; 14.9% is deeper than 20 ft; the survey shows 2 distinct basins. Depth, area and volume are estimated from the interpolated survey surface — historical reference, not measurement.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
- 45.11746, -84.10028
- MI DNR lake ID
- L8066
- Vertical exaggeration
- 2.56×
- 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 2026-08-21Rush Lake has a partly natural setting, generally sheltered geometry, little nearby major-road exposure. Watercraft controls: Whole-lake slow-no-wake.
Why this score?5 components
Included in the index
| Component | Rating | Points of weight | Measurement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Natural setting | Good | 18.1 of 30 | 65% natural land cover within 150 m of shore (9% forest, 55% wetland; 24% developed) |
| Geometric wind exposure | Very Good | 14.2 of 25 | mean fetch 1,145 m · 0% of sampled water within 500 m of shelter · generally short fetch |
| Watercraft controls | Whole-lake slow-no-wake | 13.8 of 15 | Slow — no wake |
| Public access | Good | 12.8 of 15 | 1 site with DNR boating-facility records · 1 ramp lane · 5 trailer spaces |
| Road isolation | Excellent | 12.1 of 15 | relatively isolated from major roads · 8 MDOT-classified segments within 1.2 km, peak 126 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 3% 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
- High — 9% forest and 55% wetland cover within 150 m of shore
Compare Michigan lakes by Paddling Index →
Fish you might catch
from angler catches & DNR surveys15 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
Largemouth Bass
Smallmouth Bass
Black Bullhead
Crappie
Yellow Bullhead
Yellow Perch
Bluegill
Rock Bass
Pumpkinseed
Golden Shiner
Bluntnose Minnow
Central Mudminnow
Iowa Darter
Johnny DarterFishing rules for this lake Beta
Size and daily limits for the 15 species found here — 15 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 · 2000–2023Trophy-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 (1) · artificial lure (1)
Method: spincasting (2) · ice fishing (2) · still fishing (1)
Fishery
surveyed 2015 · DNR SFR 2015-207Gamefish Largemouth Bass 44 · Smallmouth Bass 14 · Northern Pike 8
Panfish Bluegill 358 · Rock Bass 271 · Yellow Perch 71
All survey species14 species
Gamefish
Panfish
Bullhead & catfish
Forage & nongame
Non-native species records
1 recordMussels & snails
- Zebra Mussel
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 distanceRush Lake — common questions
How deep is Rush Lake?
The deepest contour on the Michigan DNR bathymetric survey of Rush Lake is 33 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 Rush Lake?
Rush Lake covers about 235 acres in Montmorency County, Michigan.
What is the average depth of Rush Lake?
The estimated mean depth of Rush Lake is 7.5 ft, calculated from the survey contours.
What fish are in Rush Lake?
Species with survey, catch or recent-stocking evidence include largemouth bass, northern pike, smallmouth bass, black bullhead, bluegill, crappie. The page lists all 15 species and the evidence behind each.
Is there public access to Rush Lake?
Yes. The Michigan DNR boat-launch data identifies 1 public access site on Rush Lake, including Rush Lake Flooding.
