Tawas Lake
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Survey readout
Tawas Lake is mapped to a depth of 4 ft on the Michigan DNR survey and covers about 1,541 acres in Iosco County, Michigan. Coverage is sparse: about 95% of this lake lies well away from any surveyed contour, so most of the shape shown there is interpolated between distant measurements rather than mapped.
Measured from the Michigan DNR inland-lake contour survey.
- Deepest mapped contour
- 4 ft
- Mean depth
- 0.8 ft · estimated
- Surface area
- 1,541 acres
- Estimated volume
- 1,163 acre-ft · 379M gal
- Shoreline
- 8.74 mi · irregular
- Aquatic vegetation
- 35% of surface · NDVI estimate
- Public access
- Boat Launch
Additional depth details1 contour
- Contour depths
- 0–4 ft
- Recorded point soundings
- 4 ft
100% of the surface sits over water shallower than 10 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 Depth, area and volume are estimated from the interpolated survey surface — historical reference, not measurement.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
- 44.31089, -83.48940
- MI DNR lake ID
- L12814
- 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 2026-08-21Tawas Lake has a mostly natural, lightly developed setting, notable open-water exposure, nearby higher-volume roads. Watercraft controls: Slow-no-wake zones.
Why this score?5 components
Included in the index
| Component | Rating | Points of weight | Measurement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Natural setting | Very Good | 22.4 of 30 | 75% natural land cover within 150 m of shore (2% forest, 73% wetland; 15% developed) |
| Geometric wind exposure | Mixed | 4.5 of 25 | mean fetch 2,911 m · 0% of sampled water within 500 m of shelter · long fetch in some directions |
| Watercraft controls | Slow-no-wake zones | 10.2 of 15 | Slow — no wake — designated zones only |
| Public access | Good | 12.8 of 15 | 1 site with DNR boating-facility records · 1 ramp lane · 10 trailer spaces |
| Road isolation | Mixed | 4.2 of 15 | nearby higher-volume roads · 105 MDOT-classified segments within 1.2 km, peak 11,081 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
- High — approximately 35% 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 — 2% forest and 73% wetland cover within 150 m of shore
Compare Michigan lakes by Paddling Index →
Fish you might catch
from angler catches9 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
Common Carp
Bowfin
Largemouth Bass
Crappie
Yellow Perch
Bluegill
Hybrid Sunfish
PumpkinseedFishing rules for this lake Beta
Size and daily limits for the 9 species found here — 9 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 · 1995–2023Trophy-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.
Catch details by species9 species
Biggest on record
Bait: live bait (4) · worm (2)
Method: spincasting (6) · still fishing (4) · ice fishing (2)
Non-native species records
1 recordPlants & algae
- Eurasian Watermilfoil
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 distanceTawas Lake — common questions
How deep is Tawas Lake?
The deepest contour on the Michigan DNR bathymetric survey of Tawas Lake is 4 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 Tawas Lake?
Tawas Lake covers about 1,541 acres in Iosco County, Michigan.
What is the average depth of Tawas Lake?
The estimated mean depth of Tawas Lake is 0.8 ft, calculated from the survey contours.
What fish are in Tawas Lake?
Species with survey, catch or recent-stocking evidence include largemouth bass, bluegill, bowfin, crappie, hybrid sunfish, longnose gar. The page lists all 9 species and the evidence behind each.
Is there public access to Tawas Lake?
Yes. The Michigan DNR boat-launch data identifies 1 public access site on Tawas Lake, including Tawas Lake.
