Presque Isle County · Michigan

Lake Esau

Soundings in feet · 319 acres · deepest 29 ft

Where it is

12 miles east of Posen

Presque Isle County, Michigan · 45.3127° N, 83.4656° W

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The Michigan DNR lists no public access site on Lake Esau; much of the shore may be private.

Today on the lake

Updated 14 Oct 2026, 5:45 pm EDT. Get alerts for Lake Esau

WEATHERThis Afternoon: partly sunny, 55°F, wind NW 15 mph. Tonight: mostly cloudy, 44°F, wind NE 10 to 15 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 cyanobacteria detected by satellite on 11 Oct 2026, the latest clear-sky image.

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

7 contours, 5 to 29 ft

05101520252729feet

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

Size and depth

319 acres · deepest 29 ft (measured) · shoreline about 3.0 mi · clarity about 13 ft

Lake Esau is the 4th largest of the 60 named lakes of 10 acres or more in Presque Isle County. By Michigan DNR survey it is the 12th deepest of the 33 with a measured depth. Its water is clearer than 47 of the other 47 lakes in the county with satellite clarity readings. Its shoreline measures about 3.0 miles along the state outline. About 22% of its area is deeper than 20 ft.

Ranks against Presque Isle 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 Lake Esau 21 times since 1987. The most recent stocking was 13,462 walleye on 10 June 2025. Species stocked: brown trout, splake, walleye.

21 stockings, 1987 to 2025, log scale

Latest: 10 Jun 2025: 13,462 walleye.

10 Jun 2025STOCKED13,462 walleye

7 Jun 2023STOCKED15,284 walleye

17 Jun 2021STOCKED11,844 walleye

11 Jun 2018STOCKED25,119 walleye

8 Jun 2016STOCKED13,750 walleye

17 Jun 2014STOCKED17,877 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 1923: bluntnose minnow, iowa darter, johnny darter, mimic shiner, northern logperch, rainbow darter, sand shiner, yellow perch. Historic records, not a current survey.

Michigan Fish Atlas.

Water quality

Average water clarity is about 13 ft (Secchi depth 4.1 m, satellite readings 2018–23).

Clarity 13.3 ft of 29 ft

Michigan EGLE satellite clarity, fetched 7 Oct 2026.

Email me about Lake EsauWhen it is stockedMichigan DNR has stocked Lake Esau 21 times since 1987, most recently 13,462 walleye on 10 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 Presque Isle CountyStockings and algae records on every lake in the county. In 2026 so far: 2 emails.

Lake Esau 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 Lake Esau

27 other lakes of 10+ acres within about 13 miles of Lake Esau, 2 with a page here (darker blue). Sources: Michigan DNR, US Census Bureau.

Nearby lakes with measured depth

Grand Lake25 ft deep · 1.8 mi · Presque Isle County

Long Lake25 ft deep · 6.2 mi · Alpena County

Lake Augusta10 ft deep · 9.3 mi · Presque Isle County

Little Trout Lake4 ft deep · 10.4 mi · Presque Isle County

Ninth Street Pond23 ft deep · 16.8 mi · Alpena County

Devils Lake5 ft deep · 23.1 mi · Alpena County

Michigan DNR survey; straight-line miles.

Common questions

How deep is Lake Esau?

Lake Esau is 29 feet at its deepest point, measured by Michigan DNR survey. It covers 319 acres.

Is Lake Esau stocked with fish?

Yes. Michigan DNR has stocked it 21 times since 1987, most recently 13,462 walleye on 10 June 2025.

How much of Lake Esau is deeper than 10 feet?

About 54% of the lake's area is deeper than 10 feet, measured from Michigan DNR depth contours.