How deep is Black Lake?

Black Lake reaches a maximum depth of 50 feet in the Michigan DNR Inland Lake Contours survey. Most of it is far shallower: the survey charts 10 closed depth contours over about 10,393 acres, and half of that water sits inside the 35 ft line.

Where is the deepest part of Black Lake?

The deepest charted water on Black Lake lies inside the 50 ft contour, toward the southern end of the lake. That contour encloses 820 acres, 7.9% of the mapped water, so it is a small target on a big lake, the depth chart above gives the contour to line up on.

How much of Black Lake is shallower than 35 feet?

About half. The 35 ft contour encloses 4,699 acres of the roughly 10,393 acres inside the outer 5 ft line, so the other half of the water is shallower than 35 feet. The sharpest drop is between 5 and 10 feet, where the mapped water sheds 1,890 acres.

How accurate is this Black Lake depth map?

The contours come from the Michigan DNR Inland Lake Contours survey, retrieved August 2026 and last rebuilt on August 19, 2026. Depths change over time with water levels and sediment, so treat this map as a planning guide for fishing, and never use it for navigation. Acreages are computed from the published contour geometry, not from a separate area survey, so read them as close approximations.

Michigan lake depth maps

Black Lake depth map

Black Lake in Cheboygan County, Michigan reaches a depth of 50 feet. Black Lake is charted here across 10 closed depth contours, from the 5 ft line down to 50 ft, enclosing about 10,393 acres of water. Half of that water lies inside the 35 ft line, and only 820 acres lie inside the deepest one. Every contour is on the interactive map below, free and without an account.

Data: Michigan DNR Inland Lake Contours (public record). Contours closed, checked and area-computed by Jordan Carter, founder of GilledIt · page updated August 19, 2026

Black Lake depth chart: 10 depth contours from 5 to 50 ft

Data: Michigan DNR Inland Lake Contours (public record), retrieved August 2026 · depths change over time · not for navigation

Black Lake depth chart data: water enclosed by each contour
Depth contour	Water inside it	Share of mapped water
5 ft	10,393 acres	100%
10 ft	8,503 acres	82%
15 ft	7,360 acres	71%
20 ft	6,924 acres	67%
25 ft	6,466 acres	62%
30 ft	5,598 acres	54%
35 ft	4,699 acres	45%
40 ft	3,597 acres	35%
45 ft	2,583 acres	25%
50 ft	820 acres	7.9%

Acreages are computed from the closed Michigan DNR Inland Lake Contours contour rings, with islands subtracted. Shares are of the 10,393 acres inside the outermost charted contour (the 5 ft line), which is the outer edge of the mapped water, several state files carry no 0 ft shoreline line, so this is not the same as a share of the lake's published surface area.

Fishing Black Lake: steep sides for its size

The survey encloses about 10,393 acres of Black Lake inside its 5 ft contour, and half of that water lies inside the 35 ft line, so the bottom holds its depth well out from the bank rather than tapering off a long shallow margin. Between 5 and 10 ft the mapped water sheds 1,890 acres in 5 ft of depth, the sharpest change on the chart, start on that band, because it is where the bottom stops being flat. 820 acres, 7.9% of the mapped water, lie inside the deepest 50 ft contour, toward the southern end of the lake. With 50 ft at its deepest there is no true cold-water layer here, so structure does the work the thermocline does elsewhere: fish the points and inside turns where the 5 and 10 ft lines pinch together, hardest in early season and again as fish follow bait back down in autumn.

Ice fishing on Black Lake

Black Lake's 50 ft is a workable ice depth, enough water to hold fish all winter, without the slow freeze-up of a big basin. First light belongs on the 50 ft hole, all 820 acres of it; as the sun gets up, move onto the 5–10 ft break, and spend the middle of the day on the flats inside the 35 ft line. Check ice thickness locally before you walk out.

Black Lake depth map FAQs

How deep is Black Lake?: Black Lake reaches a maximum depth of 50 feet in the Michigan DNR Inland Lake Contours survey. Most of it is far shallower: the survey charts 10 closed depth contours over about 10,393 acres, and half of that water sits inside the 35 ft line.
Where is the deepest part of Black Lake?: The deepest charted water on Black Lake lies inside the 50 ft contour, toward the southern end of the lake. That contour encloses 820 acres, 7.9% of the mapped water, so it is a small target on a big lake, the depth chart above gives the contour to line up on.
How much of Black Lake is shallower than 35 feet?: About half. The 35 ft contour encloses 4,699 acres of the roughly 10,393 acres inside the outer 5 ft line, so the other half of the water is shallower than 35 feet. The sharpest drop is between 5 and 10 feet, where the mapped water sheds 1,890 acres.
How accurate is this Black Lake depth map?: The contours come from the Michigan DNR Inland Lake Contours survey, retrieved August 2026 and last rebuilt on August 19, 2026. Depths change over time with water levels and sediment, so treat this map as a planning guide for fishing, and never use it for navigation. Acreages are computed from the published contour geometry, not from a separate area survey, so read them as close approximations.

Depth maps for lakes near Black Lake

Twin Lakes depth map · 73+ ft max · 5 mi away
Long Lake depth map · 61 ft max · 8 mi away
Mullett Lake depth map · 120 ft max · 13 mi away
Francis Lake depth map · 83 ft max · 16 mi away
Rainy Lake depth map · 98+ ft max · 18 mi away

Mapped fishing venues near Black Lake

Black Lake in the venue directory covers access and fishing details for this water.

Twin Lakes · 5 mi away
Long Lake · 8 mi away
Mullett Lake · 13 mi away

Fishing in Michigan needs a state license: Michigan fishing license guide · all Michigan venues