Newaygo County · Michigan

Pickerel Lake

Soundings in feet · 308 acres · deepest 73 ft

Where it is

3 miles north of Newaygo

Newaygo County, Michigan · 43.4576° N, 85.8106° W

Directions to Pickerel Lake Apple Maps

Directions open in Google or Apple Maps, to the Michigan DNR public access site.

Today on the lake

Updated 10 Oct 2026, 12:24 am EDT. Get alerts for Pickerel Lake

WEATHEROvernight: slight chance rain showers, 55°F, wind ESE 8 mph. Saturday: mostly sunny, 77°F, wind SSE 7 to 12 mph.

WARNINGSNo weather or fire warnings in effect.

FIREPrescribed burn Newaygo Prairie RX, 78 acres, 5.9 mi away, began 7 Oct 2026. A planned fire set by land managers. Prescribed burn SER 439 South RX, 43 acres, 17.6 mi away, began 8 Oct 2026. A planned fire set by land managers. Prescribed burn Boreman Ranch RX, 42 acres, 20.8 mi away, began 9 Oct 2026. A planned fire set by land managers.

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

ALGAENo cyanobacteria detected by satellite on 8 Oct 2026, the latest clear-sky image.

LAUNCHESPickerel Lake: listed open. Michigan DNR record updated 3 Apr 2026.

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

15 contours, 4 to 73 ft

04510152030374043455057607073feet

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

Size and depth

308 acres · deepest 73 ft (measured) · shoreline about 5.2 mi · clarity about 12 ft

Pickerel Lake is the 5th largest of the 75 named lakes of 10 acres or more in Newaygo County. By Michigan DNR survey it is the 4th deepest of the 27 with a measured depth. Its water is clearer than 44 of the other 61 lakes in the county with satellite clarity readings. Its shoreline measures about 5.2 miles along the state outline. About 31% of its area is deeper than 40 ft.

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

Getting on the water

1 public access site on Pickerel Lake.

Pickerel Lake · Newaygo State Park · Open

1 ramp lane · 5 trailer spaces · 2 car spaces · vault toilet · Recreation Passport required

Local boating rules, Newaygo County

Michigan DNR boating access, fetched 7 Oct 2026.

Fishing

Michigan DNR has stocked Pickerel Lake 24 times since 1987. The most recent stocking was 16,219 walleye on 4 June 2025. Species stocked: walleye.

24 stockings, 1987 to 2025, log scale

Latest: 4 Jun 2025: 16,219 walleye.

4 Jun 2025STOCKED16,219 walleye

30 Jun 2022STOCKED21,627 walleye

5 Jun 2019STOCKED15,953 walleye

30 Oct 2018STOCKED1,757 walleye

2 Jun 2017STOCKED15,404 walleye

3 Jun 2015STOCKED16,289 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 1984: black crappie, blackchin shiner, blacknose shiner, bluegill, bluntnose minnow, brown bullhead, central mudminnow, golden shiner, grass pickerel, green sunfish, iowa darter, johnny darter, lake herring, largemouth bass, mimic shiner, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, western banded killifish, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Historic records, not a current survey.

Michigan Fish Atlas.

Water quality

Average water clarity is about 12 ft (Secchi depth 3.7 m, satellite readings 2018–23).

Clarity 12.2 ft of 73 ft

Michigan EGLE satellite clarity, fetched 7 Oct 2026.

Email me about Pickerel LakeWhen it is stockedMichigan DNR has stocked Pickerel Lake 24 times since 1987, most recently 16,219 walleye on 4 June 2025. None so far in 2026.When algae is reported or testedMichigan DHHS has no records for this lake yet. We email when the first one is posted.When satellite sees a bloom startEPA satellite, checked daily, June to October. We email when a bloom first shows on two clear days, not every day it stays. It has not happened in 2026.Any lake in Newaygo CountyStockings and algae records on every lake in the county. In 2026 so far: 7 emails.

Pickerel Lake has had no stockings or algae records in 2026, so its own alerts would have sent nothing this year. The county alert is on by default.

Email address

At most one email a week per lake. We email you a link to confirm before any alert is sent; every email has a one-click unsubscribe.

The area around Pickerel Lake

28 other lakes of 10+ acres within about 6 miles of Pickerel Lake, 4 with a page here (darker blue); 1 public launch in magenta. Sources: Michigan DNR, US Census Bureau.

Nearby lakes with measured depth

Kimball Lake40 ft deep · 0.9 mi · Newaygo County

Emerald Lake49 ft deep · 1.0 mi · Newaygo County

Sylvan Lake63 ft deep · 1.4 mi · Newaygo County

Little Lake Placid15 ft deep · 2.1 mi · Newaygo County

Twinwood Lake20 ft deep · 2.5 mi · Newaygo County

Ryerson Lake80 ft deep · 3.0 mi · Newaygo County

Michigan DNR survey; straight-line miles.

Common questions

How deep is Pickerel Lake?

Pickerel Lake is 73 feet at its deepest point, measured by Michigan DNR survey. It covers 308 acres.

Is there a public boat launch on Pickerel Lake?

Yes. 1 public access site is listed: Pickerel Lake.

Is Pickerel Lake stocked with fish?

Yes. Michigan DNR has stocked it 24 times since 1987, most recently 16,219 walleye on 4 June 2025.

How much of Pickerel Lake is deeper than 10 feet?

About 72% of the lake's area is deeper than 10 feet, measured from Michigan DNR depth contours.