Torch Lake
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Depth scale
Survey readout
Torch Lake is mapped to a depth of 250 ft on the Michigan DNR survey and covers about 18,998 acres in Antrim County, Michigan. The same survey chart also carries a spot sounding of 285 ft off Christian Point in the northern basin, taken during the June 1953 survey and never carried into the digital contour data — which is why Torch Lake is commonly cited deeper than the mapped 250 ft.
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).
The marked point is a 285 ft spot sounding, not a contour. The Michigan DNR chart for Torch Lake carries two kinds of depth: contour rings, and spot soundings printed beside a location dot. Only the rings were digitised, so the basin you see is drawn to the deepest ring, 250 ft — while the marker shows the deeper sounding the same survey recorded off Christian Point in the northern basin, placed by registering that chart against this map. Both numbers are the same agency’s; they differ because they measure different things. — Institute for Fisheries Research, Division of Fisheries, Michigan Conservation Department; lake inventory map, marginal survey and soundings, June 1953.
- Deepest sounding
- 285 ft · June 1953 survey
- Deepest mapped contour
- 250 ft
- Mean depth
- 133.8 ft · estimated
- Surface area
- 18,998 acres
- Estimated volume
- 2,533,391 acre-ft · 825,508M gal
- Shoreline
- 42.72 mi · irregular
- Aquatic vegetation
- 6% of surface · NDVI estimate
- Public access
- Boat Launch
Additional depth details5 contours
- Contour depths
- 0–285 ft
- Recorded point soundings
- No point soundings recorded in source
Other waters with a public launch on this map: Intermediate Lake, Clam Lake, Elk Lake, Rapid River, Birch Lake, Wilson Lake and 2 more. Their launches are not marked on the model — only Torch Lake’s own are.
11.5% of the surface sits over water shallower than 10 ft; 83.5% 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 Depth, area and volume are estimated from the interpolated survey surface — historical reference, not measurement.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
- 44.98038, -85.31414
- MI DNR lake ID
- L9685
- Vertical exaggeration
- 4.26× below the waterline; land at true scale
- 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 2026-08-21Torch Lake has a mixed natural and developed setting, long open-water fetch, substantial 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 | Mixed | 10.8 of 30 | 48% natural land cover within 150 m of shore (29% forest, 13% wetland; 29% developed) |
| Geometric wind exposure | Modest | 1.2 of 25 | mean fetch 11,954 m · 0% of sampled water within 500 m of shelter · long open-water fetch |
| Watercraft controls | Slow-no-wake zones | 10.2 of 15 | Slow — no wake — designated zones only |
| Public access | Excellent | 15.0 of 15 | 4 sites with DNR boating-facility records · carry-in launch · 4 ramp lanes · 73 trailer spaces |
| Road isolation | Modest | 0.8 of 15 | substantial nearby higher-volume roads · 283 MDOT-classified segments within 1.2 km, peak 7,113 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 6% 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
- Limited — 29% forest and 13% wetland cover within 150 m of shore
Compare Michigan lakes by Paddling Index →
Fish you might catch
from angler catches & active stocking13 species with recent evidence in this lake — sized relative to each other. Illustrations are AI-generated representative adults in everyday colours, not photographs (provenance).
Muskellunge
Atlantic Salmon
Lake Trout
Walleye
Burbot
Brown Trout
Rainbow Trout
Lake Whitefish
Smallmouth Bass
Cisco
Crappie
Yellow Perch
Rock BassHistorically stocked, no recent evidence: Brook Trout (last planted 1987) — not shown above.
Fishing rules for this lake Beta
Size and daily limits for the 13 species found here — 12 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.
Official rule text for this lake
“the minimum size limit for Muskellunge is 50-inches.” — FO-206
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: artificial lure (18) · minnow (7)
Method: trolling (31) · spincasting (20) · still fishing (12) · ice fishing (12)
DNR stocking
state stocking record · 1979–2026Fish 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
4 recordsMussels & snails
- Zebra Mussel
Plants & algae
- Eurasian Watermilfoil
- Purple Loosestrife
Fish
- Rainbow Smelt
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 distanceTorch Lake — common questions
How deep is Torch Lake?
The Michigan DNR survey chart for Torch Lake records two different depths. Its deepest contour ring is 285 ft, which is the figure carried into the digital bathymetry and rendered on the map here. The same chart also shows a spot sounding of 285 ft off Christian Point in the northern basin, taken during the June 1953 survey, which was never digitised — so 285 ft is the deepest depth the Michigan DNR actually measured, and 285 ft is the deepest depth it mapped.
How big is Torch Lake?
Torch Lake covers about 18,998 acres in Antrim County, Michigan.
What is the average depth of Torch Lake?
The estimated mean depth of Torch Lake is 133.8 ft, calculated from the survey contours.
What fish are in Torch Lake?
Species with survey, catch or recent-stocking evidence include atlantic salmon, brown trout, burbot, lake trout, lake whitefish, muskellunge. The page lists all 13 species and the evidence behind each.
Is there public access to Torch Lake?
Yes. The Michigan DNR boat-launch data identifies 5 public access sites on Torch Lake, including Forest Home Township Park.
