Wabasis Lake
depth
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Depth scale
Survey readout
Wabasis Lake is mapped to a depth of 50 ft on the Michigan DNR survey and covers about 402 acres in Kent County, Michigan.
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).
- Deepest mapped contour
- 50 ft
- Mean depth
- 25.5 ft · estimated
- Surface area
- 402 acres
- Estimated volume
- 10,274 acre-ft · 3,348M gal
- Shoreline
- 6.11 mi · irregular
- Aquatic vegetation
- 3% of surface · NDVI estimate
- Public access
- Boat Launch
Additional depth details6 contours
- Contour depths
- 0–50 ft
- Recorded point soundings
- 50 ft
21.7% of the surface sits over water shallower than 10 ft; 68.4% 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 Depth, area and volume are estimated from the interpolated survey surface — historical reference, not measurement.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
- 43.13831, -85.37803
- MI DNR lake ID
- L14572
- Vertical exaggeration
- 1.98×
- Basemap
- USDA NAIP · public domain
- Model size
- 2.4 MB
Watercraft rules
county-enforced local controls · MI DNROfficial rule details1 rule
Paddling
Paddling Index methodology v1.0 · calculated 2026-08-21Wabasis Lake has a mostly natural, lightly developed setting, moderate open-water exposure, nearby higher-volume roads. Watercraft controls: Restricted hours.
Why this score?5 components
Included in the index
| Component | Rating | Points of weight | Measurement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Natural setting | Very Good | 23.2 of 30 | 78% natural land cover within 150 m of shore (17% forest, 60% wetland; 13% developed) |
| Geometric wind exposure | Good | 12.7 of 25 | mean fetch 1,314 m · 0% of sampled water within 500 m of shelter · moderate open-water 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 · 4 ramp lanes · 48 trailer spaces |
| Road isolation | Mixed | 5.6 of 15 | nearby higher-volume roads · 24 MDOT-classified segments within 1.2 km, peak 7,464 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 — 17% forest and 60% wetland cover within 150 m of shore
Compare Michigan lakes by Paddling Index →
Fish you might catch
from angler catches12 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
Bullhead
Crappie
Yellow Perch
Bluegill
Rock Bass
Hybrid Sunfish
Pumpkinseed
Green SunfishFishing rules for this lake Beta
Size and daily limits for the 12 species found here — 12 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.
Official rule text for this lake
“protected slot limit on Northern Pike from 24 – 34 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 · 1993–2025Trophy-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 species12 species
Biggest on record
Bait: live bait (16) · minnow (15) · artificial lure (8)
Method: bowfishing (36) · still fishing (28) · spincasting (19) · trolling (9)
Non-native species records
6 recordsMussels & snails
- Banded Mysterysnail
- Zebra Mussel
Plants & algae
- Curly-leaf Pondweed
- Narrow-leaved Cattail
- Purple Loosestrife
- Starry Stonewort
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 distanceWabasis Lake — common questions
How deep is Wabasis Lake?
The deepest contour on the Michigan DNR bathymetric survey of Wabasis Lake is 50 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 Wabasis Lake?
Wabasis Lake covers about 402 acres in Kent County, Michigan.
What is the average depth of Wabasis Lake?
The estimated mean depth of Wabasis Lake is 25.5 ft, calculated from the survey contours.
What fish are in Wabasis Lake?
Species with survey, catch or recent-stocking evidence include largemouth bass, bluegill, bowfin, bullhead, crappie, green sunfish. The page lists all 12 species and the evidence behind each.
Is there public access to Wabasis Lake?
Yes. The Michigan DNR boat-launch data identifies 1 public access site on Wabasis Lake, including Wabasis Lake Park.
