Pickerel Lake, Emmet County, MI: Depth Map, Fishing & Water Quality

Today on the lake

Updated 9 Oct 2026, 3:00 am EDT. Get alerts for Pickerel Lake

WEATHEROvernight: partly cloudy, 40°F, wind SW 5 mph. Friday: sunny, 61°F, wind W 5 mph.

WARNINGSNo weather or fire warnings in effect.

FIRENo wildfires or prescribed burns reported within 25 miles.

BURNINGCampfires and debris burning: check today's status with Michigan DNR.

ALGAENo satellite record found for this lake. No bloom reports on record with Michigan DHHS.

National Weather Service; National Interagency Fire Center; U.S. EPA CyAN satellite; Michigan DHHS; Michigan DNR. Weather, warnings, fires and satellite refresh when you open the page (checked at most hourly).

Depth map

10 contours, 10 to 74 ft

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Michigan DNR survey, fetched 7 Oct 2026. Not for navigation.

Size and depth

1,082 acres · deepest 74 ft (measured) · shoreline about 7.9 mi · clarity about 7 ft

Pickerel Lake is the 3rd largest of the 15 named lakes of 10 acres or more in Emmet County. By Michigan DNR survey it is the deepest of the 10 with a measured depth. Its water is clearer than 6 of the other 11 lakes in the county with satellite clarity readings. Its shoreline measures about 7.9 miles along the state outline. About 1% of its area is deeper than 50 ft.

Ranks against Emmet County lakes in Michigan hydrography, Michigan DNR lake surveys and Michigan EGLE satellite clarity; shoreline measured from the state outline. How we measure

Fishing

Michigan DNR has stocked Pickerel Lake 13 times since 1981. The most recent stocking was 6,500 walleye on 9 June 2006. Species stocked: walleye.

13 stockings, 1981 to 2006, log scale

Latest: 9 Jun 2006: 6,500 walleye.

9 Jun 2006STOCKED6,500 walleye

8 Jun 2006STOCKED12,500 walleye

14 Jun 2004STOCKED24,445 walleye

1 Jun 2000STOCKED12,500 walleye

25 May 1998STOCKED28,000 walleye

22 Jun 1996STOCKED25,000 walleye

Source: Michigan DNR Fisheries, fetched 7 Oct 2026. How we measure

Where the deep water is

Show water deeper than

Measured from Michigan DNR contours. How we measure

Historically recorded species, from records through 1960: bluegill, bluntnose minnow, bowfin, brown bullhead, common shiner, iowa darter, johnny darter, largemouth bass, longnose gar, northern logperch, northern pearl dace, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, sand shiner, slimy sculpin, smallmouth bass, walleye, western banded killifish, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Historic records, not a current survey.

Michigan Fish Atlas.

Water quality

Average water clarity is about 7 ft (Secchi depth 2.1 m, satellite readings 2018–23).

Clarity 6.9 ft of 74 ft

Michigan EGLE satellite clarity, fetched 7 Oct 2026.

Nearby lakes with measured depth

Crooked Lake50 ft deep · 3.1 mi · Emmet County

Round Lake12 ft deep · 5.8 mi · Emmet County

NO NAME10 ft deep · 6.3 mi · Emmet County

Mud Lake9 ft deep · 6.3 mi · Emmet County

Weber Lake40 ft deep · 7.5 mi · Cheboygan County

Burt Lake73 ft deep · 7.9 mi · Cheboygan County

Michigan DNR survey; straight-line miles.

Common questions

How deep is Pickerel Lake?

Pickerel Lake is 74 feet at its deepest point, measured by Michigan DNR survey. It covers 1,082 acres.

Is Pickerel Lake stocked with fish?

Yes. Michigan DNR has stocked it 13 times since 1981, most recently 6,500 walleye on 9 June 2006.

How much of Pickerel Lake is deeper than 10 feet?

About 31% of the lake's area is deeper than 10 feet, measured from Michigan DNR depth contours.