Stony Creek Lake
depth
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Depth scale
The state-record White Crappie — 3.39 lb — was caught here in 2000. 19.5″ · Spincasting · on Worden's Rooster Tail
Survey readout
Stony Creek Lake is mapped to a depth of 23 ft on the Michigan DNR survey and covers about 512 acres in Macomb County, Michigan.
Measured from the Michigan DNR inland-lake contour survey.
- Deepest sounding
- 23 ft
- Mean depth
- 7.1 ft · estimated
- Surface area
- 512 acres
- Estimated volume
- 3,586 acre-ft · 1,168M gal
- Shoreline
- 6.47 mi · irregular
- Aquatic vegetation
- 5% of surface · NDVI estimate
- Public access
- Boat Launch
Additional depth details5 contours
- Contour depths
- 0–23 ft
- Recorded point soundings
- 23 ft, 23 ft
66.1% of the surface sits over water shallower than 10 ft; 2.3% 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 Depth, area and volume are estimated from the interpolated survey surface — historical reference, not measurement.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
- 42.72558, -83.08712
- MI DNR lake ID
- L5665
- Vertical exaggeration
- 2.9×
- Basemap
- USDA NAIP · public domain
- Model size
- 2.6 MB
Watercraft rules
county-enforced local controls · MI DNROfficial rule details2 rules
Paddling
Paddling Index methodology v1.0 · calculated 2026-08-21Stony Creek Lake has a mixed natural and developed setting, moderate open-water exposure, substantial nearby higher-volume roads. Watercraft controls: High-speed boating prohibited in zones.
Why this score?5 components
Included in the index
| Component | Rating | Points of weight | Measurement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Natural setting | Mixed | 12.2 of 35 | 51% natural land cover within 150 m of shore (26% forest, 22% wetland; 40% developed) |
| Geometric wind exposure | Good | 12.4 of 29 | mean fetch 1,622 m · 0% of sampled water within 500 m of shelter · moderate open-water fetch |
| Watercraft controls | High-speed boating prohibited in zones | 10.9 of 18 | High-speed boating prohibited — designated zones only; Local control — designated zones only |
| 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 | Modest | 2.4 of 18 | substantial nearby higher-volume roads · 105 MDOT-classified segments within 1.2 km, peak 23,070 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 5% 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 — 26% forest and 22% wetland cover within 150 m of shore
Compare Michigan lakes by Paddling Index →
Fish you might catch
from angler catches, DNR surveys & active stocking19 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
Common Carp
Channel Catfish
Walleye
Largemouth Bass
White Sucker
Smallmouth Bass
Brown BullheadBullhead
Black CrappieCrappie
White Crappie
Yellow Perch
Bluegill
Rock Bass
Warmouth
Hybrid Sunfish
Pumpkinseed
Green SunfishHistorically stocked, no recent evidence: Brown Trout (last planted 1991) — not shown above.
Fishing rules for this lake Beta
Size and daily limits for the 19 species found here — 19 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 · 1994–2025Trophy-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 species13 species
Biggest on record
Bait: live bait (53) · artificial lure (49) · minnow (31)
Method: spincasting (97) · still fishing (80) · ice fishing (25) · trolling (25)
Fishery
surveyed 2011 · DNR SFR 2012-144Gamefish Largemouth Bass 116 · Channel Catfish 20 · Northern Pike 4 · Walleye 2
Panfish Bluegill 2,332 · Pumpkinseed 427 · Black Crappie 115
All survey species14 species
Gamefish
Panfish
Bullhead & catfish
Forage & nongame
DNR stocking
state stocking record · 1980–2024Fish the Michigan DNR has planted in this lake — what was added, distinct from what a survey netted above.
Complete stocking history4 older species
Non-native species records
9 recordsMussels & snails
- Freshwater Golden Clam
- Zebra Mussel
Plants & algae
- Common Reed
- Eurasian Watermilfoil
- Flowering Rush
- Narrow-leaved Cattail
- Starry Stonewort
- Yellow Iris
Fish
- Round Goby
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.
Public fishing access
MI DNR family-friendly fishingCounty-managed · Entry fee · Modern restrooms · Paved parking
Amenities: Swimming, beach, boat launch, picnic tables, boat rental, camping, hiking
“Stony Creek Lake is a 498 acre impoundment of Stony Creek. The lake is shallow, with 40% being less than 10 feet deep. Most of the shoreline is available to anglers and a fishing pier is available as well.”
At the lake
community-mapped amenities · straight-line distanceBait & tackle nearby
licensed retail bait dealers · straight-line distanceStony Creek Lake — common questions
How deep is Stony Creek Lake?
The deepest contour on the Michigan DNR bathymetric survey of Stony Creek Lake is 23 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 Stony Creek Lake?
Stony Creek Lake covers about 512 acres in Macomb County, Michigan.
What is the average depth of Stony Creek Lake?
The estimated mean depth of Stony Creek Lake is 7.1 ft, calculated from the survey contours.
What fish are in Stony Creek Lake?
Species with survey, catch or recent-stocking evidence include channel catfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, smallmouth bass, walleye, black crappie. The page lists all 19 species and the evidence behind each.
Is there public access to Stony Creek Lake?
Yes. The Michigan DNR boat-launch data identifies 1 public access site on Stony Creek Lake, including Stony Creek Metro Park.
